Canada - Careers Involving a lot of Travel

Hey Everyone,

I'm a business student at the University of Calgary and I'm considering potential careers available to me.

I'm trying to figure out what type of job requires a lot of travel. This is something I'd like to try out (for a little while at least). As a young person with no family attachments it seems like being mobile (either throughout Canada or Internationally) would be an interesting career.

What do you think? For someone with a business education of course.

Furthermore, I am currently seeking employment for this summer (potentially leading to permanent after I graduate) :). I'm a Bcomm/BA (Economics) student. My past experience is in public practice accounting and M&A Advisory. If ANYONE has any openings in their company for one of the top business students in calgary (I have a resume that attests to this) could you please PM me? I can go into details in private since this is not the place.

Thanks,
KB

Consulting or Importer are two that come to mind. Lots of the folks here do that.

I can go into details in private since this is not the place.

^

Academia is a super one for travel. As a research-active faculty member, I travel around 120,000 miles/annum to give talks at universities and conferences worldwide + lots of consulting. It would mean a little longer for grad school, but the flexibility of this job is super.

Some portions of accounting have a fair amount of travel related with it.

Hey Everyone,

I'm a business student at the University of Calgary and I'm considering potential careers available to me *** What do you think? For someone with a business education of course.

Furthermore, I am currently seeking employment for this summer (potentially leading to permanent after I graduate) :). I'm a Bcomm/BA (Economics) student.

KB,

Follow the link!

http://www.supershows.ca/

Cheers :D

And if I could have gotten FF miles for that airplane kiddieland ride, I would have been SE at 6 years old LOL.

You should be more precise in your question. The right question is: "Which kinds of careers involve travel that you will actually enjoy (at least sometimes)?" For example, I know people whose weekly routine involved "get up at 4 am on Monday, take 3 connecting cheap economy flights to nowhere, rent a car and drive to the back of nowhere, spend workweek and most evenings in a dirty factory counting widgets, stay in Motel 6, fly home on Friday, write report on weekend during free time and get up and do it again the next week". :(

Or you could have a job like the one I used to have: (1) monitor international developments and develop contacts around the world in an interesting subject; (2) travel 8-12 times per year for about a week at a time (about 2/3 long-haul to major cities in Europe, Asia and Australia/NZ in bus class; the rest short-haul to major US cities flying direct); (3) spend the day in interesting meetings and conferences with colleagues; (4) spend the evenings exploring the city and eating/dining out in local restaurants with local hosts; (5) stay in 4* hotels (sometimes 5*); (6) add a few vacation days to business trips so I could spend the weekend exploring further; and (7) use contacts as a springboard to move abroad ... :)

For example, I know people whose weekly routine involved "get up at 4 am on Monday, take 3 connecting cheap economy flights to nowhere, rent a car and drive to the back of nowhere, spend workweek and most evenings in a dirty factory......

Been there, done that, never again :) . Had to spend a week by myself in the middle-of-nowhere in rural Kentucky in early December two years ago at a dirty coal fired power station. Only hotel nearby was a Super 8 Motel at a freeway exit, only restaurant for miles was a Dennys Diner (in shiny chrome 50's retro style) attached to the Motel and the whole county was a dry one :eek: . Nearest beer was 25 miles away.

It either rained or was foggy every day as well. Very gloomy - but from a business perspective worthwhile in the end as it was my clients first large and highly significant order in penetrating the USA.

And my wife thinks travel is somehow glamourous :rolleyes:

Seriously, if you get involved in International sales and marketing, thats a role you will be travelling alot.

Been there, done that, never again :) . Had to spend a week by myself in the middle-of-nowhere in rural Kentucky in early December two years ago at a dirty coal fired power station. Only hotel nearby was a Super 8 Motel at a freeway exit, only restaurant for miles was a Dennys Diner (in shiny chrome 50's retro style) attached to the Motel and the whole county was a dry one :eek: . Nearest beer was 25 miles away.

It either rained or was foggy every day as well. Very gloomy - but from a business perspective worthwhile in the end as it was my clients first large and highly significant order in penetrating the USA.

And my wife thinks travel is somehow glamourous :rolleyes:

Seriously, if you get involved in International sales and marketing, thats a role you will be travelling alot.
Wow and I thought I had it bad :D

I believe greywolf said he was a "nipple tweaker" in a past thread that asked a similar question...

I once did the "prep all weekend, 3 flights to nowhere and drive to dirty warehouse to start due diligence" trip, only to show up and discover (to my delight, actually) that I was allergic to the client and would have to turn around and go home. The investment bankers had forgotten to tell my law firm that the client (which manufactured penicillin-based drugs) had prohibited the staffing the deal with any junior staff from the law, banking and accounting firms (ie those who would be crawling around in the warehouse or handling its documents) who were allergic to penicillin. Which I was. So, a long trip for nothing (except the miles) - but it kept me out of the office for a little while and I managed to avoid some other work because people thought I was busy on the bacteria file.

Seriously, if you get involved in International sales and marketing, thats a role you will be travelling alot.

This works on the "buy" side as well. I know lots of guys in procurement who are off to China or similarly exotic locales all the time.

And, of course, the consultants, but I believe they were already mentioned.

Some jobs in government have a lot of travel.

The investment bankers had forgotten to tell my law firm that the client (which manufactured penicillin-based drugs) had prohibited the staffing the deal with any junior staff from the law, banking and accounting firms (ie those who would be crawling around in the warehouse or handling its documents) who were allergic to penicillin.

The jokes about cleaning up diseases after getting screwed by the client just kind of write themselves, don't they? :D

I have been lucky with consulting in that I have never had to do more than a couple weeks in the coal-plant zone. Mostly I have had some good destinations - Denver, San Francisco, San Antonio, Paris, Montreal. I can't really complain.

I would, however, give it all up if someone would like to hire me to be a travel writer...

