How to pay

We believe that a gap year is a critical transition period between two periods of formal learning. It is a great time to get out of your comfort zone and develop positive social skills.

As a school leaver, you are likely to be in the highly enviable position of not paying rent, household, and other life expenses. It is a great opportunity to build the discipline to save.

Here are our thoughts on some great options for developing social confidence whilst earning money:

Jobs that tip: Jobs with tip are great as they help you to learn rapidly. Tips are a form of instant feedback. If you do a good job you may get tipped. If you do a bad job, you almost certainly won't get tipped.

Waiter: The beauty of being a restaurant waiter is that you have to approach the customer (versus the customer approaching a barista for example). Once your approach has been made you must formally present your self and your menu. Then your role moves to delivering against your promise and building rapport with your crowd over multiple small interactions. You are the chief host of your customers experience.

Barista/bar staff: In this case customers come to you, the interactions are quick, and you have a physical barrier between you and your customers. Rapport building has to be slick and fast.

Customer care line: In this case, the interaction is limited to voice only. Interactions tend to be fast and necessarily transactional so rapport building will be challenging. Most customer care centres have carefully crafted bonus structures. Bonuses act as a kind of delayed feedback mechanism letting you know how you performed some time after the event.

Teacher Assistant: Any kind of role where you have to perform to keep the attention of your audience will very rapidly accelerate the effectiveness of your communication and your personal self confidence. Younger children in particular, need lots of stimulation to keep them interested.