What are some careers that allow you to travel and see the world?
Hi, I am a recently graduated high school student and big surprise I have no idea what I want to do. For the longest time I wanted to be an optometrist but when I was able to fly internationally for the first time a few months ago I fell in love. I desperately want to see more of the world but I am pretty sure eye doctors don't get to travel much. I just really want to explore this path fully before committing to the 8 years of school. Any suggestions?
Jobadvisor:
It's fantastic that you've discovered a passion for international travel! It's definitely worth exploring careers that can incorporate this, especially before committing to a long educational path like optometry. While eye doctors generally don't travel extensively for work, many exciting fields can take you all over the globe.
Here are some career suggestions that allow for travel, ranging from those requiring little to no prior education to those that might involve some specialized training:
Careers with Direct Travel Opportunities (Often Entry-Level or with Shorter Training):
- Flight Attendant: This is perhaps the most obvious choice. You get paid to travel, staying in different cities and countries. The entry barrier is relatively low, typically requiring a high school diploma. Be aware that hours can be irregular and demanding.
- Cruise Ship Worker: Cruise lines hire for a vast array of roles, from hospitality and entertainment to retail, chefs, and even medical staff. You live and work on the ship, seeing many different ports of call. You'll save money as accommodation and food are often provided.
- Au Pair: If you enjoy working with children, becoming an au pair in a foreign country is a great way to live abroad, immerse yourself in a new culture, and travel locally. You'll typically get free room and board in exchange for childcare and light housework. This is often a popular option for young people right out of high school.
- ESL (English as a Second Language) Teacher Abroad: There's a high demand for English teachers in many countries around the world. While some programs prefer a Bachelor's degree, many accept a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification, which can be obtained in a few weeks or months. This allows you to live and work in a foreign country for an extended period, giving you ample opportunity to explore.
- Tour Guide (International): You could work for a tour company leading groups through various destinations, or even start your own specialized tours if you have a niche interest. This combines travel with sharing your knowledge and passion for a place.
- Seasonal Jobs/Work Exchange (e.g., Hospitality, Farms, Hostels): Websites like Worldpackers, Workaway, and WWOOF connect travelers with hosts offering free accommodation (and sometimes food) in exchange for work. This can be anything from helping on an organic farm, working in a hostel, or assisting with eco-projects. While not always high-paying, it significantly reduces travel costs and provides immersive experiences.
Careers Requiring More Specialized Skills or Education (Often with Good Earning Potential):
- Travel Nurse: If you're still interested in healthcare, becoming a travel nurse allows you to take temporary assignments in different locations, both domestically and internationally. This can be a high-paying career with a lot of flexibility. It requires a nursing degree and license.
- Pilot: Commercial pilots obviously travel extensively. This is a highly skilled and well-compensated career, but it requires significant training and dedication.
- Photographer/Videographer (Travel, Documentary, Event): If you have a passion for visual arts, becoming a travel photographer or videographer can take you to stunning locations for assignments, whether it's for tourism boards, magazines, or private clients (like destination weddings).
- Travel Writer/Blogger/Influencer: While it can take time to build a successful platform, if you enjoy writing or creating content, you can leverage your travels into a career. You'd share your experiences, tips, and insights, often collaborating with tourism businesses.
- International Aid Worker/NGO Worker: Organizations like Doctors Without Borders, the UN, or various NGOs need people in a wide range of roles (healthcare, logistics, education, community development) in different parts of the world. This is a very fulfilling path but can involve working in challenging environments. Educational requirements vary widely depending on the specific role.
- Foreign Service Officer/Diplomat: Working for your country's foreign service means you'll be posted to embassies and consulates around the world, representing your nation's interests. This is a highly competitive career path typically requiring a strong academic background and rigorous selection processes.
- International Business/Management Consultant: Many consultants travel frequently to meet with clients in different countries, offering expertise in various industries. This often requires a business degree and experience.
- Archaeologist: If you're fascinated by history and ancient cultures, archaeology involves fieldwork in diverse locations around the globe. This requires a strong academic background in archaeology or related fields.
- Diving Instructor: If you love the ocean, becoming a certified diving instructor can lead to opportunities to work in beautiful coastal destinations worldwide.
