Since graduation, my resume looks a little like this:
Job
Travel and Job
Travel and Job
Job
Travel and Job
Travel
Job
Travel

I’m all over the place. I come and go. I chop and change. This can make job interviews in my home country a little awkward.

Interviewer: “So, you’ve traveled a lot…”
Me (earnestly): “Yes, and picked up some valuable experiences and skills along the way!”
Interviewer: “You’re planning on staying a while, though?”
Me: “Oh yes, I’m ready to settle down now.”

And I always mean it, until a year or two is past and I have itchy feet again. So the cycle continues.

And it’s not a bad way to live, but I’m learning that the most effective way to do things is by creating my own income from freelancing and side projects. I’m working on it.

But basically, if you love long-term travel the choices are:

• Find a job with travel perks
  There are many such jobs but be warned: they may involve trips where you’re forced to work the entire time with little leeway for your own exploring.
• Find a job in your home country with flexible leave
  Perhaps you can find a company that will let you take months off at a time and then return for more work, then leave again… I have yet to work for such a place but know they exist, especially if you’re employed on a contract basis. It could work, providing you still want to return there after your travels.
• Work while you travel
  Teach English, do menial work, freelance write, try nannying, whatever you can find that you enjoy doing or at least funds your traveling. Arrange a job with a work placement organization before you go, eg. summer camp jobs, farm work (see links below).
• Save up, quit your day job and simply head off
  This can work if you’re prepared to watch your funds dwindle. You also need a plan for when they’ve dwindled down to $0.
• Create a passive income
  We all dream of this, and I have yet to master it. It involves creating some kind of business and growing it until you can step back and let others run it, or let it run itself if possible with little input.

Related Sites:

• Transitions Abroad

• LiveWorkPlay.com

• Quit Work To Travel

• Global Experiences

So, fellow travelers: how do you juggle traveling with employment?

1. Figure out what your options are
Do you need to learn another language? What is there a demand for in that country? What skills and qualifications do you have, and will they translate well in a new place?

2. Figure out what you would enjoy doing
After researching the above, you need to find something you’ll actually like. There’s little point nannying if you hate it.

3. Have backup savings
Finding a job may be harder than you expect. Make sure you have backup funds just in case!

4. Contact people
Once you’ve chosen an occupation you’d like to pursue, get with the contacting. Use the Yellow Pages or equivalent. Search international job sites. If you already know people in the country, ask them for some advice. This can be done before you arrive, so by the time you get there you’ve already taken steps. Make sure your CV or resume fits the standards of that country.

5. Offer to do an unpaid trial
If you’re not having much luck getting a job, get your foot in the door by offering your service for free for a week. Chances are, if you work hard, they’ll find you a job after that. Or, at worst, you’ve now have some valid experience in your new country. Get a reference.

6. Join expat clubs
Hook up with fellow expats and hear their stories. Don’t take everything to heart, though, if their stories are negative. Not everyone has the same experience.

Case Study: Me
In 2000 I moved to Berlin, Germany, armed with my CELTA. I wrote to all the language schools in Berlin asking for work. I got a few rejections but landed a job with one of the best schools in town. Lucky? Definitely. And teaching in Berlin is now much more competitive than it was then. Still, put yourself out there. People will offer advice and referrals, even if they have nothing for you.

Related Reading:

Finding a job overseas from LiveAbroad.com
10 essential tips for landing a job overseas from QuintCareers.com