Love to travel? Then why not get paid for it. Yes you read right: believe it or not there are jobs out there that will pay you to see the world. We round up eight, great roles for those with permanently itchy feet
Au pairing
Making like Mary Poppins is a great way to experience another country and culture a la the locals and get paid for it. On the downside, salaries vary and your charges could turn out to be the children from hell...
Make it happen: scope out opportunities at www.aupair-world.net
Cruise ship crew
Want to spend half term in Hawaii or Christmas in the Caribbean? Then working on a cruise ship could be the way to go. In addition to travelling to every corner of the globe, you’ll get to meet and make friends with people from all over the world. What’s more there are jobs for everyone from fitness instructors to entertainers, cleaners, chefs, hairdressers and masseurs.
Make it happen: most cruise ships advertise vacancies on their respective websites. Alternatively try: www.allcruisejobs.com
Flight attendant
Breakfast in the Big Apple? Lunch in Laos? Supper in Sydney? If that sounds appealing then think about becoming a long haul flight attendant. It’s hard work (think red eye flights and pushy passengers) but the pay off - regularly walking through a terminal to an unknown adventure - is worth it.
Make it happen: invest in a copy of The Essential Guide to Becoming a Flight Attendant by Kiki Ward which is packed with insider information.
Guidebook writer
Writing guidebooks may sound glamorous, but in reality it’s anything but - something this hack (a former Time Out guidebook writer) can attest. The pay is poor, the hours are long, the work can be lonely (if you aren’t happy in your own company - you’ll be dining and drinking solo most days - then forget it) and the deadlines, demanding. However if you live to travel and write, then this is definitely the job for you (I’d still be doing it if Time Out hadn’t canned the majority of their guides). No two days are the same: you’re always experiencing something new.
Make it happen: check the website of the publications - for example Fodors - that you’d like to write/work for.
Pilot
Alternatively you could plump to train to become a pilot. It will cost you - recent research by the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) found that over 50 per cent of the cadet pilots it surveyed had to come up with anywhere between £75,000 to £100,000 to fund their training and one in six said they had to pay £100,000 or more. Eek! However despite the crazy cost involved, those that have qualified still say that becoming a pilot is the best thing they have ever done.
Make it happen: for the full low-down visit www.balpa.org
Remote working
Working from home has (almost) become an industry standard with more and more companies closing their offices so as to save money on rent, and asking their employees to work from home. And who’s to say where home is? As long as you have a good WiFi connection you could work from anywhere in the world. Which is why I have decided to swap Harrow for Hawaii and Argentina… Of course not all jobs can be done remotely: if you’re a policeman, a prison warden or a plumber, for example, a physical presence in the UK is required. But for the rest of us, the world is our oyster - just make sure that you have a steady work flow before hitting the road.
Make it happen: once you’ve built up a client base, pick a destination and then book/board your flight!
Teaching English
Don’t have the cash to travel the world? Fund your trip by teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). If you’ve got a good English degree from a respectable university, you don’t necessarily need a TEFL qualification but you’ll probably pick up more work (and command a higher salary) if you have one. A TEFL qualification lets you teach pretty much anywhere in the world with contracts lasting anything from a few months to a few years.
Make it happen: check out www.tefl.com for teaching opportunities.
Tour leader
If you’re an outgoing type (this is not a job for wallflowers) who possesses plenty of patience, than perhaps a job guiding tour groups has your name on it? It’s a job that allows you to spend your days in the great outdoors (as opposed to the office) and be active. But while being a tour guide involves a lot of travel, it's no walk in the park: you’ll need to be able to get on with all kinds of people and personalities.
Make it happen: if you’re interested in tour leading positions, consult the website of the company you’d like to work for.