..now as a recent grad I'd say the sales aspect is more realistic. The upside is you get to see the world...the downside is recent grads dont get to fly in J....so expect some pretty long boring cramped flights to get to where you are going. You can also take a foriegn posting (thats what i did) where you cover a certain portion of the world (mine was based out of HK and TPE) and thats a plus cuz you get a housing and transportation suplement. The if you get posted to places like the phillipines or indonesia you get really nice digs
(for safety) and you get staff...usually a housekeeper/cook and a driver. it helps if you have secondary language skills.

You should be more precise in your question. The right question is: "Which kinds of careers involve travel that you will actually enjoy (at least sometimes)?" For example, I know people whose weekly routine involved "get up at 4 am on Monday, take 3 connecting cheap economy flights to nowhere, rent a car and drive to the back of nowhere, spend workweek and most evenings in a dirty factory counting widgets, stay in Motel 6, fly home on Friday, write report on weekend during free time and get up and do it again the next week". :(


That was my first job selling cat litter. My boss sent me to Des Moines Iowa in January (or some other nasty month) for 6 days. When I asked him why he laughed and told me "no reason, just remember if you step out of line I can do it again" :eek:

He was an awesome boss despite that little lesson :D

You should be more precise in your question. The right question is: "Which kinds of careers involve travel that you will actually enjoy (at least sometimes)?" For example, I know people whose weekly routine involved "get up at 4 am on Monday, take 3 connecting cheap economy flights to nowhere, rent a car and drive to the back of nowhere, spend workweek and most evenings in a dirty factory counting widgets, stay in Motel 6, fly home on Friday, write report on weekend during free time and get up and do it again the next week". :(

Change a few things and you are describing my job :(

That was my first job taste testing cat litter.

Don't lie!!!!! :p :D

Pantywaists! The OP was looking for jobs with lots of travel, not travel AND comfort! :p

If he wants lots of travel to a wide variety of warm dryish places he should submit to a frontal lobotomy (already done, in my case) and join the Army. Of course, the beaches may well be mined, the hotel might consist of dozens of sandbagged tents behind a HESCO bastion and the locals armed and with murderous intent.

Your modes of travel won't earn you much in the way of AE points however. :rolleyes:

Maybe that was what you really meant?

Seriously, I can't think of a better way to (1) pay off your student loans, (2) learn actual practial leadership skills (as opposed to 'management' skills) and (3) find out that most of the rest of the world doesn't live like us and the little bit of improvement that we (Canadians) are able to bring to their lives is deeply appreciated.

cheers, MWAC

If he wants lots of travel to a wide variety of warm dryish places and join the Army.


...been there, done that...even picked up a t-shirt or two on the journey... and then moved on to the Air Force. :cool:

What was that recruiting jingle ?...there is no life like it. :p

I imagine that the OP was thinking of the type of job where travel involved conferences, golfing and drinks at the hotel bar......like the Air Force! :p

cheers, MWAC

Dear OP -- as my fellow posters have attested, there are many careers with a travel element... even for business grads. ;) I had barely been on a plane by the time I left university. Ottawa and Boston were the furthest I had ever ventured from home in NB. Advance the clock a few years -- I have lived and worked in Asia and Europe, visited close to 50 countries and haven't tired of it yet. The experiences are varied and absolutely unimaginable until you experience it first hand. So how do you make it all happen...

Focus on something. Become an expert. Build a solid knowledge base as a foundation for other things. It could be in procurement, a new marketing technique, transfer pricing (for masochists only), Asian languages (Foreign Affairs is a good place for this), or an obscure technical field. Kate Canuck mentioned her early career -- I've seen this work for others.

For summer jobs, if finances are not a big concern, look for internships. Some don't pay well, and others don't pay at all, but they can be in interesting places.

Good luck! Bonne chance! Buona fortuna! Buena suerte!
--
13F

Focus on something. Become an expert. Build a solid knowledge base as a foundation for other things. It could be in procurement, a new marketing technique, transfer pricing (for masochists only), Asian languages (Foreign Affairs is a good place for this), or an obscure technical field. Kate Canuck mentioned her early career -- I've seen this work for others.

13F

Another option, once you become an "expert", is to join a couple of standards committees (ANSI, ISO, IEC, UL, etc) for that field. Most active standards committees will meet a few times a year for a couple of days and if you join the right ones you will be able to hit most of the major North American cities within a couple of years. Some of the international standards (ISO) will take you to Asia and Europe on a yearly basis. Of course the price will be that you have to sit through some fairly boring meetings for a couple of days and you may get work assigned to you that will consume your weekends.

But the main point is to focus hard on some field and gain all the knowledge you can. Then there will be many avenues open to you.

I'm not on student loans and am making major sacrifices to be able to go to school full time. As such, I definitely intend to get a job in the private sector. The problem is that my main source of potential jobs is through my university's career centre. This means either public practice accounting or oil & gas. Somebody save me!

Honestly though, are there not jobs out there where people would jump at the chance to land someone willing to travel, be paid little, who had experience and a solid education?

It doesn't feel like there is. Anyway, I'm off to an interview at a small accounting firm here in town.

How'd you all land your jobs?

KB

How'd you all land your jobs?
My first job was in the public service. I was recruited -- or rather I applied to the Public Service Commission -- right out of school. Began my gainful employment in Ottawa at the stratospheric starting salary of $22,885 per annum. Isn't it amazing how some numbers stick with you forever!
--
13F

Honestly though, are there not jobs out there where people would jump at the chance to land someone willing to travel, be paid little, who had experience and a solid education?
From my perspective, as an employer, the answer is yes. If such people exist, I sure can't find them. Employees who have experience usually want to avoid travel. Only the inexperienced seem to want travel. And the inexperienced aren't the ones I'd want to send on out-of-town missions. Catch-22.

I don't know that it's so easy to get a job with lots of foreign travel upfront. I do agree that if you specialize, you're more likely to travel sooner rather than later. People don't usually hire generalists and give them the glamorous life....hah hah

Some government departments do have a travel mandate, and do hire grads, but then you have to work for the government, and that's probably not for everyone. You could work for an international NGO, they won't pay much and some would probably appreciate some harder skills, but stay away from those that think you have to have lived in the trenches or gone to church to be hired.

