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Top 10 Work & Travel Opportunities for Recent Graduates


Is there anyone who doesn’t want to travel? The excitement that new destinations bring is incomparable to any other experience in life. I have a mission: travel as much as I can and see as many places as possible. My usual pick for summer vacations are islands. They are mysterious beyond comparison. Throughout the year, however, I like seeing grand cities in different European states.
Traveling is expensive, though. I never liked backpacking for some reason. I always want to eat nice food and taste local wines, and that costs money. So, I had to find a way to work while travelling, which is why I started my editing career. Are you willing to get on the adventure of your life without attacking your savings account? I have 10 suggestions for jobs you can commit to while traveling. 
1.      The Nomad Writer or Editor
Yup, this one is me. The only thing I need for this job is a laptop and an Internet connection, which you can get anywhere in the world. Are you good at writing? If you have good grasp of the grammar and syntax of your language, then you can absolutely do this. There’s no need to lock yourself in a home office when you can see the world.
The first thing you need to do is get a freelancing job in writing or editing. There are great platforms and writing services that offer such opportunities. In order to find good clients, you’ll need great samples. Write few articles on topics you’re passionate about, and make them really good. You’ll submit those samples when you apply to ads. I also recommend blogging. A successful blog serves as a writer’s portfolio.
As soon as you start working for well-paying clients or platforms and you have a stable income, hit the road. You’ll organize your time in a way that allows you to do the work and see all the places you dreamed about seeing. 
2.      Social Activism
If you’re the one who always gives back to the community, then work in non-governmental organizations would be perfect for you. However, volunteering doesn’t come with an income, so you’ll need an actual job in such an organization. They will be paying for the trips, and you’ll get to do what you love – make the world a slightly better place for people from different countries.

3.      Instructor
I picked the broad category on purpose: you can be any kind of instructor and travel the world. Have you seen those yoga teachers on Instagram? They have literally seen the most beautiful places on the planet. They teach classes in yoga resorts, meeting cool people and making money at the same time.
You can do the same thing if you’re a pilates, kiteboarding, diving, singing, or a jiu jitsu instructor. Pick one of your many talents and master it. Get a certification, so you can teach in any country in the world. Then, hit Google and I’m sure you’ll find many opportunities.

4.      English Language Teacher
English language schools from all around the world are looking for guest teachers who are native speakers. If you thought you weren’t qualified enough to teach, you might be wrong. Most schools around the world will accept native speakers with a bachelor’s degree in any subject. All you need is a TEFL certification, which you can even get online. Then, contact different language schools to see if they will hire you, and don’t forget to ask about the pay, as well as the costs of living for the specific place you’re interested in.

5.      Holiday Worker
Tourist destinations, such as Malta and Hawaii for example, always have open positions during the holidays. Get informed about getting a working holiday visa for the country you want to visit, and browse around the net to find ads. There are tons of jobs you can choose from: restaurant serving, bartending, gardening, construction… you name it.

6.      Musician
Are you a talented musician? If that’s the case, there’s no reason to doubt your ability to make money in any country around the world. You can always get paid gigs as long as you’re talented, confident, and persistent enough. Here’s my special tip for you: boost your reputation before showing up at a bar in South Africa offering your services. You can easily do that through a YouTube channel, which will serve as your virtual portfolio.

7.      Tour Guide
Can you get a job in a travel agency? If you’re qualified for such a position, then you already know about the opportunities it offers. However, you don’t necessarily need such a job if you want to become a tour guide. Let’s say you’re already abroad and you know the destination pretty well. You can easily find group of ‘lost’ people who need someone to show them around. Needless to say, you’ll need to negotiate the price before closing the deal. 

8.      Cruise Ship or Yacht Crew
The crew on cruise ships is international. You’ll get to meet people from all over the world, but you’ll also see great places. Yachts are even cooler, because… you know, their owners are rich and you’ll enjoy being part of their lifestyle for a while. They also pay better, and the service on yacht is less chaotic when compared to the one on huge cruise ships.

9.      Au Pair
This was an option I once considered for myself, before I started applying for jobs in editing. I finally realized I wouldn’t do well being around kids 24/7, but I still think that au pair is one of the best work & travel opportunities. If you’re good with kids, you’ll get many benefits from this job: you’ll get to see the world, and you’ll influence their development by doing your best to turn them into fine people. Many European countries and US states participate in au pair programs, so you can easily get a spot as long as you’re brave enough to handle children. 
Check out this video; it will give you more inspiration regarding career choice:


10. Anything
Are you the spontaneous type who’s always up for risks and adventures? Then, you don’t really have to secure a job before you reserve a ticket. You can simply land in Australia, Bangkok, or New Zealand (with a working visa, of course), and I promise you’ll be working within few days of landing. If money is not your main interest and you’re only trying to earn enough for food and shelter, then you’ll always find a way to survive.