Careers that allow one to get BAEC GGL at a young age
Jan 12, 2019, 4:29 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, BA Silver, Hertz President's Club
Posts: 484
I'm currently in a position where I'm in a gap year after completing secondary school last year and looking to start university later this year. I've spent this gap year looking to get a 'relatively substantial' (for an 18 year old gap year student) points and have ended up with the 'luxury' to being able to travel for work, albeit domestically. Here are some tips I'll for you: @xjki
- Sometimes, you will end up working on things where you have no travel at all, or some travel or a lot of travel; make the most of what you can when you're there. Domestic travelling just meant maxing out AMEX bonuses and using the points from that for those J+ trips.
- Work through the tiers: I hit a lucky deal 2 years ago which allowed me to get Bronze for sub-£1.50/TP. Whilst not perfect, it was pretty good value for when I was 16. That meant I got downgraded to Blue for two years, and am planning to hit 600TP this year having scored lucky on the CX fares over the New Year.
- Free lounge access is nice, but redemptions are nicer. Everyone is different around here, and people have their approaches to points/status and their respective 'soft spots' for the industry. Make sure you're not going for GGL for the sake of GGL, but you'd quite like what goes along with it and it would be applicable.
It's great that you have a plan set out, and you've got an interest for travel in mind, but don't let it get the better of you, particularly in these very early stages of your career. However, get yourself stuck in and saving a bit of money to jump on some great deals is, in my opinion, a great way to 'get into the game' whilst young and get some status (perhaps not quite GGL... but better than no status eh?)
- Sometimes, you will end up working on things where you have no travel at all, or some travel or a lot of travel; make the most of what you can when you're there. Domestic travelling just meant maxing out AMEX bonuses and using the points from that for those J+ trips.
- Work through the tiers: I hit a lucky deal 2 years ago which allowed me to get Bronze for sub-£1.50/TP. Whilst not perfect, it was pretty good value for when I was 16. That meant I got downgraded to Blue for two years, and am planning to hit 600TP this year having scored lucky on the CX fares over the New Year.
- Free lounge access is nice, but redemptions are nicer. Everyone is different around here, and people have their approaches to points/status and their respective 'soft spots' for the industry. Make sure you're not going for GGL for the sake of GGL, but you'd quite like what goes along with it and it would be applicable.
It's great that you have a plan set out, and you've got an interest for travel in mind, but don't let it get the better of you, particularly in these very early stages of your career. However, get yourself stuck in and saving a bit of money to jump on some great deals is, in my opinion, a great way to 'get into the game' whilst young and get some status (perhaps not quite GGL... but better than no status eh?)
Jan 12, 2019, 4:46 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dorset, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 635
Intresting! Thank you. I mean I haven't ever travelled for work, so I couldn't really comment, but I personally really enjoy being in the air and also don't like being in one spot for too long! I'd much prefer, at least while I'm young, constantly moving around, and living primarily from hotel rooms!
And, @frandrake , @Beaulieu , and @Carmer thank you for the specific insights relating to where the flying can be found!
And, @frandrake , @Beaulieu , and @Carmer thank you for the specific insights relating to where the flying can be found!
I'm self employed and have been since leaving uni, but I did do, while at uni, various internships in consulting firms. In my sector, there are companies like Palantir which really push (for "Forward Deployed Software Engineers" - basically client visiting software engineers) for people who are willing to travel and live out of hotels. Last year I nearly dropped everything and went to work for them, but then realised that if I am not enjoying the kind of travel I do now for work then that's not going to be sustainable in the long term. There's also the consideration of whether you are living to work or working to live - some people favour the former and adore the travel and that's great but it does become a strain. I strive to have the latter, but I managed after a period of sustained work travel in 2017 to have a long term relationship just collapse into the ether. Not an ideal situation, but it's a lesson learned that you should never have work get in the way of the other things in life that are there to live for.
Jan 12, 2019, 4:47 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Location: London/ Oxford
Programs: BAEC Bronze; LoungeKey
Posts: 53
the competition for your dream job will be selling themselves to that great employer from day 3 at Uni., so open options, but an intent to compete for the best jobs is required. (Why Day 3 . ?? Day 1 is beer, day 2 is sex, and day 3 is sector/profession and employer hunting.)
.
.
And thank you for the advice regarding which companies and divisions within them to target, as well as the suggestion of pursuing an MBA. If I chose a corporate style career, Stanford GSB/ HBS would definitely both be my dream/ aim/ target!