I think the idea of an internship is also good. If you have the luxury of working for close to nothing. You never know where those will take you.

My own experience has been more luck than planning. Right place, right time, right set of skills.

Lorna

As such, I definitely intend to get a job in the private sector.

What's wrong with the public sector or even NGOs?

The problem these days (and I am admittedly a contributor to this problem, but most young people are, I think), fresh uni grads believe in instant gratification. In other words, we think we should be put in good positions making good money immediately out of uni because we are well educated (and it's even worse with those with graduate degrees, such as myself).

Unfortunately, the world doesn't work that way. Most B.Com students are told that they will come out and manage. This is BS. Most are told that they will come out and make good money. Again, BS. It's not impossible, but not very likely.

So, I guess what I am saying is that you shouldn't close your doors to other areas. There are very interesting jobs in all sectors that involve good travel and different pay scales. (Look at AC for example, if you're a FA starting off, you don't get a very good salary -- UA is only offering somewhere around 20k USD a year!!!)

The problem is that my main source of potential jobs is through my university's career centre. This means either public practice accounting or oil & gas. Somebody save me!

Well, time for you to surf the web and start cold calling. It sucks, but that's how things work sometimes. It's sometimes embarassing etc., but it's a very humbling experience. Very humbling.

Honestly though, are there not jobs out there where people would jump at the chance to land someone willing to travel, be paid little, who had experience and a solid education?

An flight attendant. Again, UA example. There is a lot of supply -- and that's why airlines can offer to pay so little.

It doesn't feel like there is. Anyway, I'm off to an interview at a small accounting firm here in town.

Good luck!

How'd you all land your jobs?

Being in the right place at the right time asking the right questions to the right people at the right moment in the right situation. There is also a large element of luck.

Word advice: Good things come to good people who are willing to wait.

I believe in that as I am about to start my dream job at the beginning of December.

From my perspective, as an employer, the answer is yes. If such people exist, I sure can't find them. Employees who have experience usually want to avoid travel. Only the inexperienced seem to want travel. And the inexperienced aren't the ones I'd want to send on out-of-town missions. Catch-22.
Travel seems to be mostly done by all the senior folks.

And if they like to travel, they still nonetheless usually take all the good destinations and leave the less desired for the more junior staff.

Some government departments do have a travel mandate, and do hire grads, but then you have to work for the government, and that's probably not for everyone.

But in the same breath, I'm not convinced that private sector is much better. It's the same office bureaucratic and political crap everywhere. It is important to keep this in mind.

Hey Everyone,

I'm a business student at the University of Calgary and I'm considering potential careers available to me.

I'm trying to figure out what type of job requires a lot of travel. This is something I'd like to try out (for a little while at least). As a young person with no family attachments it seems like being mobile (either throughout Canada or Internationally) would be an interesting career.

What do you think? For someone with a business education of course.

Furthermore, I am currently seeking employment for this summer (potentially leading to permanent after I graduate) :). I'm a Bcomm/BA (Economics) student. My past experience is in public practice accounting and M&A Advisory. If ANYONE has any openings in their company for one of the top business students in calgary (I have a resume that attests to this) could you please PM me? I can go into details in private since this is not the place.

Thanks,
KB
You can be an F/A, I mean, you DO have a degree in business! Perfect fit :D.

To start really seeing the "other" world out there find a job in project management for an automotive component manufacturer, preferably a European one with offices in North America.
As the "junior" you will get all the arm pit places with big problems as the boss will take all the easy trips.
Be prepared for Hermosillo in August, Twin Cities in February, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Puebla anytime, Detroit/Chicago in winter.
But there are also some real secrets that we don't let the boss know about, Salvador, Brazil in the Winter, we claim it is a dirty dangerous place, but this is where Brazilians go on holiday as it is beautiful and there are no foreign tourist, Brazilians think Rio is a dump!!!!

But in the same breath, I'm not convinced that private sector is much better. It's the same office bureaucratic and political crap everywhere. It is important to keep this in mind.
That's simply not true. Perhaps it's somewhat true for mammoth private sector companies like banks (which are really quasi-government companies). In a truly competitive environment the "office bureaucratic and political crap" you speak of can easily cause a company to fail. How often have you heard of some division of the ministry of whatever shutting down because some offshore startup produced a better product and took all its customers?

The private sector is more demanding but it's also more rewarding.

The private sector is more demanding but it's also more rewarding.

Risk and return...we should teach that in kindergarten.

Lorna

Risk and return...we should teach that in kindergarten.

Lorna
Then we might have gangs of 5-year-olds robbing banks. :)

Then we might have gangs of 5-year-olds robbing banks. :)

Ok...then how about "there is no free lunch" Similar concept. Or, "if it looks to good to be true, then it probably is", It's amazing how many people don't really get this concept.

Lorna

My advice is to think about being a bus driver.

Lots of travel every day and you get to sleep in your own bed every night.

IMO, a lot of business travel is not as glamerous as it sounds.

I really, really like my own bed.

MCM.

My advice is to think about being a bus driver.

Lots of travel every day and you get to sleep in your own bed every night.

IMO, a lot of business travel is not as glamerous as it sounds.

I really, really like my own bed.

MCM.

I really, really like the Hilton Serenity Dreams bed and the Weston Heavenly bed...but point well taken. :D

be careful of what you wish for.

Many of those who have a job that requires a lot of travel can tell you it's not worth it. Layovers, delays, relationships break, rapid deterioration of health, higher cost of living, etc are just some of the less-glamourous things associated with a job with a lot of travel tagged onto it. Perhaps these won't affect you now, but you'll surely pay the price later. I am. :(

As a suggestion, you'd probably want a job that's a little more balanced with travel opportunities... (attending conferences to advance yourself, paid by company). Or a job that pays you better so you can travel at your leisure.



