There’s no time like the start of a new year to shake things up. And top of the list of ways to do that is to ditch your nine-to-five routine and head off to foreign shores. More than half of Britons aged 35 or over want to travel more or work abroad, according to research by Bradford & Bingley, the bank.

Taking a career break involves difficult choices. For a start, your employer may not be keen to let you leave and then return to your job. Then there’s the small matter of financing the trip.

Never fear, however, because the web can help, with advice, for example, on ways to convince your boss to let you go. And if you must quit your job, then there are also tips on when is best to do it.

ARE YOU READY?

You’d be surprised how many employers will let you take a sabbatical, albeit often unpaid. According to the British Confederation of Industry, more than a third of companies in the private sector now have a policy of career breaks.

Your first port of call should be your personnel department to see if a scheme is in place and how you might qualify. Many companies require you to have worked there for at least two years, and you may be asked to take it at a particular time of year. There is a list of some companies that offer breaks at tinyurl.com/3y3ucs .

You may have to persuade your boss to let you go, and tips on this can be found at tinyurl.com/ysy537 . Try explaining to your employer why you are already valuable and what new skills you could bring from your break.

Choosing to work with an organisation such as the Voluntary Service Overseas (www.vso.org.uk ) is attractive to employers, because it enables you to take a placement that may supplement your existing specialist skills. For instance, it offers the opportunity to be an IT trainer in Ethiopia, or a financial management expert in Pakistan. Specialist tenures can last from two weeks to six months.

LEGAL ISSUES

There is surprisingly little employment law governing a career break. However, if you know of someone else in your company who has taken an unpaid sabbatical in similar circumstances to yours it should help your case.

If your employer does agree to a sabbatical, make sure you have written confirmation of your employment status and the situation concerning healthcare, pension and other benefits before you go. A sabbatical is not a secondment but they are similar. Advice on secondments can be found at tinyurl.com/2ule46 and may serve as a guide to a sabbatical agreement.

If you decide to resign from your job, then see tinyurl.com/2s9xcq for advice on how to go about it, including how to phrase your letter.

Try to quit during the postbonus period, or align your return with January or September, the best times to find work.

FINANCIAL WORRIES

The biggest obstacle to a career break is often money. If you are leaving your job midway through the tax year to go into unpaid work, you may be entitled to a tax rebate. You can fill in the forms at the HM Revenue & Customs site (tinyurl.com/2n9t68 ) to make a claim.

Getting a job abroad is one way to offset the costs of a trip but make sure you are aware of local employment regulations. Australia’s rules (see tinyurl.com/2waa5z), for instance, stipulate that you can’t stay with the same employer for more than six months on a working holiday visa.

One of the best moneyspinners abroad is the ability to teach English as a foreign language, so it’s worth investigating www.tefl.co.uk before you go. This offers an English teaching qualification recognised across the world. A weekend course starts at £210, with the option to add a second module for £135.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Any trip lasting more than a couple of months will involve a lot of housekeeping. Sign up to www.moveme.com for a comprehensive checklist of all the little things you need to do, from redirecting your mail to cancelling mobile phone subscriptions.

You should also consider creating a personal travel page at www.keepingyouposted.org, so friends and relatives can follow your travels. Once you've signed up, which is free for the most basic service, you can plot your progress on an interactive map, and post blog entries, videos and photographs. Visitors simply enter your name into a search engine on the site in order to view your page.

CULTURE AND SAFETY

The Foreign Office (www.fco.gov.uk) is a crucial port of call if you plan to travel off the beaten track. Alongside regularly updated advice on which destinations are out of bounds (only Somalia is considered totally off limits) the site also has details on what to do if you are a victim of crime or injury, or simply lose your passport.

Finally, gen up with a guide to the customs and traditions of people in the countries you are visiting. At www.culturebriefings.com you will find downloadable briefings on countries such as China, India and Malaysia costing from around £5 each. your mail to cancelling mobile phone subscriptions.

You should also consider creating a personal travel page at www.keepingyouposted.org , so friends and relatives can follow your travels. Once you’ve signed up, which is free for the most basic service, you can plot your progress on an interactive map, and post blog entries, videos and photographs. Visitors simply enter your name into a search engine on the site in order to view your page.

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