Jan 12, 2019, 4:59 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Location: London/ Oxford
Programs: BAEC Bronze; LoungeKey
Posts: 53
I'm currently in a position where I'm in a gap year after completing secondary school last year and looking to start university later this year. I've spent this gap year looking to get a 'relatively substantial' (for an 18 year old gap year student) points and have ended up with the 'luxury' to being able to travel for work, albeit domestically. Here are some tips I'll for you: @xjki
- Sometimes, you will end up working on things where you have no travel at all, or some travel or a lot of travel; make the most of what you can when you're there. Domestic travelling just meant maxing out AMEX bonuses and using the points from that for those J+ trips.
- Work through the tiers: I hit a lucky deal 2 years ago which allowed me to get Bronze for sub-£1.50/TP. Whilst not perfect, it was pretty good value for when I was 16. That meant I got downgraded to Blue for two years, and am planning to hit 600TP this year having scored lucky on the CX fares over the New Year.
- Free lounge access is nice, but redemptions are nicer. Everyone is different around here, and people have their approaches to points/status and their respective 'soft spots' for the industry. Make sure you're not going for GGL for the sake of GGL, but you'd quite like what goes along with it and it would be applicable.
It's great that you have a plan set out, and you've got an interest for travel in mind, but don't let it get the better of you, particularly in these very early stages of your career. However, get yourself stuck in and saving a bit of money to jump on some great deals is, in my opinion, a great way to 'get into the game' whilst young and get some status (perhaps not quite GGL... but better than no status eh?)
- Sometimes, you will end up working on things where you have no travel at all, or some travel or a lot of travel; make the most of what you can when you're there. Domestic travelling just meant maxing out AMEX bonuses and using the points from that for those J+ trips.
- Work through the tiers: I hit a lucky deal 2 years ago which allowed me to get Bronze for sub-£1.50/TP. Whilst not perfect, it was pretty good value for when I was 16. That meant I got downgraded to Blue for two years, and am planning to hit 600TP this year having scored lucky on the CX fares over the New Year.
- Free lounge access is nice, but redemptions are nicer. Everyone is different around here, and people have their approaches to points/status and their respective 'soft spots' for the industry. Make sure you're not going for GGL for the sake of GGL, but you'd quite like what goes along with it and it would be applicable.
It's great that you have a plan set out, and you've got an interest for travel in mind, but don't let it get the better of you, particularly in these very early stages of your career. However, get yourself stuck in and saving a bit of money to jump on some great deals is, in my opinion, a great way to 'get into the game' whilst young and get some status (perhaps not quite GGL... but better than no status eh?)
The last time I enjoyed every single flight I flew was probably in 2015. The travel started ramping up rapidly in 2016 due to various obligations and it's at that point that it starts becoming tedious and tiresome. It really depends on the job you do but I used to do a large number of day trips or short 1-night trips which I find killers on the body more so than jet lag associated with time zone hopping due to the long days. It's sustainable in the short term but the toll it takes on the body I've found too much so I've stopped doing that and will pad out the trips a bit more.
I'm self employed and have been since leaving uni, but I did do, while at uni, various internships in consulting firms. In my sector, there are companies like Palantir which really push (for "Forward Deployed Software Engineers" - basically client visiting software engineers) for people who are willing to travel and live out of hotels. Last year I nearly dropped everything and went to work for them, but then realised that if I am not enjoying the kind of travel I do now for work then that's not going to be sustainable in the long term. There's also the consideration of whether you are living to work or working to live - some people favour the former and adore the travel and that's great but it does become a strain. I strive to have the latter, but I managed after a period of sustained work travel in 2017 to have a long term relationship just collapse into the ether. Not an ideal situation, but it's a lesson learned that you should never have work get in the way of the other things in life that are there to live for.
I'm self employed and have been since leaving uni, but I did do, while at uni, various internships in consulting firms. In my sector, there are companies like Palantir which really push (for "Forward Deployed Software Engineers" - basically client visiting software engineers) for people who are willing to travel and live out of hotels. Last year I nearly dropped everything and went to work for them, but then realised that if I am not enjoying the kind of travel I do now for work then that's not going to be sustainable in the long term. There's also the consideration of whether you are living to work or working to live - some people favour the former and adore the travel and that's great but it does become a strain. I strive to have the latter, but I managed after a period of sustained work travel in 2017 to have a long term relationship just collapse into the ether. Not an ideal situation, but it's a lesson learned that you should never have work get in the way of the other things in life that are there to live for.