Hey Everyone,

I'm a business student at the University of Calgary and I'm considering potential careers available to me.

I'm trying to figure out what type of job requires a lot of travel. This is something I'd like to try out (for a little while at least). As a young person with no family attachments it seems like being mobile (either throughout Canada or Internationally) would be an interesting career.

What do you think? For someone with a business education of course.

Furthermore, I am currently seeking employment for this summer (potentially leading to permanent after I graduate) :). I'm a Bcomm/BA (Economics) student. My past experience is in public practice accounting and M&A Advisory. If ANYONE has any openings in their company for one of the top business students in calgary (I have a resume that attests to this) could you please PM me? I can go into details in private since this is not the place.

Thanks,
KB

You can be an F/A, I mean, you DO have a degree in business! Perfect fit :D.

Enough with the F/A route.

There are two sides to Bcomm grads, yes there are some of my fellow students that I personally wouldn't trust to be my bank teller.

BUT, I do believe that I have a VERY marketable skill set. Last summer I worked on a debt-equity deal as a consultant and billed them 8800 for three weeks work.

Pantywaists! The OP was looking for jobs with lots of travel, not travel AND comfort! :p

MWAC

Travel and comfort are an oxymoron after awhile. Regardless of J class F class, lie flat or sit up straight seats and 5 star hotels.... your body is still your body, and jet lag is still jet lag.

I fly 100+ segments a year on the aforementioned International in J/F and 4 connections on Podunk Airways to get to armpit WI (no disrespect to WI residents). every year in around June I swear it is time to quit and then the next deal comes in and off I go again!

My advice look for jobs with lots of travel and a career path that pays you big bucks, while allowing you to decide how much travel you want to do. :D

DF

P.S. Jobs like that do exist. I have one designing fraud detection systems for major companies on a global basis.

my dad used to travel about 30 - 40K a year, mostly YVR - YYZ, and always in J, because his company paid for it, and he did not enjoy it at all, and he was often on 333's and the like. I on the other hand love flying, however the most enjoyment comes when I can tell myself that I am doing it for myself, like my run to HNL, a 6 hour flight on a 767 is no fun, especially when it is a red-eye, however the fact that I was doing it for myself made it all that much better, and I had no problems with it. Being told you have to fly somewhere would not be fun, especially when your going there for work, not to explore the city. Good luck with job hunting, I will be at that point in just over a year myself, although I really don't want to leave here.

You can be an F/A, I mean, you DO have a degree in business! Perfect fit :D.

Actually, most F/A's hired now have university degrees. At AC there are BComm's, P.Eng's, teachers, lawyers, MBA's, a few dentists. They love the travel... and if you're just looking for a summer job, they're hiring this weekend in YUL for next summer.

Enough with the F/A route.

There are two sides to Bcomm grads, yes there are some of my fellow students that I personally wouldn't trust to be my bank teller.

BUT, I do believe that I have a VERY marketable skill set. Last summer I worked on a debt-equity deal as a consultant and billed them 8800 for three weeks work.

East-West, itsounds like he is too good for the job with all those marketable skills and all. Then again it sounds like it might be a tight fit getting his head through the aircraft door.

I miss those days myself ;)

East-West, itsounds like he is too good for the job with all those marketable skills and all. Then again it sounds like it might be a tight fit getting his head through the aircraft door.

I miss those days myself ;)


C attle:

It's time we 'meat'! Ha :D

In Calgary next week. Want to meat up?

Negotiator ;)

East-West, itsounds like he is too good for the job with all those marketable skills and all. Then again it sounds like it might be a tight fit getting his head through the aircraft door.

I miss those days myself ;)

:D

I advised my daughter to avoid bikers and percussionists as possible romantic partners. I might add B Comm grads to the list. ;)

East-West, itsounds like he is too good for the job with all those marketable skills and all. Then again it sounds like it might be a tight fit getting his head through the aircraft door.

I miss those days myself ;)

Don't misinterpret my comments as "big-headed" but I said specifically I wanted something business related. Forgive me for being frustrated at the lack of potential paths out their for new grads.

My aunt is a flight attendent and loves it. Not to mention ex-gf as well.

Don't derail an informative thread by taking something I said out of context.

KB

Dear YYC-YYJ,

For both the business world and hanging out on FT, you will need a thicker skin. Maybe you should look for an outdoor summer job.
--
13F

Send me a private mail. I can be helpful.

Don't misinterpret my comments as "big-headed" but I said specifically I wanted something business related. Forgive me for being frustrated at the lack of potential paths out their for new grads.

My aunt is a flight attendent and loves it. Not to mention ex-gf as well.

Don't derail an informative thread by taking something I said out of context.

KB

:rolleyes:

Don't misinterpret my comments as "big-headed" but I said specifically I wanted something business related. Forgive me for being frustrated at the lack of potential paths out their for new grads.

KB

I'm in the same boat (recent grad just starting to look for work). Universities are very good at inflating your egos because they have to justify their worth - otherwise, why would you go to university at all?

To be honest, I thought compared to other Canadian cities, Calgary is relatively advantaged when it comes to starting careers?

Hey Everyone,

I'm a business student at the University of Calgary and I'm considering potential careers available to me.

I'm trying to figure out what type of job requires a lot of travel. This is something I'd like to try out (for a little while at least). As a young person with no family attachments it seems like being mobile (either throughout Canada or Internationally) would be an interesting career.

What do you think? For someone with a business education of course.

Furthermore, I am currently seeking employment for this summer (potentially leading to permanent after I graduate) :). I'm a Bcomm/BA (Economics) student. My past experience is in public practice accounting and M&A Advisory. If ANYONE has any openings in their company for one of the top business students in calgary (I have a resume that attests to this) could you please PM me? I can go into details in private since this is not the place.

Thanks,
KB

Hey, let me give you some perspective frome someone who has been out of school less than 10 years. I remember thinking that I wanted to travel....but you have to realize that companies will only send you to clients or places if you can contribute. As a new grad, you likely will not contribute much unless you have a particluar skill (like a CA, CPA, etc) and they can send you to do audits and it's cheap for them.

