Mapping out Your Future After Graduation

All over the world each spring, college students are finishing up their final semester of school. Deciding what to do after walking across the stage with a fresh diploma can be a challenging task. However, graduates have a world map full of options in front of them. Consider these travel opportunities after graduation, and sail confidently into the future.

Intern

An internship is a great way for getting to know a new city while gaining confidence and new job skills. In every metro area around the world, there are internship opportunities in almost every career path. Interns get to live like a local in a new city without having to fully commit. Not only will your resume and portfolio grow stronger, but you will develop personally getting out and exploring.

Career 

Of course you may already have job offers on the table – lucky you! The opportunities for many industries could land a recent graduate almost anywhere on the globe. From the busiest cities – with millions of people flowing through the streets, to smaller metro areas surrounded by the great outdoors, your job choice can lead to new places and wonderful experiences. Even industries that may sound conventional, such as engineering, have interesting positions available all over a world map. If you know you’ll already love the work, consider living in an environment that is different from anything you’ve done before.

Were you the type of kid who was always inventing something new? If you were the queen of cookie sales as a child, starting a business might be a direction worth considering. Many new business opportunities are online. Internet entrepreneurs can live where they want, because the work is accessible anywhere on the map with a wifi connection. Imagine getting a few sales calls in before trail hiking in northern Thailand!

There are many options for working online. Some are more technical, such as programming, web development, and graphic design. Less technical options include writing, editing, marketing, and many others. Starting a business is a great way to put yourself anywhere on the map.

Teach English

Some recent graduates aren’t ready to commit to a path. If you want to travel the world –  and make some money along the way – consider teaching English as a second language. Native English speakers can make plenty of money to pay off student loans and credit card debt acquired in college, while visiting exotic foreign lands and traveling the world. There are teaching positions available all over the map: China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Graduates seeking adventure (and a paycheck) should consider teaching English.

Volunteer

There are some amazing volunteer programs all around the globe. Volunteering can expand your worldview, and helps make this wild spinning planet a better place. Whether it’s helping an organic farm in Europe, serving in an orphanage in Africa, coaching soccer in Latin America, or building small homes in Asia, somewhere on the map there is a volunteer program that will tug on your heartstrings. Volunteering abroad has become a great way to make a difference, while getting out and exploring other places and cultures. Volunteering abroad is a fantastic way to see another part of our world while giving something back.

As graduates are making their future plans, there is an abundance of options to consider. Spending hours pinning to a map on the wall, thinking about exploring the globe –  the 2014 graduating class has the world at their fingertips.