vanessa

Dan Woodlief wrote on another thread that he thought most of us here would be travel agents if we had not already taken up other professions. I completely agree, however, I just graduated college and don't have another profession yet. I am currently searching for one that would allow me to travel internationally. In college my concentration was in journalism, but I don't know if that would allow me to travel right away to places in Europe. Any suggestions? What is the perfect travel job?

Maira

The one where your job would be to evaluate hotel facilities and rate potential traveling sights for tour companies. For example to travel to cities in Greece rating their hotels and tourism possibilities. Ahh.....!

lynn

Vanessa, I was just about to post a similar thread when I saw your post! How funny. I'm guessing that many travel agents are struggling now since the internet is so readily available for trip planning. What's left to book except large tour packages? <BR> <BR>The most well traveled people I know (including my parents) were/are in the military! However, that's an entire lifestyle choice, and probably better for someone who wants to start college at the end of their service. <BR> <BR>Other people I know who travel to Europe on business work for a software company, a grocery company and a university, but they worked for years before they began traveling internationally on business. <BR> <BR>So Vanessa, if I knew the answer to your question, I would have done the same thing! I wish you the best of luck though.

martha python

Be aware that business travel can be very frustrating. You're often sent to places you don't want to be or sent to plaes you would enjoy but you have to work the whole time. <BR>Journalism can be a good way to get to travel, if you position yourself carefully, but don't expect to get sent to Europe right away. You may want to consider trade newletters for fields in which a lot of what goes on goes on in Europe. Or how about the communications/PR departments of companies with offices in Europe?

Monica

Last month I bought a book called, "Jobs for People who Love to Travel" and it contains lots of information from a travel agent, guide, flight attendant, pilot, to the government jobs that include travel. It also has information on living overseas, if interested.

dan woodlief

Get a management level, or maybe even technical job in some cases, with a company that is headquartered overseas. A lot of companies will let you extend your stay and tack vacation time onto the end of the business. <BR> <BR>My ideal travel job would be to take photos (great combo of my two favorite hobbies) and perhaps write freelance travel articles for a living. Maybe one day I will at least pursue the photography part. Its a tough field for making a good living though, and I will go into it gradually if I do it. Or to work for the Travel Channel - don't think that will happen.

suzann

Vanessa, <BR>My hat's off to you for pursuing your dream. Here are some thoughts: <BR> <BR>The discount airfare site TISS is advertising three jobs at its Frankfurt location; check it out at www.tiss.com <BR> <BR>The Dept of Defense runs schools for military dependents overseas, and you might be able to qualify as an English teacher with only a few additional classes. You can contact them at: Department of Defense Dependents' Schools, ATTN: Teacher Recruitment, 2461 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria, VA 22331. <BR> <BR>Other government jobs around the world are listed at: www.usajobs.opm.gov. <BR> <BR>The Defense Information Agency might be just right for you; they read and study national newspapers and try to discern trends. It might be right with a Jour. degree. <BR> <BR>You might try to apply at the Defense Intelligence Agency, the International Agency for Development, or even the U.S. Department of State, which has many non-career-diplomat opportunities. <BR> <BR>Another option are the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) like the UN Children's Fund, UN Development Program, or the World Bank. <BR> <BR>There's also the possibility to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) classes around the world. There's a thriving market in Asia, but a few positions are also up in Eastern Europe; a very few exist in Western Europe. Try doing a search at Yahoo or Alta Vista. I bet someone in your school's English Dept knows a contact. (My friend did this in Korea, Hungary, and China.) You might also contact the consulate of your country of choice and ask for a list of private schools; then you write to each of the schools and see if they need an English teacher. <BR> <BR>You should be able to find all of these somewhere on the web, or e-mail me for the addresses. <BR> <BR>Can you tell that I've thought of this once or twice myself? <BR> <BR>Go for it! <BR>Suzann

suzann

vanessa -- <BR> <BR>oops. Def Inform. Agency is really the U.S. Information Agency. Also try the good old Peace Corps. <BR> <BR>S.

pretina

STATE DEPARTMENT BABY!! they pay for your housing, and even servants/hired help in certain countries. My aunt is stationed in India right now...for about 6 months..and its wonderful! She doesnt have to lift a finger either.

Doug

As an ex Pan Am employee and an ex-travel agent, please beleive me that these jobs aren't near the ideal situations some may think. Back in the <BR>70's and early 80's working for Pan Am allowed me to fly free on a standby basis throughout the world. But the advent of frequent flyer programs meant that those otherwise unoccupied seats (usually First and Clipper Class) were now being taken by the frequent flyers cashing in their mileage. It soon became nearly impossible to get anywhere on a stanby basis. That combined with low pay, an increasingly nasty class of customers and the uncertainty of Pan Am's future made me change careers. Things were even worse as a travel agent. Most agencies don't offer health insurance, pay poorly and <BR>have few fringe benefits. I found that the agency owner usually gobbled up all the nice freebies like weekend jaunts, hotel or airline fam trips and even invitations to elegant parties for themselves despite the fact that the employees did all the work in the first place and needed to learn more about selling the product. Air travel has become more accesible to the general public over the years but has become a much tougher way to make a living. The percentage of commissions has dropped substantially while the agent has to search more and more fares in order to get his customer a "bargain". In the "Good Old Days" the customer had a choice of maybe three or four fares and the commissions were between 7 and 10%. Best of all, the elite that could afford to travel was a helluva lot nicer than the great unwashed flying today. Needless to say, I left the business a few years back and am now taking my dose of abuse with the postal service.