Do not talk about travel in your entry level interview, people will think you're crazy. I spent a couple years in a financial instition before I started travelling because I could not contribute at first, and now I travel a fair bit (enough for Elite), but none of our junior guys get on the road a lot...sometimes for a conference or something but we would not put them in front of clients after 5 months.

I really think you should figure out what you want to do and the travelling will come when it is timne. Do not make that your priority.

Hey, let me give you some perspective frome someone who has been out of school less than 10 years. I remember thinking that I wanted to travel....but you have to realize that companies will only send you to clients or places if you can contribute. As a new grad, you likely will not contribute much unless you have a particluar skill (like a CA, CPA, etc) and they can send you to do audits and it's cheap for them.

Do not talk about travel in your entry level interview, people will think you're crazy. I spent a couple years in a financial instition before I started travelling because I could not contribute at first, and now I travel a fair bit (enough for Elite), but none of our junior guys get on the road a lot...sometimes for a conference or something but we would not put them in front of clients after 5 months.

I really think you should figure out what you want to do and the travelling will come when it is timne. Do not make that your priority.

A very wise perspective and quite good advice IMHO.

Employers could be leary of hiring someone whose primary reason for choosing a job is travelling. After all travel is only commuting to work even if the commute to HGK is 14 hour from YVR. The reason for the trip starts when one lands at work destination.

PS: Travel for business was somewhat glorious for less than six months and then the harsh reality of being a road warrior (as eloquently described in above posts) set in.

Good luck on your career journey. :)

The private sector is more demanding but it's also more rewarding.

I'm not so sure. The most demanding things I've ever done were in the public sector (e.g. sole assessor of a significant component of a country's financial assessment, by myself, and delivering the report onsite all within a 4-week period; almost back-to-back all nighters for the last 9 days - beats anything I ever did in a law firm). And sometimes the risks (e.g. security risks, risks that you will draft a piece of legislation that turns out to be really stupid, or enjoin a business activity that wasn't harmful, or fail to stop the really harmful one - all visible to the public) seem kind of high to me. And that's leaving out those public sector careers in war zones ...

Of course the rewards (not financial, but certainly other kinds of rewards - especially experiences) have been equally high.

Been there, done that, never again :) . Had to spend a week by myself in the middle-of-nowhere in rural Kentucky in early December two years ago at a dirty coal fired power station. Only hotel nearby was a Super 8 Motel at a freeway exit, only restaurant for miles was a Dennys Diner (in shiny chrome 50's retro style) attached to the Motel and the whole county was a dry one :eek: . Nearest beer was 25 miles away.

It either rained or was foggy every day as well. Very gloomy - but from a business perspective worthwhile in the end as it was my clients first large and highly significant order in penetrating the USA.

And my wife thinks travel is somehow glamourous :rolleyes:

Seriously, if you get involved in International sales and marketing, thats a role you will be travelling alot.

The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence... I used to do leave monday come home Fri night..... and always thought that international travel was better..... now I leave for two weeks, go to factories in the middle of nowhere, where nobody speaks English... my flights are seldom less than 12 hrs and now the customers make us fly to Asia.... why to make 2 hr presentations... [eg. Wallymart]
Anyhow if you want to travel go into sales... if you want international travel to every "underdeveloped" country in the world, go into importing. :D However a lot of it ends up being lucky or unlucky....depending on the boss and the company.

PS its not all bad you can become a NON-Canadian resident. :eek:

Don't misinterpret my comments as "big-headed" but I said specifically I wanted something business related. Forgive me for being frustrated at the lack of potential paths out their for new grads.

My aunt is a flight attendent and loves it. Not to mention ex-gf as well.

Don't derail an informative thread by taking something I said out of context.

KB

There are many career paths out there for new grads, but very few employers will pay much attention to a B.Comm or other recent grad, simply because of his qualifications, no matter how high the grades. When I'm hiring new staff, I'm much more interested in experience and critical thinking than the applicant's degree specialization.

I'm not sure how old you are, either, but I remember a colleague once telling me never to trust a consultant under the age of 25 -- in most cases, there simply isn't enough real-world experience for the individual to be able to provide any meaningful input. Similarly, the university careers office is no substitute for taking the initiative to meet with real people doing real jobs in the industries you are considering, which in turn is just the beginning of the networking you'll need to do to find your ideal first job.

I'm not so sure. The most demanding things I've ever done were in the public sector (e.g. sole assessor of a significant component of a country's financial assessment, by myself, and delivering the report onsite all within a 4-week period; almost back-to-back all nighters for the last 9 days - beats anything I ever did in a law firm).....
"Demanding" and "rewarding" are difficult to define. So my statement was a bit of an oversimplification.

However, taking your example, what were risks you were facing had you not won your race to deliver your product on time? Would you have lost a bonus you were counting on? Or worse, would you and your co-workers have lost your jobs? Or even worse, would your company have been forced into bankruptcy? I've been there (too many times!).

That's what I mean when I say "demanding."

In my life I have always gone to the beat of a different drummer. I love to travel and originally my career was grounded in owning a retail store, I started with 10K I borrowed from my dad.

What I realized was the best of that were the trips to Italy and Germany to buy the clothing for the store. Slowly the light went on and I realized that I wanted travel to be integral part of my Job description

I took stock of what I had the University degrees business skills and interest in computers, and in the early 80's went into the venture capital business. I used to arrange financing in England for small tech companies. I used to go to England for 1 week a month and one other week a month I spent in the US.

I did this for 6 years, then was a silent investor for 5 years so I could be with my young family. In 1995 after trying some other things I realized travel was important and I still loved the clothing business so I went into the souricing business. Asia was the center of the garment industry. I started to go to Hong Kong then India and finally Thailand. For 9 years I sourced product on behalf of smaller American Clothing companies that did not have the infrastructures to do it themseves. This year I was offered the job to head world wide sales for a Thai Clothing Company. This year I have flown over 200K miles.