Jan 12, 2019, 5:08 pm
#20
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dorset, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 635
Sorry to hear about the relationship as well as your loss of pleasure in flying. My opinion and perspective towards flying will, almost certainly, change as I grow older as well as change if I begin travelling more. They may even change before I begin work, who knows? Right now, however, I think that lots of flying and hotel living (and taking advantage of the ability to do this whilst I have energy as a young person before I grow tired of it) would be something that I'm interested in.
! I was much of the same thinking as you in terms of flying and hotel living sounding good back when I was younger, but there's nothing more I cherish these days than getting home back to my own bed... 
Jan 12, 2019, 6:01 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
My golden rule is never have your hobby become your job. It quickly looses it's appeal when you're doing something because you have to do it, not because you want to.
Similarly, waking up in a hotel room and wondering "what country am I in?" gets old after a while too. Some like that, but it can become an isolating existence after a while as you're unable to maintain relationships and friendships when you're on the road so much.
Similarly, waking up in a hotel room and wondering "what country am I in?" gets old after a while too. Some like that, but it can become an isolating existence after a while as you're unable to maintain relationships and friendships when you're on the road so much.
Last edited by Jagboi; Jan 12, 2019 at 6:08 pm
Jan 12, 2019, 6:54 pm
#22
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: GLA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 2,962
My golden rule is never have your hobby become your job. It quickly looses it's appeal when you're doing something because you have to do it, not because you want to.
Similarly, waking up in a hotel room and wondering "what country am I in?" gets old after a while too. Some like that, but it can become an isolating existence after a while as you're unable to maintain relationships and friendships when you're on the road so much.
Similarly, waking up in a hotel room and wondering "what country am I in?" gets old after a while too. Some like that, but it can become an isolating existence after a while as you're unable to maintain relationships and friendships when you're on the road so much.
There is a reasonable argument that says that the time you spend on planes for work is in inverse proportion to your quality of life.
Go to uni, drink, meet women (or men), have fun. See where your priorities are in a few years.
Jan 12, 2019, 7:11 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,677
One thing to bear in mind is that your generation will probably not only live longer than previous generations, it will have to work longer. Medical advances mean you could possibly live to 100 (or even longer) but this means you also have to work longer to fund this.
Therefore, do you want to commit yourself on a career path now that may set you up for disappointment in the future simply because you want to earn loads of dosh?
I am not Carol Loomis but I can recommend you look at this book by Warren Buffet, who could easily become GGL if he wanted to . Now, say what you want about Warren Buffet, he makes the point that he "tap dances to work" every day. While I don't believe that this is how he feels every day, I think the point is clear.
Do what you enjoy.
Therefore, do you want to commit yourself on a career path now that may set you up for disappointment in the future simply because you want to earn loads of dosh?
I am not Carol Loomis but I can recommend you look at this book by Warren Buffet, who could easily become GGL if he wanted to . Now, say what you want about Warren Buffet, he makes the point that he "tap dances to work" every day. While I don't believe that this is how he feels every day, I think the point is clear.
Do what you enjoy.
Jan 12, 2019, 7:25 pm
#25
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ±38,000 feet
Programs: LH HON, BA GGL, AF Plat, EK Plat
Posts: 6,428
Don’t get dissuaded from your dreams by some people who say find a job you like.
i was in a similar position 5 years ago and followed my travel passion and found a job that allowed and funded it.
now getting Lifetime gold this year and a job that allows me to go everywhere I want as long as I deliver results
summary: follow your dream not a career
i was in a similar position 5 years ago and followed my travel passion and found a job that allowed and funded it.
now getting Lifetime gold this year and a job that allows me to go everywhere I want as long as I deliver results
summary: follow your dream not a career
Jan 12, 2019, 8:11 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Go to uni to have fun, get pissed, meet great friends
...work hard though then...
Get a job that you enjoy and let’s you enjoy life...if you enjoy travelling, look to travel for fun not for work.
...work hard though then...
Get a job that you enjoy and let’s you enjoy life...if you enjoy travelling, look to travel for fun not for work.
Jan 12, 2019, 8:28 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: IAH
Posts: 488
So when I first started working, I used to watch a few people who I worked with fly from Australia to London, once a month or so. Business class, nice hotels etc. I was so jealous of them - I wanted to be them, I wanted to be at the point where I was doing that flying.
Skip forwards ten years and I was the one doing it. I hated it - I looked back on my naive self and thought why did I want that. Business travel looks great from a distance, until you realise the toll it has on you.
My suggestion for early career people is that travel is not something you pick a career for - understand if you will tolerate it yes, but to use it as an influencer as to where to go doesn't seem right.