Helen

Great unwashed? Hey, I resemble that remark. I always make sure to wash before I go on a trip, even if I'm traveling on the cheap. Unwash this!!<BR>Back to Vanessa's question, a friend of a friend did a stint recently as a hotel quality control reviewer. It sounded very glam, he only stayed in/ate at the best places, got to use all the nice hotel services just to see how well they ran, etc. Very cloak-and-dagger, of course he was supposed to keep his mission a secret. It sounded to me like a lonely existence. Rarely home, he was constantly hopping place to place, and the reports he needed to produce kept him hopping. Apparently it was no better than your standard airport-hotel-airport business trip, one that had no other reason for being. There are definitely more satisfying ways to travel & earn a living.

Spanky

Ever thought of being an air courier? There are companies who need packages or items delivered around the world and need someone to be responsible for the package. You can contact IAATC (International Association of Air Travel Couriers) at: P. O. Box 1349 Lake Worth, FL 33460, attention: President: Mr. William Bates for further information. I received this information through a travel show broadcast on WFLN, a late lamented classical music station in Philadelphia. <BR> <BR>

Beth

I'm going to add a profession that you aren't trained for, but the travelling is pretty good. Musician in major symphony orchestra! They travel to great places, usually only twice a year and usually get at least a little time off between rehearsals and performances. They always have people with them that they know, to hang out with, or dine with. From the people I know who travel for work, they seem to have the best time of it. Unfortunately getting this kind of job is pretty tough!

dan woodlief

Doug, part of what you are saying is why I am not a travel agent. I actually looked into it once, with the end goal of learning a lot about the industry so that I could start a travel company, but after putting so much into going back to get an MBA, I just couldn't deal with the pay issue. I actually did interview for a couple of good jobs with major travel companies and almost got one of the positions. I may go that route again after I build up more work experience in marketing.

Neal Sanders

Vanessa, it is an interesting world out there, but one in which few organizations are amenable to sending 22-year-olds on trips to international destinations. Here are a couple of suggestions for organizations that buck that trend; my apologies that many are repetitions of ideas cited previously: <BR> <BR>1) The armed forces of the United States. Uncle Sam tends to smile on college graduates who want to give a few years back to their country, and the US continues to have a major presence in Europe. Yes, the pay is lousy, but the opportunity to see the world on a shoestring budget may outweigh that drawback, and General Electric will not hold it against you when you ask them for a job three or four years hence. To the contrary, you'll be considered a "more mature" person. <BR>2) A US company with a large percentage of foreign sales. Technology companies, especially, fall into this category. Companies need applications articles written and trade shows staffed. You can find yourself abroad a couple of times a year if you work hard and volunteer. <BR>3) The US State Department. A noble undertaking, though I understand the assignment system gives plum overseas posts to those with seniority. You shouldn't expect to get assigned to Paris your first year; Lagos is more likely. <BR>4) A foreign-based corporation. Choose carefully; make certain that the US entity is closely tied to the corporate parent, and not so entrenched that the US subsidiary is essentially independent. I can give you some more guidance in that area if you're really interested. <BR>5) A consulting company. Not a PR firm or an ad agency; those offer little by way of international travel, except to senior-level people. If you're a good writer, a consulting company will rent your writing skills to those who will pay the tariff, and those clients are frequently international. <BR> <BR>The best of luck!

Patty

Vanessa: Ditto what Doug said. Iam a former airline employee who was lucky enough to get alot of travel benefits long ago but they dont kick down enough now...Iam a PT travel agent and only in it because I get discounts on a few things like cruises and car rentals(forget air; its standby or very high prices). I would say get a great education in something you enjoy and get paid well for and put in your time so eventually you get that 3wks paid vacation and can afford to travel ANYWHERE you want in the class you want. One really nice trip a year is better than a quickie 3day stressful jaunt. Goodluck, Patty

April

Maybe it depends what airline you work for. I have a friend who works in the cargo department for one. She is well paid, the job is pretty casual and because flights are so cheap for her, she is able to take several trips a year. <BR>

wendy

PEACE CORP! It even cancels out some of that nasty student loan debt.

Nicole

Dan, you and I seem to be on the same path. I earned my MBA in marketing a year ago and since then have been working in Int'l Marketing at a car rental firm. One would think that I would get to travel, but I haven't and neither does anyone in my dept. I also looked into becoming a travel agent but in addition to the miserable pay, the future is uncertain. My next plan is to look within travel/tour companies, with the hopes that they need marketing people. Could you tell me what sort of companies you interviewed with and where you are located? Maybe we can trade ideas! <BR>

dan woodlief

Nicole, I will e-mail you later with the info. you wanted. Actually, I have had the chance to travel a little with my current job, marketing research for a educational sales company. A week in Toronto, and a few days in Las Vegas and Seattle. Only a few science people and the exports employees travel to Europe, Asia, and other far away destinations.