Someone mentioned to me recently how fortunate I was to have a business where I get to travel frequently (although these days I sometimes wonder) and was interested to know what jobs or businesses to pursue which will help that person realize the dream of being able to travel frequently. I thought to myself, what better place to pose this question and get a wide range of complete and accurate responses than on FlyerTalk?

So please answer this question anyway you want.

Recommend web sites to visit that will give the requested information.

Describe what you or someone you know does for a living and give the advantages and disadvantages.

Thank you.

Some FT threads on this subject:

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/000088.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/002560.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/002560.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/006725.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/008798.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/009028.html

That is a difficult question to answer: it depends on a lot of factors. For example looking at my own situation: I'm don't have a job that is typically considered as involving extensive travel (like sales, consultancy, etc.), however I work for a multi national company that has many offices all over the world and it happens to be that there is a need for knowledge at these locations that I can provide, result is lot of travel. The exact same job will probably require a lot less travel a couple of years from now since the knowledge transfer will be completed by then.

My advise: look for a job at a multi national company. Choosing a company headquartered in another country or state than where you live could already land you a couple of (international) trips.
Having a skill that is in demand will most likely make you a frequent traveller.

Advantages and disadvantages are IMO very closely related: lots of travel. While I like travel, being a way from home a lot is not always fun. Also going to the same country/city 10+ times in a year is also not as much fun as it might seem to an outsider.
Not having a 9 to 5 desk job is the biggest advantage for me: I love the dynamics of my job.

Hope this helps a bit.

[This message has been edited by ql2112 (edited 02-28-2003).]

Air Marshall
Drug runner
UN weapon inspector

Consulting and sales are the obvious professions that require a lot of travel, quite often.

My job requires a lot of travel -- I am a start-up entrepreneur person (isn't everyone) and I travel around the USA and around the world on various start-up type things.

I can see that it is better to have a broad job description.

Audit

I was incredibly lucky two years ago to do on-the-road tech support for a(n ex-)company subsidiary that did health screenings across the country.

Based out of a suburb of MSY, they'd send people all over the country to do cholesterol screenings (basically, I just tagged along). It was a lot of fun--no real hard work, and when you stick a bunch of 20-somethings in a rental SUV and let them loose in a new city every week, well, let's just say that hilarity (and good times) ensued.

Everyone there had at least lowest-tier elite (usually with DL) within a couple months, many had top-tier.

I have to say that was probably the best job that I ever had; a different city every week, expense accounts...

jon

Gee, hum, let me see here.......I know! Flight Attendant! Or pilot!

mystery traveler -- travel anonymously on behalf of senior airline and hotel management, so you can report back what you find and help them improve service.

Students who study abroad (not me) and go home to visit during long weekends, holidays, breaks etc.

President of the United States.

Advantages: Guaranteed upgrade on all flights in any booking class on Air Force One. Priority luggage handling and boarding. At LHR customs may use Fast Track business hours only). Able to organise free tickets for family, friends and party donors. Twenty six flight attendants, 15 security guys and five butlers guaranteed per passenger on all flights made in Presidential Class (not valid on flights made within the USA or Canada).

Disadvantages: No miles on any flight. Participation in Air Force One Frequent Flyer scheme limited to four years (one extension of four more years is possible). May have to sit near Dick Cheney.

Classical musician---advantages---great job!!
Disadvantages----watching baggage handlers endanger your precious instrument which is too big to be a carry-on.

Don't many musicians buy an extra seat for their instrument?

Field operations specialist to exciting locations in the bering sea and gulf of Alaska.
Pro: Get to meet lots of interesting people in places like cold bay, adak and
king salmon.

Cons:usually are away from home during the best time of year, business casual consists of carrharts, rubber boots and polarfleece

ql2112, I deserve to be taken to task about starting a duplicate thread. I am usually very careful about doing that, but apparently I did not search well enough to avoid that. My apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for the links to the other threads.

In my business, richard, I am a consultant as well. I figured sales, as well as the obvious travel jobs (thanks, txskygal!) for occupations which require travel. I have personally studied in Europe and Africa, daniellam, but that is usually not enough to be a career, although there are schools that hire instructors which do "semester abroad" programs for colleges and universities in the United States. That would be a great travel job!

chad75 gets the award for most original post, though I think President of the United States amy be a long shot...

When I was asked, I did give some answers, but I thought correctly that there were many I missed. Thank you for answering, and please keep the answers coming!