Skip forwards ten years and I was the one doing it. I hated it - I looked back on my naive self and thought why did I want that. Business travel looks great from a distance, until you realise the toll it has on you.
My suggestion for early career people is that travel is not something you pick a career for - understand if you will tolerate it yes, but to use it as an influencer as to where to go doesn't seem right.
Jan 12, 2019, 11:09 pm
#28
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
A lot of good points have been made, but to add my experience I can sum it up as follows:
1. If you want to travel, make sure you end up in a company with a global footprint.
2. Long haul economy travel is hard. I don’t take the Megabus to Inverness, so why would I do it to Tokyo?
3. Jet lag can be a proper b-word.
4. When you travel, you primarily see airports, planes, taxis, hotels, offices and the odd restaurant. There is limited time for personal enjoyment.
5. Going to Tokyo is more fun than South Bend, Indiana.
6. It’s less stressful going to Singapore for a week once a month than going twice a week on day trips to the continent. I hate having to get up at 4 am, get home at 10pm and then have a full workday the day after.
7. Frequent travel can play havoc on your personal life. You’ll miss birthdays, weddings, the Eurovision party etc. You’ll spend a lot of time alone. I’ve been lucky in the companies I’ve worked and normally been taken out to dinner every night. I’ve also had mostly fantastic and interesting colleagues, suppliers & customers.
8. Some companies are more flexible than others, and will be better to accommodate your preferences. Others will book you that 06.05 to Amsterdam without asking.
9. I love travelling. It gets me out of the office, I get to meet interesting & fun people, great food and experiences I’ll always treasure. Dealing with people of other backgrounds is challenging, but you’ll learn and it’ll make you a better and more competent person.
10. Your career works in mysterious ways. Mine took me to India & the UK, and I even got a fancy title and funky company car after a few years. I did not plan for any of it, and my advice to you is: take chances, accept opportunities, be flexible. Good luck & enjoy :-)
1. If you want to travel, make sure you end up in a company with a global footprint.
2. Long haul economy travel is hard. I don’t take the Megabus to Inverness, so why would I do it to Tokyo?
3. Jet lag can be a proper b-word.
4. When you travel, you primarily see airports, planes, taxis, hotels, offices and the odd restaurant. There is limited time for personal enjoyment.
5. Going to Tokyo is more fun than South Bend, Indiana.
6. It’s less stressful going to Singapore for a week once a month than going twice a week on day trips to the continent. I hate having to get up at 4 am, get home at 10pm and then have a full workday the day after.
7. Frequent travel can play havoc on your personal life. You’ll miss birthdays, weddings, the Eurovision party etc. You’ll spend a lot of time alone. I’ve been lucky in the companies I’ve worked and normally been taken out to dinner every night. I’ve also had mostly fantastic and interesting colleagues, suppliers & customers.
8. Some companies are more flexible than others, and will be better to accommodate your preferences. Others will book you that 06.05 to Amsterdam without asking.
9. I love travelling. It gets me out of the office, I get to meet interesting & fun people, great food and experiences I’ll always treasure. Dealing with people of other backgrounds is challenging, but you’ll learn and it’ll make you a better and more competent person.
10. Your career works in mysterious ways. Mine took me to India & the UK, and I even got a fancy title and funky company car after a few years. I did not plan for any of it, and my advice to you is: take chances, accept opportunities, be flexible. Good luck & enjoy :-)
Jan 12, 2019, 11:41 pm
#29
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 581
Dear all,
I'm a secondary school student due to graduate this summer and begin studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford in October. I'm now considering potential career paths to pursue thereafter. My interests lie namely in (i) Industrial Organisation (ii) Finance (iii) Development. I enjoy intellectually-challenging and research-type tasks.
As such, to date, I've considered all of (i) Pursuing an Economics PhD, preferably at a US top5 program, and then becoming a professor or, alternatively, working as an Economist at the World Bank/IMF or an Economist at an Economic/Legal consulting firm (especially one that specialises in Industrial Organisation/ antitrust such as Compass Lexecon) (ii) Working at a firm such as Compass Lexecon directly after my undergraduate degree (albeit not as an Economist) (iii) Pursuing US law school and becoming an Antitrust or corporate M&A lawyer or antitrust prosecutor (iv) Working in equity research (directly out of undergrad).
I've always enjoyed flying and would like to do a lot of it before I turn 40 (at which point heavy flying would likely become boring and come at a cost of family).
