Do you have an insatiable desire to explore the world? Do you find yourself daydreaming about international travel and seeking adventure beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone? Maybe you just like meeting new people and learning about their lives and customs or the constantly changing environment that work with travel offers.
Whatever your motivation for wanting to travel as part of your work, your not alone. Last year in the UK alone, according to Hubble, 42% of employees said they would prefer to work remotely so they can work from abroad. The survey, which was carried out in 2021, was based on a sample population of over 1000 people.
Working abroad no longer needs to mean moving abroad. There are careers for which travel is a necessity and there are opportunities, through remote work, to spend time in any country you choose. For more and more people travelling has become an optional part of the working week. So which careers offer the opportunity to work abroad and how do you recognise the right one for you?
Understand your motivations
Different people have different motivations when it comes to exploring the world and its important to understand yours before you get started. For some, it may be the desire to experience different cultures. Others may be driven by adventure and the adrenaline rush that comes with exploring new places. Or the opportunity to make a positive impact through volunteering and helping communities in need.
You have to consider your own motivations honestly. When it comes to choosing a career its important to recognise transient motivations and intrinsic motivations. For instance, a young person might be motivated by the adrenaline or excitement of meeting new people, just because they are young. In this case a gap year would be more appropriate than seeking a career that involves travel. Social and political interests usually accompany intrinsic motivations such as a desire to make a difference.
Explore career options
If you’re someone who is fascinated by different cultures and enjoys interacting with people from all walks of life, a career as an international tour guide might work for you. As a tour guide, you can lead groups of travellers through various destinations, sharing your knowledge, and providing them with an authentic cultural experience.
An adventure seeker who thrives on adrenaline and loves capturing breathtaking moments might suit a career as a wildlife photographer, a travel blogger/vlogger or photo journalist. These careers allow you to explore remote and exotic locations, and capture the reality of life and the beauty of nature.
Those who are motivated by the desire to make a positive impact on others or the world might consider global humanitarian organisations. These organisations offer opportunities to work in different countries for periods of time, providing aid and support to communities and wildlife in need.
Other international opportunities that involve travel to other countries include any business that has an international market. Roles might include business development, sales and marketing. Or tourism, such as tour operator, pilot or cabin crew.
For everyone else there is hybrid or remote working. With software designed to bring teams together wherever they may be based, hybrid or fully remote working is becoming more the norm.
Career fields include, programming, writing, online teaching, counselling, customer service, graphic design, digital marketing, data processing, finance or any other career role that predominately involves using a computer.
Assess your skills and qualifications
For some careers, such as photographer or graphic designer there is a clear educational path to qualification. While, for others transferable skills could be more relevant. For instance organisational skills or patience. Some skills may be developed from personal interest such as would be useful for aspects of digital marketing. For instance an ideas person with good communication and interpersonal skills and an interest in social media and SEO.
Challenges
While travelling to interesting places as part of the day job may seem ideal, there are some challenges that mean it isn’t for everyone.
Maintaining a work-life balance can be tricky when you’re constantly on the road. It can be challenging to maintain relationships with others if constantly on the move.
Work-related stress can be amplified when you’re in unfamiliar environments, dealing with different cultures and languages. You may be without your support network so you need to have strategies in place to manage these challenges effectively.
And finally…
If you’re motivated by exploring the world, but don’t want to move abroad to do it, there are more opportunities today than there have ever been. With proper planning you can ensure your international adventure is a positive experience. And with more and more people taking up the opportunity to travel with their work there are facilities in countries across the world designed to accommodate the needs of working travellers.
Sometimes only experience teaches you what challenges travelling with work might bring. But if you never try you’ll never know. And this might be the experience of your life.