Live to travel? Then travel for a living
Flying from glamorous city to glamorous city, serving celebrities and high-ranking politicians champagne. Managing a team of volunteers as they construct a school on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Travelling from city to city, and getting paid to write about your experiences for others to follow in your footsteps. Guiding a group of sunburnt party animals through their big summer holiday, or perhaps getting the kids off to bed early so mum and dad can enjoy a romantic dinner. Sound appealing?
There’s a wealth of opportunities if you want to work in the travel industry, which employs 120,000 people in the UK alone. Whatever your interests or skills, you’ll find something for you if you have a sense of adventure, are good with people and want to see the world. And here are some ideas…
Travel agents
If you’re interested in sales, but want to be passionate about the product you’re selling, then working in a travel agency could be for you. You’ll get the chance to help your customers arrange their dream holiday, whether they want to go snowboarding in the Alps or potholing in Poland. And should handing those tickets over to eager travellers give you the green eye, you’ll be able to enjoy big discounts from your employer on your own trips away. Other advantages include flexible working hours and lots of job satisfaction. A bit of sales experience is useful if applying for this role, although companies such as Thomas Cook offer apprenticeships if you’ve got an NVQ in leisure and tourism.
Reps!
But if a desk job doesn’t float your boat, and you’d rather escape the dismal UK summers, then repping might be for you. There’s a bit of a stereotype attached to this particular job, thanks to the sometimes bad rep (arf arf) that travel companies such as 18-30 seem to have. However, it’s not all about getting holidaymakers so drunk that they’ve forgotten what country they’re in (well, not every day). Repping means summers of fun, the chance to get some excellent sales experience, and a promising future within the industry. You’ll be trained in all sorts of areas, such as emergency procedures or entertainment, and will develop excellent communication and problem-solving skills, as you’ll be coming into contact with a whole range of people, from coach drivers to hoteliers. You’ll need to be fit, have some sales experience, and be good at working in a team. Languages help, as does some first-aid knowledge and a history of travelling. If the 18-30 scene sounds like your kind of nightmare though, then you could go for a children’s rep position, which will see you taking care of the little ’uns. For that position you’ll need a National Nursery Examination Borrad (NNEB) qualification or an NVQ in childcare.
Expedition leaders
But how about a more extreme rep job, away from the sun and surf? Expedition leaders are increasingly in demand, as people on their gap years choose to spend time abroad contributing to a worthwhile project. You could be leading a team in Africa as they build a dam to prevent drought and famine, or planting trees in South America to combat problems caused by deforestation. A good way to get started in this area is to go on a trip as an assistant leader – you’ll get paid a lower salary, but observing and assisting a professional is the best way to learn the ropes for yourself. You’ll also need a foreign language, excellent leadership and problem-solving skills, and strong nerve. After all, things can go wrong, and accidents, injuries and emotional crises could all occur. You’ve seen shipwrecked, right? It’s like that, but with bigger groups. Oh, the hormones… Fedora hat, leather jacket and bullwhip are not essential, but may come in handy.
Cabin crew
For those who would rather combine their work with some travelling in style though, here is the perfect solution. Working on an aeroplane as a member of the cabin crew can be an extremely exciting and glamorous experience, particularly if you fly long haul. Getting to see some of the world’s most exciting cities, staying in top-class hotels, and meeting a constant stream of interesting people are just a few of the bonuses. However, be aware of the drawbacks: you’ll have to work some very antisocial hours, will be away from home for long periods at a time, and may find the constant jetlag tiring and disorientating. But if the thought of a fixed office routine makes you want to hop on a plane anyway, then this might be the job for you. Plus, if you choose to work for a short-haul airline, you can cut out the disruption. You’ll need to be a people person, be fit, be able to swim (‘in the unlikely case the aircraft should land on water’), and have GCSEs in maths and English. Visible tattoos and piercings are a no-no, and of course, a second language is a bonus – one which may even earn you more pay. Co-ordinated trolley dances to dizzyingly awful Eurovisión tunes are not compulsory.
Up, up and away!
And as for the future of the industry itself? It’s looking good. From July 2006 to July 2007, 70 million Brits headed overseas for their holidays, with rock-bottom prices for flights encouraging more people than ever to head abroad. If you want to think really long term, and bag a job that’s truly out of this world, then don’t forget: Virgin Galactic is already taking bookings for their journeys into space. Get into the industry now, and by 2009 you could be learning how to serve a Bloody Mary in zero gravity.
Useful websites
www.thomascookjobs.co.uk – Careers at Thomas Cook
www.careerintravel.co.uk – Careers advice in the travel sector
www.experiencequest.com – Information about adventure travel and job offers
www.club18-30.com – Job offers for reps
www.adventurejobs.co.uk – Information and job offers for expedition leaders
www.britishairwaysjobs.com – Jobs and advice for cabin crew and more
www.abta.com/vacancies.html – Travel association site, with job offers from members
www.virgingalactic.com – Richard Branson takes us into space
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