The essence of this story is define your interests, evaluate your job skills and create a job you can sell, rather than looking for a job you can fill.

I am near 60 now. If I were younger I would look at the wine industry, as I love wine and would like to visit all the countries wine is grown in. I would get a degree in marketing and add a Master of Wine from London. This would allow me to get in the wine business as a consultant, writer or anyting else.

If you want to be learn the global view of the world Read the best selling book: The World is Flat, a brief history of the 21st century, and learn how colloboration with companies and individuals overseas is the way of the 21st century.

Have fun define yourself and don't be afraid to selll your talents or if neccessary to reinvent yourself on demand. At times it takes sacrifice to do it. There were whole years without a cheque coming in for me. But it is way more fun.

One last suggestion start your new career as a home based business while you work. This gives you significant tax advantages as well allows you to get up and running. Sell rare peruvian pottery on e-bay. Buy linens in provence and sell them in North America. Colloborate on software. Think globally. Use the internet and access the world, then travel to define the business.

Good luck Have fun and keep us informed

would you suggest getting a CA? I worked in a CA firm over the summer, and there is no way that I want to do accounting for a living, however it does sound like getting a qualification would be a very good base to start from.

would you suggest getting a CA? I worked in a CA firm over the summer, and there is no way that I want to do accounting for a living, however it does sound like getting a qualification would be a very good base to start from.

This is a portable skill that companies all over the world are searching out. Define if living abroad is what you want or just travel and visit. Visting suggests joiningf a consulting company that is highly specialized in one area and can sell it all over the world. If you want to settle in Berlin or Hong Kong for a couple years join a multinational accounting or do Corporate finance for a Morgan Stanley or the like and you can thake that all over the world.

However, taking your example, what were risks you were facing had you not won your race to deliver your product on time? Would you have lost a bonus you were counting on? Or worse, would you and your co-workers have lost your jobs? Or even worse, would your company have been forced into bankruptcy? I've been there (too many times!).

That's what I mean when I say "demanding."

Or how about potentially screwing over the lives of millions of citizens? Or you screw the Minister up at the Cabinet table? Or you make a recommendation that messes up the economic or social state / framework for the country and / or for the country's allies? How about national / international security? Or you end up making a decision that wastes billions and billions of taxpayer's dollars?

Those are pretty significant if you ask me. Maybe even more significant than simply losing a personal bonus, a job, and not getting enough return for shareholders...

I'm not devaluing private sector work, etc., but I'd just like to point out that the risks and the demands are just as high in the public sector as it is in the private sector.

Just not many people realise that.

I would like to travel all over the world, but would like to live in Canada, so living abroad for a couple years, although not completely off the list, is low priority.

Or how about potentially screwing over the lives of millions of citizens? Or you screw the Minister up at the Cabinet table? Or you make a recommendation that messes up the economic or social state / framework for the country and / or for the country's allies? How about national / international security? Or you end up making a decision that wastes billions and billions of taxpayer's dollars?
I thought all of the above were the goals of government. They certainly are consistently successful in achieving these goals.

Travel seems to be mostly done by all the senior folks.

And if they like to travel, they still nonetheless usually take all the good destinations and leave the less desired for the more junior staff.

I'm sending some junior staff to Winterpeg in December for some training. :D

For myself, I get to cherry-pick the best conferences and other meetings. On average, I travel about 1-2 times/month between Sept and April, each for about 3-5 days, mostly transcons and transborders.

I feel it's more than enough and nets me between 60-70K Q miles/yr. I even have the occasional urge to return immediately home once I arrive at my destination. :eek:

BUT, I do believe that I have a VERY marketable skill set. Last summer I worked on a debt-equity deal as a consultant and billed them 8800 for three weeks work.
Is this supposed to impress or deride? Haskayners are some of the funniest people I have met. Quick, I think there's another business luncheon now! But you jus missed it, so many chances for you to brag, I mean, network!!! You’ll have to wait another hour for the next one!!!!! What will you do? So many billable hours going down the drain! The putting green in your faculty is being used by the MBAs!!!! The stock ticker is down too, and you already saw the Kudlow Cramer on the school's CCtv wired to CNBC!!!! Does this mean you have to venture out of your building!?!?!?!?!?!? The grad lounge is only a few hundred feet away! You can make it without having to be around the disgusting education or english majors! They can't even tie a tie! Why not go on flyertalk and talk about how much money you made during the summer and how this gives you a ‘VERY marketable skill set’? Great idea!

[QUOTE]I'm not devaluing private sector work, etc., but I'd just like to point out that the risks and the demands are just as high in the public sector as it is in the private sector.

BS the layers of bureaucracy are so deep you couldn't find a culprit if you tried........privatise 60% of the bureaucracy and things will work much better.


Just not many people realise that.

You got that right. Most of us don't realize how little of anything important most bureaucrats really do.

[QUOTE]One last suggestion start your new career as a home based business while you work. This gives you significant tax advantages as well allows you to get up and running. Sell rare peruvian pottery on e-bay. Buy linens in provence and sell them in North America. Colloborate on software. Think globally. Use the internet and access the world, then travel to define the business.

Having followed a similar career path (and of a similar age) to you but in different industries I travelled to some of the most exotic places on earth.

I have had, since 1993 basically, a home office, and set up an independent consulting business doing M&A work, financing and getting on some boards of smaller Companies needing an outside opinion for the shareholders. I, along with some partners, have now entered the business of commodity trading and financing to further increase my overeseas travel and of course make money while doing it.
The benefits of having a home office are immense and very rewarding for those disciplined enough to work diligently while at the home office desk.

I'm a fourth year B.Comm right now - I've accepted a staff accountant position with one of the Big 4 firms in Calgary, with the intention of pursuing my CA. It seems like a great foundation - there's a bit of travel involved, even in the first few years (nothing overly glamorous, but it keeps me from getting bored) and then after I get those letters, if I stay with the same firm, I can do busy season exchanges (four months) or longer exchanges (18-24 months)...

