Our 21st century working lives are being changed dramatically by technology. More and more of us can work flexibly from home as well as an office. So why shouldn’t we be able to travel, work and earn at the same time? More and more people are doing exactly that so if you dream of your travel being self-funding here is some advice to consider.
Try finding a job with a lot of travel involved
If the thought of changing career just seems too risky, perhaps the most orthodox way of earning from travel is looking for a similar job to your current one, but with better travel opportunities. In a globalized world, most industries have roles that require staff to travel frequently so you might able to align your own career curve to intercept.
Start a digital business which you can run from anywhere
As the internet dominates our lives more and more, digital skills are becoming some of the easiest to take anywhere. Whether you’re a website coder, app developer or digital marketer, you don’t need much more than a laptop and an internet connection to ply your trade. You can video conference into all those meetings from anywhere!
Take advantage of the global desire for content
Once all those clever digital folks have built those websites, someone has to write something to go in them. The international tourism industry has a massive need for up-to-date content because we consume so much of it in considering where to spend the c. $7.5 billion dollars we invest in travel every year. Whether you want to be a freelance travel writer or start your own revenue-generating travel blog there are always opportunities to earn a living from describing places and people.
Hone your creative skill as a photographer or videographer
If you are thinking about starting your own travel blog then you do need a reality check, it’s not easy. Don’t take our word for it, Matthew Karsten, one of the world’s top travel bloggers has lifted the lid on how he did it and what it took. You need to be more than just a writer to stand out, these days most people running successful travel blogs are spending more time photographing or making video content as their primary way of communicating and building enough of an audience to generate income.
Acquire specialist knowledge of a particular place to work as a guide
If you have a favourite part of the world you’ve visited frequently and built up an intimate knowledge about then you may well find local travel companies or resorts interested in using you as a tour guide. Check out some top tips and see if you’ve got the mix of people skills and organizational ability to make a career of it.
Become an au pair
Working abroad as an au pair is an experience that many young people have tried as a way of funding time abroad and mixing in some travel and new cultural experience. Living with a family abroad can give you a much richer insight into how people’s lifestyles and cultures vary around the world.
Use your language skills
Teaching is another traditional route to overseas employment. English is still the world’s international business language although if you have other language skills in Spanish, Arabic or Mandarin then you’ll be in even greater demand. There are lots of opportunities to teach in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Become a skilled instructor
If you’re not a natural linguist then there are plenty of other opportunities to use any qualifications you have to carve out a role working abroad as an instructor. Watersports, scuba diving and skiing are all popular seasonal or year round roles that provide opportunities to take your skillset to different parts of the world.
Go to sea!
There are a much wider array of boat-related travel careers these days than actually being a sailor. You might enjoy the glamour of a crew role in the yachting industry, travelling from one chic location to another or to work on a cruise ship, these floating cities have as many job roles as on land!
Or just be a “jack of all trades”
You can, of course, travel and work in an altogether more freewheeling manner. There are a huge number of casual roles you can turn your hand to if needed, whether that’s in a restaurant, as a bartender or perhaps fruit-picking in the countryside. The same skills that make you a good traveler (a friendly attitude, good people skills and a desire to learn) are the ones that will open doors for you in any country.
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In fact, we can even help you earn as you travel via our referral program. We’ll give you $20 for every order placed via your own unique referral link.
