CAREER COACH

GO TO GREG

Dear Greg, I’m graduating college in May and unlike many of my pals I do not have a job lined up. I was actually thinking of taking the summer off to travel and start looking in September, assuming I can get my parents — who are dead set against it — to agree. Would that hurt my job prospects by giving the impression that I’m not ready or serious about a career?

Let me ask you a question. How many professions are there that will allow you to take an entire summer off to travel? You may not have that opportunity to do that again for, like, 40 or 50 years! Think about that.

While some big companies do have entry-level training programs that begin in the May/June time period coinciding with graduation, the vast majority of employers hire year round, and there is no law that says you have to jump right into 40-50 years of work right after 18 years of school. More and more smart young men and women are taking a break, which can be life-changing and make you even better prepared for an exciting career. Employers won’t frown upon it — in fact depending on how you spend your time off it can be an advantage in the job search. You should go, if that is what you want to do — with or without your parents blessing. (Sorry, mom and dad!)