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Travel for Work: Jobs that Will Let You Live a Life of Travel

Working while traveling can seem like a pipe dream when you’re stuck in an office 9-to-5 job. But you’d be surprised at what kind of job opportunities can let you both earn a living and satisfy your wanderlust. No job is perfect or easy, but here are a few jobs that will let you travel as part of the work.

Flight Attendant

Travel for Work: Jobs that Will Let You Live a Life of Travel

When you think of jobs that allow you to travel, being a flight attendant is probably the first that comes to mind. Constantly flying from city to city, hitting up the bars and clubs after work hours, and the incredible airline and hotel discounts—it’s a glamorous job. But long time flight attendants will tell you that it gets tiring and lonely after a while. Still, if you’ve got energy and wanderlust for it, it’s worth considering.

Commercial Air Pilot

In the same vein as a flight attendant, commercial air pilots also enjoy the many of the travel benefits. While the job doesn’t require a college degree, it does entail a lot of training and hard work. Still, because of the technical expertise required, commercial air pilots have some of the highest paid positions.

Digital Nomad

Travel for Work: Jobs that Will Let You Live a Life of Travel

Being a ‘digital nomad’ is one of those jobs that’s only become a thing in the last decade or so. As the name implies, you’ll be working completely on your computer. This means that your only work requirement is a laptop and stable wi-fi connection. Freelance writers and designers are almost always in demand and depending on your time management skills, you can take on as many projects as you’d like.

Au Pair

Travel for Work: Jobs that Will Let You Live a Life of Travel

‘Au pair’ is the French term for a professional, live-in babysitter, but you can find this kind of job almost anywhere. You’ll typically be hired by a family to help the young children learn a new language and help out with household chores, in exchange for income and housing.

Teaching English

Travel for Work: Jobs that Will Let You Live a Life of Travel

Becoming an English teacher abroad is one of the easiest and most highly paid jobs that will let you travel. The best paying jobs will require a college degree and TEFL certification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), but there are also small-time posts for English language tutors. If you’re fluent in another languauge, you can also land yourself jobs as a translator.

Bartending

Travel for Work: Jobs that Will Let You Live a Life of Travel

Opportunities to work in new places are almost endless when you’re a bartender. In the right place, you can snag a well paying position, but bartending jobs always have a high turnover rate. This isn’t always a bad thing, though. Test out your skills in new cities, on cruise ships, or just in a different part of town and you’ll get good enough to earn a living just on tips.

Volunteer at a Hostel

Another great gig for travelers is volunteering at a hostel. Depending on the hostel, you can find local establishments looking for an extra pair of hands in exchange for lodging. Your work can range from making breakfast, to cleaning, or even bartending. This job is a great way to meet fellow travelers, and some hostels may even offer to pay you if you stay long term.

Expat Jobs in Your Current Field

If you aren’t looking for a career shift at this point in your life, then consider expat positions in your current field. If you already belong to a company with overseas offices, consider letting yourself get relocated here. The trade off is that these jobs will be just as—if not more—demanding than your current work, leaving little time for exploring. Still, this kind of work will give you a taste of local life and if that interests you, then give it a shot.