Up in the Air
Staff Writer
In the new movie Up in the Air, the main character’s job is flying around the United States over 320 days of the year, racking up frequent flier miles along the way. And while living out of a suitcase and traveling almost daily is rare these days, especially with the advances in technology and video conferencing, for some it is a lifestyle they aspire toward. If traveling while working is a benefit you seek, we suggest trying these careers. Some require a lot of travel; some a small amount, but no matter the amount of travel, these jobs will keep you up in the air.
Corporate Banking
Corporate banking requires a high skill set, an extensive cluster of college degrees, and, in most cases, the requirement that one live, relocate, and/or travel to New York City or to London, England. These two centers of the finance world are the best places to get jobs in banking of the corporate kind. Corporate banking requires a Master's degree (or higher) in finance, economics, or an MBA (Master's degree in Business Administration).
Corporate bankers earn salaries that vary widely. You could earn somewhere from $50,000 to $100,000, but you might also earn several hundred thousand per year, depending on your skill set and the type of job you can land, and what firm it is at. Bank on making a salary between 50-100K, but know that you may very well end up making more than that.
Teaching Abroad
Teaching abroad is a fun way to have a professional career AND travel. Getting a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate will greatly increase your chances of being able to line up a job before you head overseas. Many people head abroad thinking that their 'native speaker' status will get them a job; however, in most cases this route results in a much lower-paying and much less stable job. Getting the certification and finding a job from the US affords better pay, better contract terms, and sometimes even a place to live in your adopted country.
In many countries, a bachelor's degree is required to be able to work legally. The majority of full time teaching positions require a bachelors' degree, though not necessarily in education. The time commitment is typically for a full year however there are exceptions where short term teaching jobs may be available, ranging from a few weeks to a few months.
Teachers are compensated based on their position, qualifications and the destination. Some employers also provide free accommodations and other reimbursements as an added incentive and to help teachers working in countries that have a high cost of living.
Recruitment Specialist
If you are looking for a fulfilling career choice and you enjoy working with people, are a natural leader and have strong communication and listening skills, then look no further than becoming an employment, recruitment, and placement specialist.
Recruitment specialists might spend a great deal of their time traveling. Part of the year they might be attending professional meetings while at other times they would be visiting college campuses to review potential applicants and conduct interviews. In larger companies, HR pros often specialize. For example, one aspect of the department would focus on the hiring process. In larger settings, these HR workers would be referred to as recruitment specialists or as employment and placement managers.
Overall employment for employment, recruitment and placement specialists is projected to grow by 18% between 2006 and 2016 with demand increasing due to legislation and court rulings on occupational safety and health, equal employment opportunity, health care, pensions, family leave and rising health costs.
The median salary rate for employment, recruitment, and placement specialists were $44,380.oo. Those with 10 or more years commanded a median salary between $55,447 and $62,354.00.
The best path to take to begin a career in human resources is with a college degree. College graduates who go on to earn certifications command the best job opportunities but those who earn a bachelor’s degree in human resources, human resources administration or industrial and labor relations will be in demand as well.
There are countless other jobs that involve traveling from the more obvious including airline pilot or flight attendant to the more obscure including geologist and nuclear plant decontamination technician. I myself worked as a marketing director for a national restaurant chain, requiring me to travel extensively to the cities in which we had locations. And for those who love to travel, the appeal of visiting other cities and countries and experiencing a new culture may mean picking a job that will keep them up in the air.