Online Jobs for Travel Fanatics
For some, travel means a couple of weeks somewhere sunny with the family before heading back home to the daily nine-to-five reality. But for many people, travel is something much more, a chance to see the world, explore other cultures, and to learn some new things about themselves in the process. Traveling the world full time may seem like a distant dream, but it is possible to stay on the road, and earn enough money to keep moving and enjoying yourself along the way. High-speed internet can be found almost anywhere in the world, meaning that there are career options out there for travelers that solely involve remote work, often with competitive salaries. Some of these jobs require training or experience, but many rely on nothing more than talent, passion, and dedication. Gone are the days of choosing a career over traveling, or vice versa – it can be the best of both worlds for those with itchy feet. You can still work and travel light, for most of these jobs you will only need a laptop or tablet, and, of course, access to the internet. Read on for a selection of ideas that could help you pay your way around the world, as a truly nomadic worker.
Blogging
It may seem surprising, but writing a blog can actually make you a good living. The first thing to remember, however, is that your blog must be engaging and interesting. That means that you should write about something you are passionate and knowledgeable about – the most successful bloggers will tell you that they started writing for love, not money. If you are traveling, you already have some interesting subject matter at your disposal – travel blogs are extremely popular, although there are so many of them that yours will need to stand out from the crowd. Find an angle, keep your writing focused and entertaining, don’t just keep a diary, endeavor to ask and answer questions in your text. If you are using photographs, make sure you compose them nicely, and use a photo editor to tweak them – no one really wants to look at throwaway holiday snaps. There are a few ways to monetize a blog. If you have a lot of hits, you can sell advertising space, affiliate marketing (reviewing or promoting a product or service), writing paid guest blog posts or writing advertisement posts.
ESL / EFL Teaching
A time-honored way to work yourself around the globe teaching English is challenging and rewarding in equal measure. ESL (English as a second language) refers to teaching people who wish to live in English speaking countries, and therefore focuses on practical language skills which will help in day to day interactions (on a very basic level, things like filling in forms, job interviews, etc). EFL (English as a foreign language) is more geared towards people who will be traveling through English speaking countries (directions, ordering food, introducing yourself to friends, etc). Working in a school is a great way not only to earn money, but to meet local people and learn about their culture, food and language. There is a growing need for English teachers online as well, giving face-to-face lessons (or even full class lessons) over Skype or other video calling apps. Some regions, particularly Japan and Korea, require an ESL / EFL qualification and an undergraduate degree, while in others simply being a native speaker will get you far. And in a lot of places, you can make money giving conversational lessons over coffee – I speak from personal experience! Informal lessons help students learn in a more relaxed environment, and for the teacher, offer a chance to meet new people and discover new places.
Forex Trading
Foreign exchange, or Forex trading is the practice of simultaneously buying and selling foreign currencies, depending on the exchange rate. The idea is to trade currencies to make profit on favorable exchange rates. For example, if you purchased 10,000 EUR with USD at an exchange rate of 1.1800 you would get 11,800 USD. But then two weeks later with the exchange rate at 1.2500 you change your 10,000 EUR back into USD, you would have 12,500 USD, with a profit of $700. Forex is a rapidly expanding market, and can be confusing to get started in. Luckily, there are many Forex brokers offering their services online who will lend you their expertise and break down the process for you. Many of these brokers offer bonuses to new and regular customers, such as first deposit bonuses, redeposit bonuses, cashback and more – but it is worth checking through various brokers to find a bonus that suits you. As with any market-based trading, forex is dependent on the performance of economies around the world, and exchange rates may fluctuate for a variety of reasons – including things like natural disasters or political unrest (which may affect rates negatively) or large sporting events (which may have a more positive impact). Learning to read the market is key, but if you can do that, you can work from anywhere in the world.
Social Media Management
Every brand and company worth its salt has a visible presence on social media. Across all major platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, social media serves to boost a company’s communicative power, often directly engaging with individual customers. It is also a great way to personalize communications and foster interactivity, through viral marketing campaigns, user-generated content and much more. The need for social media marketing means a need for dedicated employees to oversee and manage the running of accounts, uploading content, answering customer queries, dealing with complaints and providing service updates. Social media management courses are available, but many are learn-on-the-job opportunities. You’ll need to have great communication skills, a flair for providing intimate customer service, and the technical know-how to manage accounts across all platforms. Luckily, many social media management positions can be done from anywhere with a good internet connection, meaning you can keep traveling and earning a tidy salary.
Freelancer
OK, so the term ‘freelancer’ could mean just about anything, but let’s focus on the more prevalent types of freelance jobs that people who travel seem to do (in my experience on the road, anyway). Freelance web designers are always in demand, and many creative hubs dotted around the world seem to be full of web designing nomads. Almost always, they have some experience with graphic design as well as coding, which are both useful attributes to have if you want to offer a ‘one-stop-shop’ service to your clients. Freelance video editors are becoming more and more sought after, a glance at websites like Upwork will tell you how many vlogs, promotional videos, short films and advertisements are sourcing talented technical workers for their projects. Freelance software development is another area where there is almost always demand, and often lucrative salaries, helpful in keeping you on the road longer (and in more luxury, if you like). The only downside of these jobs is that they often demand long hours, which, if you’re traveling, isn’t ideal.
These are just a handful of jobs that can keep you afloat while you’re traveling. It is heartening and exciting to know that you don’t have to compromise on your life experiences, and choose between adventure and career. The best of both worlds, anywhere in the world.
