I want a job working abroad, where do I start?

The lure of working overseas is calling you, but where do you start? What kind of jobs working abroad are there?

First of all, do you research, find online communities, to join. Online communities are great resources of information and also for asking specific questions. You should be able to always find someone who has done what you are looking at doing.

Towards the bottom of this post I’ve listed a bunch of websites which can help in your research.

I’ll list some ideas of the type of jobs you may be able to get overseas. Just to help you get you started.

Nanny / Au Pair Positions

Love kids? Why not consider becoming a Nanny or Au pair.

Nanny jobs are available in many places around the world. Quite often accommodation and meals are included. One site to find au pair job is aupairworld.com.

Remember to check exactly what you are required to do. Some roles may also include housekeeping duties.

Bar Staff or Wait Staff

A way that many people travel the world is as working as a bar person. Some roles may even include a room as part of your earnings.

Carer Roles

A carer is similar to being a Nanny, but usually involves caring for people with special needs or the elderly.

Freelancer Work

A freelancer is a job where you find work for yourself. You provide specialised services to one or many clients. The fields for this work can be anything from being Virtual Assistant, large project work or small one off jobs.

Some of the most popular sites to advertise your skills and also find jobs listed by others are places such as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.

Since the advent of the internet, working remotely has become quite simple and more and more jobs are being done remotely. Communication is via messaging apps such as Skype and Facetime, tools such as Slack and Microsoft Teams are used to keep teams connected and on track. Of course there is email and many other options for sending messages and sharing data.

Deck Hands

If you love the sea, this may be the job for you, spend a season working as a deck hand on a boat.

Teach English as a Second Language

Many countries offer roles to English teachers (ESL). Some roles require teaching qualifications, some just require any tertiary qualification and others only request that you are a native English speaker. Most ESL contracts require a commitment of at least 6 to 12 months. On Ciee and Global Work and Travel they provide ESL jobs (and a whole lot more).

The other option is to teach English online, so you would be able to do this from anywhere in the world with a good internet connection. Check out sites such as VIPKid, Qkid, OpenEnglish, iTalki,

Teaching Englis is the option I chose to do. I taught English as a second language for 13 months in Taiwan when I was 21 years old.

Volunteer Positions

Volunteer positions are usually as the name suggests, Volunteer roles. Dependent on the role you take, you may have accommodation and utilities included. Some roles may include a small stipend or allowance.

When thinking about becoming a volunteer, please do your research, some organisations may actually be doing more harm than good!

Pod Volunteer Ciee R

Cruise Ship Crew

Cruise ships require staff for many roles, all hospitality roles, entertainers, cleaners, tour leaders, health professionals, gym staff, life guards and more.

Generally crew staff are not paid well, but they do provide you with meals, accommodation and free travel to amazing locations.

Website links to start looking for Job ideas.

Other roles to consider

Translator
Scuba Dive Instructor
Travel guide
Summer Camp Councillor
Busker
Fruit Picker
Job Exchange – talk to your employer to see what options they may have in other locations

Things to Consider Before Committing to a Job Working Abroad

In all these roles, ensure that you check and double check the work visa requirements of the country in which you wish to work.

Also check that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

How long you your contract will be, what will be your specific duties, what amount (if any) you will earn, who pays for airfares, accommodation and meals?

Feedback

What travel jobs have you done? We’d love to hear about your experiences of getting a job overseas. Please leave us a comment below.

#travelshedid

Please be aware that this post may contain affiliate links, should you choose to purchase anything via these links, I may receive a small commission, this will be at no additional cost to you.