Getting paid to travel is one of the most common fantasies among employees stuck in the 9-to-5 routine. Not only that it’s possible to find a job where your employer sends you across the world and pays you for it, but the pay can be quite generous too.
Here are three career paths to consider if you want a well-paid job with plenty of opportunities for travel and cultural immersion.
Diplomacy
If you’re passionate about international relations, communication, geopolitics and foreign affairs, you should consider a career in diplomacy. Regardless of your professional track, you might be able to find a position fit for your skills and qualifications and become a representative of your country abroad.
There are many types of diplomacy, each requiring experts with different skill sets. Whatever role or branch you end up working in, whether trade, interpreting, anti-terrorism, PR or foreign policy, there are constant opportunities for international travel. You will meet and connect with fellow experts from across the borders and easily forge an international career.
Consulting
If you work in management, IT or have a unique specialization that is sought-after in the world, consider becoming a consultant. Not only that you will get to travel, but you might even find it hard to catch a break. Consulting is an intensely mobile career with a lot of flexibility that requires you to travel constantly to meet clients as you will have to go to their location.
Whenever a company has a problem that cannot be solved in-house, they seek consultants with specialized knowledge to come over and fix it. Consultants thus must be open to frequent national and international travel as their clients can come from anywhere. Regular visits are also the norm, as you will have to return to check on things or make further improvements in a project.
Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
If you’re a native or near-native English speaker, you can teach English abroad as a way to combine your career goals with travel. ESL teachers are in high demand in places like China, Southeast Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe and South America. Pursuing a career in TESL will require you to spend large amounts of time in a certain place, but you can always move to yet another destination when your contract expires.
As an ESL teacher, you will foster close relationships with locals and get to know a place far better than any tourist could. In addition, you will get a visa, accommodation and a competitive salary. If you’re passionate by a certain culture or want to explore a country or continent more in-depth, this is one of the easiest ways to pay your way across the world.
With a bit of research and preparation, you won’t have to choose between having a rewarding, well-paid career and travelling extensively. You can combine the two with great results. Just because you’re away from home does not mean you cannot be well-paid or provide invaluable expertise to a community. It’s totally possible to have a great career while soaking up new cultures and places.
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