Advice for Exploring Your Options:
- Research Specific Roles: Don't just look at the job title. Dig into the day-to-day responsibilities, typical travel schedules, earning potential, and required qualifications for any career that sparks your interest.
- Consider a Gap Year: Since you're a recent high school graduate, a gap year dedicated to travel and exploration (perhaps through some of the work-exchange or ESL teaching options) could be invaluable. It would give you firsthand experience with international living, help you refine your interests, and potentially even earn some money while you travel.
- Network: Talk to people who are already working in these fields. Reach out to them on LinkedIn or through professional organizations to gain insights into their experiences.
- Internships/Volunteering: Even if you decide to pursue a degree, look for opportunities for international internships or volunteering during your breaks. This can give you a taste of combining your studies with travel.
- Think About Your Skills and Interests: Beyond travel, what else are you good at or passionate about? Do you enjoy teaching, writing, photography, helping people, problem-solving, or something else? Matching your skills with a travel-friendly career will lead to greater satisfaction.
It's commendable that you're taking the time to explore your options before committing to a long-term educational path. Your international travel experience has clearly opened your eyes to a new possibility, and there are many ways to make that a reality! Good luck!
Job Search Hack - Mini-group of motivation buddies!
I am in dire need of getting a good job. I have a decent enough profile and portfolio. I have studied and worked on three continents physically (being there) and one more continent virtually. I also have experience in computer science, marketing, data analytics, and other fields. I can dabble in about six languages these days. I need an excellent job to sustain this very language learning process! However, what I lack is a bit of motivation. If you are in the same boat in the same regard, we could motivate each other.
I think that being motivated is the biggest hack that we can adopt for job seeking. So, I propose this to you all.
I have no idea whether this is a good idea or not. I just go with the flow in my life, and based on the feedback that I receive, I adjust myself. So, if I learn that this is a bad idea from your feedback, I will delete this post. However, if a few of you are interested in something like this, I think motivating each other might propel us to achieve our dream job in the near future.
If you are game, we can form some sort of mini-group on Discord or something to be motivation buddies for each other!!
Waiting for Offer Letter but employer just posted an open recruitment for the same position they were intended to offer me. What's my chance?
I (F 31) got contacted by this company at June 9 and being scheduled an interview at June 13. Two of the recruitment staff are acquaintance of mine (F 27 & M 25), which I can get access of information in advance from them.
M informed me after the interview that the company urgently need a new guy for this position, so he told me that there'd be only so little time in the get-to-know phase, because the second I got hired it'd be "rock and roll".
He told me he can reassure the 2 supervisors that interviewed me to accept me but not for this 1 manager (final verdict on the manager). I never knew M worked there and also I never begged or asked for his help, so I think I'll take this as an advantage.
At June 16, M informed me that both of the SPVs that interviewed me said OK already, he then called to ask me some information, I suppose those for an offer letter. To which he confirmed that I just need to wait for said OL, later that day. Prior to the interview, F told me that recruitment process consist of interview user to excel test to psychotest to medical check up. M said to me that OL would be sent first because of the urgency, so I just wait.
The next day, M asked me whether I already got the OL or not, to which I replied "not yet". No further explanation. I texted him again the next day, asking "where could I receive the OL? At my email or could be at WhatsApp?", to no avail.
This has been 6 days since I "supposed" to get that OL, but today I saw an open recruitment poster for the same position that the SPV offered me. Plus one vacancy for another SPV in the same field of job, so 2 vacancies.
I don't wanna be pushy, but this got me overthinking everything, considering being a female with a newlywed status, and I'm over 30 so it is expected for newlyweds in 3rd world country like mine to push babies as soon as possible (this was asked in the interview, I assure them I'm not currently in the ideal circumstances to make babies at the moment, baby time is in 1 or 2 years, and families are supportive). I told these things to M and F. I even told M that I'm down to sign an agreement not to procreate for the next 2 years if needed (such practice is quite common in my country).
I already texted M asking about the clarity behind what happened, but it's currently early morning, hoping I will get closure soon today.
Could you tell me your similar experience to this? What do you think about this company posting--at M's instastory--an open recruitment poster? Does this mean I'm on hold to see if I'm what they're looking for? What's my chance? 🥹
Jobadvisor:
It's completely understandable why you'd be overthinking this situation! Waiting for an offer letter is stressful enough, let alone seeing the position reposted. Let's break down what might be happening and what your chances could be.