Although, of course, what I chose will not be based entirely off this, which of these careers (or which similar alternatives) would allow for the most and highest-quality flying right from the start?
Specifically, which would allow me to fly enough (at the front) to become GGL before I turn 30 and allow me to maintain a heavy flying schedule until about 40 before cooling down to max. 10 trips a year from then onwards?
I'd be thinking of working in either London, New York, or Hong Kong (or all of them simultaneously) so would have all of BA/AA/CX to rack up the TPs on!
Thank you for your help!
I'm a secondary school student due to graduate this summer and begin studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford in October. I'm now considering potential career paths to pursue thereafter. My interests lie namely in (i) Industrial Organisation (ii) Finance (iii) Development. I enjoy intellectually-challenging and research-type tasks.
As such, to date, I've considered all of (i) Pursuing an Economics PhD, preferably at a US top5 program, and then becoming a professor or, alternatively, working as an Economist at the World Bank/IMF or an Economist at an Economic/Legal consulting firm (especially one that specialises in Industrial Organisation/ antitrust such as Compass Lexecon) (ii) Working at a firm such as Compass Lexecon directly after my undergraduate degree (albeit not as an Economist) (iii) Pursuing US law school and becoming an Antitrust or corporate M&A lawyer or antitrust prosecutor (iv) Working in equity research (directly out of undergrad).
I've always enjoyed flying and would like to do a lot of it before I turn 40 (at which point heavy flying would likely become boring and come at a cost of family).
Although, of course, what I chose will not be based entirely off this, which of these careers (or which similar alternatives) would allow for the most and highest-quality flying right from the start?
Specifically, which would allow me to fly enough (at the front) to become GGL before I turn 30 and allow me to maintain a heavy flying schedule until about 40 before cooling down to max. 10 trips a year from then onwards?
I'd be thinking of working in either London, New York, or Hong Kong (or all of them simultaneously) so would have all of BA/AA/CX to rack up the TPs on!
Thank you for your help!
Jan 13, 2019, 12:16 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,528
I certainly don't want to come across as patronising, but if we take things step by step, I'd say that one of the most difficulties many students face when they start university is to discover what they do not know. The different disciplines will all be entirely different from what you've been used to till now and once you figure that out, you may find that what really interests you is very different from what you expect you'll like. Similarly, you'll see a very different perspective on both jobs you've considered and others you haven't even thought about. The more open your mind about all of it, the more you'll make of the next few years.
My second point would be that to an extent, there are no careers that lead you to travel a certain amount in certain travel classes, it is jobs which do. In other words, virtually all of us on this forum will know of colleagues doing the same job as us who will travel either a lot less or a lot more than us depending on the case, and in many cases in different conditions as well depending on the company. There are a few threads you can look at where some members discuss their occupation (a few of us remain stubbornly out of those! ) which can give you a sense of the diversity of occupations that can lead to a heavy travel schedule.
My third point, already expressed by others differently is the notion that things (travel or otherwise) feel very different when you feel in control of whether you do them or not and when you don't. There is a difference between jobs where you'll travel a lot and jobs where you "can" travel a lot, and I don't think that age is a very good predictor of when you like to do it a lot or not; apart from anything else, whether you were sick last week might shape your mood a lot more than whether you are 25 or 40 or 60.
I think it is great that you know you like to travel and want to travel a lot. It is a perfectly valid criterion to bear in mind when you'll decide which job to go for but that won't be as simple as choosing a career (except if you intend to become an airline pilot or something similar!)
My second point would be that to an extent, there are no careers that lead you to travel a certain amount in certain travel classes, it is jobs which do. In other words, virtually all of us on this forum will know of colleagues doing the same job as us who will travel either a lot less or a lot more than us depending on the case, and in many cases in different conditions as well depending on the company. There are a few threads you can look at where some members discuss their occupation (a few of us remain stubbornly out of those!
) which can give you a sense of the diversity of occupations that can lead to a heavy travel schedule. My third point, already expressed by others differently is the notion that things (travel or otherwise) feel very different when you feel in control of whether you do them or not and when you don't. There is a difference between jobs where you'll travel a lot and jobs where you "can" travel a lot, and I don't think that age is a very good predictor of when you like to do it a lot or not; apart from anything else, whether you were sick last week might shape your mood a lot more than whether you are 25 or 40 or 60.
I think it is great that you know you like to travel and want to travel a lot. It is a perfectly valid criterion to bear in mind when you'll decide which job to go for but that won't be as simple as choosing a career (except if you intend to become an airline pilot or something similar!)