I go to school in Halifax now - Calgary is a very attractive place for a lot of grads from out here. Decent pay (I'm making about $9000 more out there than I would here), nice city...

Consulting has always interested me, but as mentioned above, people straight out of university just don't have the life and business experience. I would feel like a fraud.

Hey Everyone,

I'm a business student at the University of Calgary and I'm considering potential careers available to me.

I'm trying to figure out what type of job requires a lot of travel. This is something I'd like to try out (for a little while at least). As a young person with no family attachments it seems like being mobile (either throughout Canada or Internationally) would be an interesting career.

What do you think? For someone with a business education of course.

Furthermore, I am currently seeking employment for this summer (potentially leading to permanent after I graduate) :). I'm a Bcomm/BA (Economics) student. My past experience is in public practice accounting and M&A Advisory. If ANYONE has any openings in their company for one of the top business students in calgary (I have a resume that attests to this) could you please PM me? I can go into details in private since this is not the place.

Thanks,
KB


Has anyone mentioned working for a commercial air carrier? :)

Or how about potentially screwing over the lives of millions of citizens? Or you screw the Minister up at the Cabinet table? Or you make a recommendation that messes up the economic or social state / framework for the country and / or for the country's allies? How about national / international security? Or you end up making a decision that wastes billions and billions of taxpayer's dollars?

Those are pretty significant if you ask me. Maybe even more significant than simply losing a personal bonus, a job, and not getting enough return for shareholders...

I'm not devaluing private sector work, etc., but I'd just like to point out that the risks and the demands are just as high in the public sector as it is in the private sector.

Just not many people realise that.

Amen, YOWKid and Kate_Canuck..and civil servants aren't in the game to get rich or famous.

I wonder if most people think that, for example, Avian Flu emergency response planning 'just happens' at a local, regional, national or international level, or WMD counter measure contingency factors just show up in a filing cabinet or on the hard drive one day, or famines just 'end'.

This career path takes more dedication and discipline than many others because there are none of the overt ego/monetary perks associated with mainstream biz school grad jobs. One just needs to want to go down the path, accept the good with the bad and that the reward is the job well done.

As for travelling, pick the right (international) civil service and you could be looking at over 50K flown miles per year on average (mostly in biz so 50% bump in status miles). Mostly the big European based ones, Geneva, Brussels, Vienna. However, there is the prospect for even greater adventure in the developping world.

As for travelling, pick the right (international) civil service and you could be looking at over 50K flown miles per year on average (mostly in biz so 50% bump in status miles). Mostly the big European based ones, Geneva, Brussels, Vienna. However, there is the prospect for even greater adventure in the developping world.
Yeah but we all know how much business students love going off the beaten path and being away from their XM radio and plasma TVs and $8 martinis.

Yeah but we all know how much business students love going off the beaten path and being away from their XM radio and plasma TVs and $8 martinis.


What kind of stupid statement is that? Jeeez

Yeah but we all know how much business students love going off the beaten path and being away from their XM radio and plasma TVs and $8 martinis.
Awesome! Another garbage post! Keep up the good work!

If you plan to post more crap, I highly suggest the Duplicate - Please Delete thread... I guess that means that all your posts should go there.

Is this supposed to impress or deride? Haskayners are some of the funniest people I have met. Quick, I think there's another business luncheon now! But you jus missed it, so many chances for you to brag, I mean, network!!! You’ll have to wait another hour for the next one!!!!! What will you do? So many billable hours going down the drain! The putting green in your faculty is being used by the MBAs!!!! The stock ticker is down too, and you already saw the Kudlow Cramer on the school's CCtv wired to CNBC!!!! Does this mean you have to venture out of your building!?!?!?!?!?!? The grad lounge is only a few hundred feet away! You can make it without having to be around the disgusting education or english majors! They can't even tie a tie! Why not go on flyertalk and talk about how much money you made during the summer and how this gives you a ‘VERY marketable skill set’? Great idea!
They took the ticker down?!?!!?!?!? :mad:

Could you tell me the exact name of this job/career?

Some focussed reiteration here:

1. Above all, choose something you will enjoy doing. As you've seen tonnes of jobs involve travel and once you've found an area you enjoy you can start focussing on specific positions/companies/organizations that might have more travel.

2. If you don't love what you are doing for work, the travel will be a curse, not a blessing.

3. If you want to live abroad for a few years consider short-term work programs offerred by various governments in Europe, Asia, Australia.

4. Consider the Foreign Service (lots of well-supported travel here, on the government's coin), but this is more of a long-term commitment.

5. Other option: find a job where you have significant vacation time, you can travel on your own coin to places you actually want to go. Also can consider other humanitarian travel (where certain jobs may give you extra leave to do this.)

1. Above all, choose something you will enjoy doing.

+1

Travel is secondary to the job, itself. Don't focus on the wrong goal.

2. If you don't love what you are doing for work, the travel will be a curse, not a blessing.



+1

When people don't enjoy their work, getting on that plane seems like torture.

+1

When people don't enjoy their work, getting on that plane seems like torture. especially when you have to fly in the back....

especially when you have to fly in the back....

Believe it or not, I fly in the back all the time!

Academia is a super one for travel. As a research-active faculty member, I travel around 120,000 miles/annum to give talks at universities and conferences worldwide + lots of consulting. It would mean a little longer for grad school, but the flexibility of this job is super.

Amen to that (Volcanologist/Geologist at major Ca. Institution. Hence the screen name. March was interesting, missed several trips due to 'Big E' and even flew right over the top with AC on the way back... got lots of cool pics for the next talk much to the bemusement of the FAs!)

But, seriously, I never thought I would travel this much when I started out as a young grad student, and indeed this (travel) was not the goal. I think as long as you need to do something you enjoy, the rest will follow, including travel.

