Florence, Italy - View from Piazzale Michaelangelo
My most frequently asked question is how I got my job doing tour guiding and marketing for a travel company in Europe after college. Basically I sent my resume to the company, had a Skype interview, and got the job. Just like any job.
However, my experience and skills from college helped set my resume apart so that I was one of the few that was given an interview.
The job was a mix of many things: leading weekend trips to different cities in Europe for college study abroad students, digital marketing, sales, and events.
I'm going to outline helpful work experience for the jobs I've had that have allowed me to travel, some soft skills you should mention in a cover letter and interview, and what my resume looked like when I applied to these jobs.
International Tour Guiding and Marketing
Croatia tour
Helpful experience to have for this type of job:
Study abroad or international travel experience
Leadership
Public speaking
Social media (helpful to have experience doing this for businesses)
Sales
Event planning, operations and hosting
Customer service
Photography
Video editing
Writing
Basic foreign language skills (if the people \where you're living speak a different language)
Budapest trip
Soft skills to mention (provide examples from your experience to back these up):
Passion for travel
Creativity
Social/outgoing
Strong leader
Willingness to understand/accept other cultures
Independence
Easy-going, flexible
Able to make snap decisions
Sense of humor (especially when things go wrong)
Like to have fun
Faculty Advisor for International Conferences
gylc europe
I've also gotten to do some traveling by working for a different company at leadership conferences. First I was in DC/NYC for a summer, and the following year was in Europe for a couple weeks, and this upcoming summer will be doing another one in China for a couple weeks. The job entailed leading a group of 20-25 international high school students and facilitating curriculum on leadership and international relations.
Helpful experience for this type of job:
Experience leading groups
Work/school experience in the area of the conference's theme
Teaching, counseling, and/or coaching
Public speaking
Have worked with students
Enjoy bonding games and icebreakers
rockefeller center
Soft skills:
Able to make snap decisions
Staying calm in stressful situations
Being able to maintain high energy (LONG days)
Friendly personality
Role model (you follow the same set of rules the students do)
Creativity
Flexibility
Always thinking with a "team" mindset
Promoting inclusivity and a team spirit among your group
staff selfie
When I originally applied to these jobs out of college, my resume included:
Bachelor's degree in Public Relations with minors in Promotions and Journalism
Studied abroad in Florence, Italy
Public Relations Intern (7 months)
Study Abroad Ambassador (2 years)
Copy Editor for college yearbook (2 years)
Social Media & Newsletter Editor for my school's chapter of PRSSA (1 year)
Freshman Orientation Leader (3 years)
Zumba instructor (1.5 years)
College dance team member (4 years)
Junior high dance team coach (1 year)
While I have a degree in PR, you don't necessarily need to be studying that to get one of those jobs. Some potential majors for wanting to go into something similarly related could include: communication, photojournalism, international relations, hospitality, international business, any foreign language, or tourism.
The more important thing is describing your previous experience and relating it to how you're qualified and will excel at the job at hand.
Have you worked abroad? Add your tips in the comments below!