What Could Be Happening?
It's natural to jump to the worst conclusions, especially when you've been given mixed signals. Here are a few possibilities for why the company might have reposted the position, even after your acquaintance told you an offer was coming:
- Internal Communication Breakdown: This is very common. Different departments might not be perfectly aligned. The recruitment team might be proceeding with standard procedures (like reposting if an offer isn't finalized quickly) while the hiring managers are still keen on you.
- The Manager's Approval: Remember M said he could reassure the two supervisors but "not for this one manager" (final verdict on the manager)? This is a crucial detail. It's possible the manager hasn't given their final approval, or they're holding out for someone else. This is where your acquaintance's influence might have hit a roadblock.
- Contingency Planning: Companies often keep a recruitment pipeline open as a backup. Even if they intend to hire you, they might repost to ensure they have other candidates in the queue in case something falls through (e.g., you decline the offer, or the manager decides against you).
- Multiple Hires: You mentioned they also posted for an SPV vacancy in the same field. It's possible they are looking to hire multiple people for the same position, or there's been an expansion of roles.
- "Urgency" is Relative: While M stressed urgency, internal processes can still be slow. An offer letter can get stuck in HR for various reasons (approvals, salary negotiations, paperwork). Reposting could be a default action if a certain timeframe passes without an offer being officially extended.
- Your Disclosures: While it's unfortunate you had to discuss personal matters like your newlywed status and plans for children, it's a reality in some places. However, it's highly unlikely they would repost the position because of your willingness to sign an agreement not to procreate. Such an agreement, even if common, could be a red flag to a company if they're trying to avoid legal issues, but it's more likely a case of general hiring dynamics.
What Are Your Chances?
It's impossible to give a definitive percentage, but here's a realistic assessment:
- Still in the Running: The fact that M, an internal contact, told you an offer was coming, and even followed up, indicates you were a strong candidate. The reposting doesn't automatically mean you're out. It could be a standard procedure or a backup plan.
- Manager is Key: The manager's final approval is the biggest unknown here. If that individual hasn't signed off on you, then the process is stalled.
- Awaiting Your Response: It's also possible they are genuinely waiting for you to accept an offer (which hasn't been sent yet) but are preparing for a scenario where you might decline or they might need more people.
Advice for Moving Forward
- Follow Up Assertively (but Politely): You've already texted M, which is good. Give him a reasonable amount of time to respond, but don't hesitate to follow up again if you don't hear back soon. A phone call, if appropriate, might be more effective than a text. You can say something like, "Hi M, just checking in again regarding the offer letter. I saw the position reposted and wanted to clarify if there's any update on my application."
- Contact HR Directly (If Possible): If M isn't responsive, and if you have any HR contact information from your interview process, consider reaching out to them directly. A polite email inquiring about the status of your application and the offer letter could provide clarity.
- Don't Stop Job Searching: This is crucial. Until you have a signed offer letter in hand, keep applying for other jobs. This will reduce your anxiety and give you options.
- Prepare for Alternatives: Think about what you'll do if this offer doesn't materialize. What are your other job prospects? This proactive thinking can help you feel more in control.
- Re-evaluate the "Urgency": If this company truly needed someone urgently, the process wouldn't be this drawn out. This might indicate internal disorganization or a less critical need than initially portrayed.
Similar Experiences
Many people have experienced similar situations where an offer seems imminent only for the process to drag on or for the position to be reposted. Often, it boils down to:
- Bureaucracy: Large companies, or even smaller ones with complex internal structures, can have very slow HR processes.
- Hiring Manager Delays: The manager who makes the final decision might be busy, indecisive, or waiting on budget approvals.
- Multiple Candidates in Play: Sometimes, even if you're the top candidate, they might want to interview a few more people just to be sure.
The fact that the poster was on M's Instastory might indicate that it's a broader recruitment effort, not specifically aimed at replacing you, but rather filling more than one position or keeping options open.
Final Thoughts
Your chances are still there, but you need to get a clear answer. The ball is in their court to send that offer letter. Don't be afraid to gently nudge them for an update. Good luck!
What do you plan to do if M doesn't give you a clear answer today?