VM

Kate_Canuch, you mentioned that you had a job

"Or you could have a job like the one I used to have: (1) monitor international developments and develop contacts around the world in an interesting subject; (2) travel 8-12 times per year for about a week at a time (about 2/3 long-haul to major cities in Europe, Asia and Australia/NZ in bus class; the rest short-haul to major US cities flying direct); (3) spend the day in interesting meetings and conferences with colleagues; (4) spend the evenings exploring the city and eating/dining out in local restaurants with local hosts; (5) stay in 4* hotels (sometimes 5*); (6) add a few vacation days to business trips so I could spend the weekend exploring further; and (7) use contacts as a springboard to move abroad ... "

What exactley was you job tital, I am in the process of changing careers and this is along the same line of a career I am looking for

Junior auditor! In a big auditing firm, they won't let you out unsupervised but they'll let you carry the suitcases of senior auditors whenever they go out and audit larger customers. In companies with their in-house auditing departments, they'll send you where no one else wants to go!

If it's oil and gas you want, go to Houston. They'll send you off to Africa regularly. The Houston Express might be the best part of the trip even. No FF miles on that one though.

In my experience, your own professors are a better source of career advice than anyone else at univ. They know you better, and they usually have private sector contacts still, they can make a great match. One of my professors got me started on a fun career I would never have thought of on my own.

my flights are seldom less than 12 hrs and now the customers make us fly to Asia.... why to make 2 hr presentations... [eg. Wallymart]
Lucky dog, can we trade? North America (diff places) to BRU, not-quite-an-hour meeting at the EU, and back to the airport! I get a hotel room, for all of 30 minutes, to change and shower. Haven't done one of those in over a year, thank God.

OP - be very careful what you wish for. The scenario of getting up at 4 am Monday to take three connecting flights to get to Bunghole Arizona (sorry AZ peeps) so you can work like a dog 12 hours a day, sleep in the crappy Super-8, eat at McDonalds then fly home Friday nights and spend the weekend listening to your spouse file for divorce is much more the norm than the exception.

If your idea of a career with lots of travel looks like George Clooney's Up In The Air character, you're probably going to be disappointed.

Some jobs in government have a lot of travel.

...to such glamorous locales as Winnipeg, Regina and if I'm really lucky, Ottawa.

Glamorous isn't even close to describing it;)

Hi

...to such glamorous locales as Winnipeg, Regina and if I'm really lucky, Ottawa.

Glamorous isn't even close to describing it;)

Apply to External Affairs as a diplomatic courier, if you want travel.

OP - be very careful what you wish for. The scenario of getting up at 4 am Monday to take three connecting flights to get to Bunghole Arizona (sorry AZ peeps) so you can work like a dog 12 hours a day, sleep in the crappy Super-8, eat at McDonalds then fly home Friday nights and spend the weekend listening to your spouse file for divorce is much more the norm than the exception.

If your idea of a career with lots of travel looks like George Clooney's Up In The Air character, you're probably going to be disappointed.

Have you been eavesdropping? Are you my nosy neighbour? ;)

I consult for a living for a big software company. I usually get the client to foot a corporate apartment whereever I go, and I've been in apartments in Chicago, Hartford, northern NJ and even toronto. I go home every couple of weeks to make sure the house hasn't burned down.

I love my bed at home and love my home, but as long as I'm travelling every week I don't get tired of it. Travelling every single week loses its luster pretty quickly to me, and staying in the Marriott or the Hilton every week also loses its luster to me.

Now, i love my job, and that's the most important thing. If you don't like the job, then you'll hate the travel!

I consult for a living for a big software company. I usually get the client to foot a corporate apartment whereever I go, and I've been in apartments in Chicago, Hartford, northern NJ and even toronto. I go home every couple of weeks to make sure the house hasn't burned down.

I love my bed at home and love my home, but as long as I'm travelling every week I don't get tired of it. Travelling every single week loses its luster pretty quickly to me, and staying in the Marriott or the Hilton every week also loses its luster to me.

Now, i love my job, and that's the most important thing. If you don't like the job, then you'll hate the travel!


For the non-BComms reading this thread, boymimbo brings up another field of work I have noticed has a lot of constant travel, IT consulting, especially if you can get in a niche like information security e.g. CISSP stuff.

As for getting tired of constant flying, I could see that, but not the bit about the Marriott/Hilton. Having stayed in a downtown Toronto hotel for a solid month straight, it never seemed to lose its lustre for me. Was def nice to come 'home' to a clean and tidy room every day without any effort on my part :cool:

Cheers

This is likely a minority opinion in the flyertalk world, but I have been extremely lucky with the agricultural sector. There are few people who have the knowledge and the desire to operate around the world in this business. Yes, there are the frequent trips to Siberia in some cases (as per my name) but as long as you find an employer who sees the light on Business Class travel, and extend your connections at the more popular spots (read: connections) in Europe and such, you can experience a ton along the way.

I do 120,000 miles or so per year in 8-10 trips, have been to 8 countries this year, no trips over 10 days (for work anyway). This after only 7 years in the industry, and with a BA... and the pay is very good, as there is a shortage, as mentioned, of people that have what it takes...

PS - this a no poop job. A little dirt, and a lot of vodka...

I once did the "prep all weekend, 3 flights to nowhere and drive to dirty warehouse to start due diligence" trip, only to show up and discover (to my delight, actually) that I was allergic to the client and would have to turn around and go home. The investment bankers had forgotten to tell my law firm that the client (which manufactured penicillin-based drugs) had prohibited the staffing the deal with any junior staff from the law, banking and accounting firms (ie those who would be crawling around in the warehouse or handling its documents) who were allergic to penicillin. Which I was. So, a long trip for nothing (except the miles) - but it kept me out of the office for a little while and I managed to avoid some other work because people thought I was busy on the bacteria file.
Kate,

I am very interested in learning more about the (second) type of job you have mentioned. I was hoping to take up a moment of your time and learn more about the skills needed to excel in the career path you have chosen to see if I could be a good candidate for this career as well. Is there a convenient way to contact you without having to post our contact information on the forum?

Best,

Molly