Only three-quarters of American workers (in the private sector) receive paid vacation — 10 days, on average, after one year of employment. An even more unfortunate fact: 52 percent of Americans don’t use all the vacation days they earn.ⁱ  

That’s why you should take a vacation between jobs, if your circumstances allow. Some call this a “transition vacation”; others, a “jobbymoon.” You’re not limited by vacation-time policies. You don’t feel compelled to check your email, or reassure your boss that yes, all the orders were processed on time. You can just… relax. A successful jobbymoon requires careful planning, however. Here’s how to do it. 

Step 1: Negotiate your start and end dates. 

Ideally, you’ll ask a potential employer about their hiring timeline in the interview process, before you even receive an offer. The interview is not the time to say, “So, I’ve been thinking about taking a month’s vacation before I start. Will that work for you?” You can, however, get a sense of how flexible the company might be, and how desperate they are to fill the role quickly.

Once you’ve received an offer for a new job, you can begin negotiating how much time you’ll take off beforehand. Asking for a start date two months out is generally considered okay, particularly for senior-level positions, says Alison Green of Ask a Manager, but that depends on the company.ⁱⁱ You’ll also need to plan your exit date from your current job. Two weeks’ notice is customary, but some companies may request more (or they might tell you to clean out your desk and leave immediately).

Step 2: Work out your budget and destination.

Budgeting is the tricky part. Even if your new job includes a substantial salary increase, you don’t want to spend that money before you earn it. So limit your jobbymoon spending to the money you actually have (don’t run up your credit card with the intention of paying it off later.) At the same time, you want to make a jobbymoon an experience you’ll remember! Here are some ideas:

• Consider these 8 cheap (but beautiful) vacation destinations, from Hanoi to Quito.
• Check out sites like CheapCaribbean or Apple Vacations to find last-minute and all-inclusive deals on resorts in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central/South America.
• Look for off-season bargains. If it’s June, rent a condo at a ski resort. If it’s October, rent a beach house. (Here are a few suggestions for off-season beach destinations.)
• Hit up a friend. While finding a travel companion for your jobbymoon might be hard, because it’s not easy for everyone to take off one or two weeks on short notice, it might be an excellent time to visit a buddy in a distant city.

Step 3: Buy travel insurance.

You’ve booked your dream jobbymoon: a five-day backpacking trip in Iceland. But the day before you’re supposed to leave, you trip over your dog’s leash and fracture your tibia. You can’t believe your bad luck. What are you supposed to do?

When you’re taking a break between jobs so you can travel, insurance is an absolute necessity. That’s because you can’t afford to lose the money you’ve spent on your vacation, should you have to call off the trip at the last minute. Travel insurance with trip cancellation benefits can reimburse your prepaid, non-refundable expenses if you must cancel your trip due to a covered reason. That way, you can reschedule your trip for another time.

Here’s a tip: If your new job requires travel, it’s smart to protect yourself with an annual travel insurance plan. These affordable plans give you 365 days of coverage for all kinds of trips: both business and leisure, international and domestic.

Step 4: Communicate clearly with your new employer. 

Disconnecting is great. Disappearing, not so much. If you may not have reliable email or phone access during your between-jobs vacation, then you should notify your new job (and your old employer, too.) That way, if they need to send you important information about orientation, health insurance, or other HR stuff, they’ll have reasonable expectations about when you might respond.

Step 5: Make time for mindfulness. 

Changing jobs is a major stressor — even if you’re optimistic that your new gig will be more relaxing than your last. During your jobbymoon, spend some time reflecting on your career trajectory and your life’s path. What do you hope to learn? Where would you like to be in five or 10 years?

“These transitional trips are natural opportunities to take a step back and re-evaluate,” vocational psychologist Bryan Dik, Ph.D., tells SELF magazine. “Ask yourself: What did you most appreciate and enjoy from your previous job that you can take with you, and what were the ways that you were beaten down that you now need to avoid? Answering these questions can help you begin again with a new level of energy and a growth-oriented perspective.”

Step 6: Pick up a little treat for your new co-workers.

This step is optional, but can go a long way toward making a good first impression on your new team. Find a local candy or snack and bring back enough for your coworkers. (To save money, don’t buy anything from souvenir shops. Hit a local grocery store instead.) Not only will people appreciate the gesture, but you’ve provided an easy conversation starter to break the ice. Now, go start your new job!

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