Why Including Travel on Your Resume Can Land You the Job

When writing your resume, you know to focus on the important stuff: your experience, your best skills, how well you meet the qualifications of the job you want. And while in some cases that can be enough to at least get you invited for an interview, when a recruiter receives dozens of resumes for the same position, a resume that isn’t like everyone else’s is necessary to get you noticed.

If you are looking for that elusive “something” that can get your resume to the top of the pile, consider adding your travel experience. Now, employers aren’t likely to be impressed—or even interested—in your rum-soaked beach vacations or the class trip to Disneyland, but meaningful travel can pique their interest and provide more insight into who you are, your values, and the soft skills you bring to the table.

The Benefits of Including Travel

So what makes travel meaningful, and what does it add to your resume?

“Meaningful” travel is anything that provides you with an experience that expands your mind, changes your perspective, or gives you new skills. Including this type of travel (and it can be both domestic and foreign) can accomplish a number of things on your resume.

Explain gaps.

If you traveled between jobs, let employers know. An employment gap without any explanation is much worse for your image than saying that you spent several months in Asia or explored National Parks. Not only does the employer learn more about you as a person, but you have evidence of how you spent your time.

Highlight skills.

A growing number of people are working while traveling, giving them a chance to experience a new place more fully, while also paying the bills. Include the work you did overseas in your work experience, highlighting anything that is especially relevant. For instance, if you lived overseas and taught English while pursuing your masters in TESOL online, that experience will give your teaching applications a boost.

Highlight experience.

Did you volunteer while you traveled? Have you blogged about your adventures? Did you improve your photography skills? Think about everything you did while you traveled and how it translated into new skills and experiences that you might use on the job.

Highlight soft skills.

Communication. Negotiation. Budgeting. Planning. Dealing with crises. No, these aren’t just skills required in the boardroom. These skills are vital to successful...

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