Throughout virtually all of history, having a job meant you were physically tied to a single place. While that is still true for many people, it’s far from the only possibility. These days, you can seek out a job that will allow you to travel while also earning a nice income.
If the concept of traveling while working appeals to you, the next step is figuring out exactly what you will do for work. There are countless possibilities in this category, so we’ll get you started by listing twelve options to consider. One of these might be the ideal fit for your new career!
1. Translator
One of the best jobs to use to facilitate a life of travel is working as a translator. Of course, you will need to be fluent in at least two languages to make this work – and even more languages would provide you with more options. There are many different kinds of translation jobs available, including translating in real time to facilitate a conversation, or translating written documents into another language.
In some cases, simply being able to prove that you are bilingual will be enough to secure work as a translator. For some positions, however, you may need to hold a degree or at least have a formal certification that you can point to when applying.
2. Flight Attendant
This is the type of job that is closely associated with travel, and for good reason. By its very nature, being a flight attendant is going to take you all over the country or around the world, depending on your airline and the routes you work. Being experienced in customer service will be helpful when seeking this position, and you need to be comfortable working long hours and living on the road.
If you pursue work as a flight attendant, it’s important to note that you won’t have total control over the places you visit – you’ll somewhat be at the mercy of your employer. With that said, when you aren’t working, you should be able to access flights to destinations that are high on your wish list, so plenty of exciting experiences will likely be on the agenda.
3. Travel Nurse
To work as a travel nurse, you’ll first have to deal with the significant qualifications that are required to get into nursing. It will be necessary to go through a certified nursing program, meaning several years of school work are needed to even get to the point of being able to apply for such positions.
As a travel nurse, you’ll be directed toward opportunities across the country where your employer has a need for nursing services. Typically, those working in this role are compensated nicely for their efforts, and you’ll be able to see many different places. However, as with flight attendants, you aren’t necessarily going to have much control over where you will be sent.
4. Handyman
Working as a professional handyman is a flexible role that can either take you to new places or give you the flexibility to travel from place to place as you see fit. Getting started as a handyman will require some experience in construction, carpentry, or related fields and you’ll need to pursue the right licenses and insurance. Though not every state requires a license, which makes it easier to move around as well.
Once you have your legal elements all lined up, you’ll find that the opportunities in this field are numerous and you’ll be able to do a variety of different types of work. You can stick with smaller jobs on residential properties, or you may work your way up to taking on the role of a general contractor who does bigger projects like structural construction or roofing.
5. Freelance Writer
This is the type of job that you can do from anywhere – so you can choose to travel as a freelance writer, or you may prefer to stay at home and put down roots. If it’s traveling that calls to you, little more than a laptop and an internet connection will be required to serve your clients and earn an income.
While no formal qualifications are required to work as a freelance writer, you will need to have strong writing skills and an ability to research and develop ideas. There are many different niches within the freelance writing market, so you may want to focus on a specific type of writing that will allow you to build a reputation and secure ongoing work. You can choose to seek work by contacting businesses directly and making your pitch, or you can use existing freelancing projects to bid on jobs.
If you like to work alone and independently, freelance writing is a great gig.
6. Event Planner
There are a couple of ways that working as an event planner can allow you to travel frequently. First, you may help to plan events that happen away from home – such as destination weddings – so you will get to travel to those events when they occur. Alternatively, you may have a seasonal event planning business near your home, earning enough money during the busy season that you are then free to travel during the off-season.
Successful event planners tend to have outstanding people skills along with plenty of creativity. You’ll need to build strong relationships with clients to understand their needs and put on an event that everyone will remember for years to come.
7. Tour Guide
Is there one particular tourist destination that you just love to visit? You may be able to spend more and more time there if you can secure work as a tour guide. Again, this is a job where people skills are paramount, and you’ll need to be good at remembering facts and stories that can be relayed to your tour groups.
You may wish to take a seasonal approach to this work in order to maximize how many places you get to visit during the year. For example, you might find summer tour guide work in a northern climate before heading south to find a similar job for the winter.
8. Private Chef
Strong cooking skills could be a ticket to travel while earning your living. Getting hired as a private chef is an exciting opportunity to travel around based on the needs of your clients while building your resume and preparing some excellent meals. If you have been working as a chef in a traditional restaurant and want to break away from the day-to-day grind of that profession, finding work as a private chef is an appealing option.
It’s important to remember that the standard is going to be very high when working for wealthy clients as their private chef. You will almost certainly need years of experience in high-end restaurants to be an appealing candidate, and some potential employers may require a culinary degree.
9. Cruise Ship Staff
Many hospitality industry jobs allow for regular travel, and working on the staff of a cruise ship falls into that category. One of the interesting things about cruise ship employment is the many varied roles that need to be filled on each ship during the voyages. So, you might find that you get hired on to fill a basic customer service role, but your duties could grow and evolve over time if you do good work.
Most cruise ship trips are at least a week in length, if not longer, so you will need to be comfortable with being away from home for long stretches. Also, the summer season is prime-time for cruising, so you might find yourself living on the ship for several months with very little downtime. Of course, that means there will be an off-season after the summer is over, and you may have the flexibility to do your own traveling at that time.
10. English Teacher
Working as a teacher doesn’t mean you have to settle into a role in a school near home. You may opt to teach English abroad, applying your teaching credentials – and familiarity with another language – to open up the chance to travel and explore the world.
To get a full-time job teaching English in another country, it would be a good start to have some experience doing that same work domestically – at least on a part-time basis. Since this is a type of teaching that tends to be in demand around the globe in many different countries, it will be pretty easy to pick out the type of place you’d like to live and then search for jobs in that area.
11. Digital Marketer
One of the most popular “digital nomad” jobs is digital marketer, as it is another one that can be done from anywhere with the help of a laptop and internet connection. This is a competitive space, so having some experience with proven results is important, and you might have to start out at a low level with some basic tasks to prove your worth and earn greater responsibilities.
The umbrella of digital marketing is a big one, so you might find yourself learning various skills under this general title. Those could include writing marketing copy, running PPC campaigns, analyzing Google Analytics data, and more.
12. Web Developer
Much like working as a digital marketer, working as a web developer is a largely location-independent role. Of course, you are going to need to have some hard skills in place, like knowing how to code websites or write software in a specific language such as CSS, HTML, or Javascript. Having a portfolio of development work you have done previously will go a long way toward earning you a job as a web developer with an existing agency. You could also choose to offer developer services on a freelance basis if you are willing to go out and seek your own clients.
If the thought of holding down a full-time job in the same physical location just doesn’t work with your vision of what life should be, consider chasing one of the careers listed above. Good luck with your adventures!