Careers?

[matt.millington]

All,

I am just interested in knowing what line of work most of the high frequent business travellers are in? I don't mean to be to personal or intrusive. Just interested.

I am only 21 and would love a career that travels frequently (apart from the obvious, pilot etc)
Currently I work as a project manager at a well known boatyard in Sydney, no qualifications, (must just have something going for me). I have grown up around the marine industry, but also have a passion for property.
But I am enrolled to study a bach of construction project management starting next year as I figure that alot of the bigger companies that have the need for travel really need the qualifications.

Are there any obvious things to look for in a company or Job description?

Any hints or tips would be much appreciated!

Cheers

Matt

 

[harvyk]

IT here, but it's not just the industry, you need to be in the right position. When I did IT sales, I did a lot of travel, as a developer I do almost no travel. But might I make a suggestion, find something you are passionate about, and do that. If you can incorporate travel into it (like I do), then all the better. You'll find that being a true road warrior can be a soul destroying occupation, esp if it's doing something you're not exactly passionate about.

 

[Alanslegal]

But I am enrolled to study a bach of construction project management starting next year as I figure that alot of the bigger companies that have the need for travel really need the qualifications.

FWIW my brother completed the BBCM course at UNSW back in 1999. He has worked in various project management roles over the time and now works as a Senior Project Manager with a large multinational. His roles did not involve frequent travel but he did not want that as he has a family. Though he had to from time to time go interstate for projects. With the increased growth of some other countries eg. China, India, Indonesia there would be signicant career opportunities there.

 

[matt.millington]

Thank you for your responses guys!!
Much appreciated.

 

[bismarck]

Well the occupation most known for frequent travel (AFAIK) is management consulting...

Having said that, there can be travel or no travel in most jobs.

 

[Hvr]

Hi matt.millington. I reckon you're looking at this the wrong way. Find something you love doing so that going to work is a pleasure. If you hate your job and only do it for the travel you will end up hating your life.

Travel, as exciting as it is, is sometimes a grind. What you read here is essentially the glamorous side. The getting up with 2-3 hours sleep to travel and work then returning home that evening can be tiring and ruinous to family life.

As someone who is a lot older than you I suggest you find a balance and have a whole life rather than focus on what looks to be exciting at this point in time. Get those qualifications and enjoy life. And if work travel is part of it then great. Otherwise, travel on leave and have fun.

Finally, happy travelling and I hope you stay on AFF, there are many infrequent travellers here who seek to maximise their travel experiences.

 

[harvyk]

Travel, as exciting as it is, is sometimes a grind. What you read here is essentially the glamorous side. The getting up with 2-3 hours sleep to travel and work then returning home that evening can be tiring and ruinous to family life.

You can certainly say that again. What you read here is the stories about kicking it up in J with champagne in hand, or sitting in the FLounges having an absolutely excellent meal before a flight. What is missing is the stories of 12 hour days of hard slog, the working under enormous pressure to get the job done lest you need to extend your business trip / arrange another business trip at the clients expense, or dealing with the jealousy of co-workers / friends who think that your week in the tropics was spent sitting with a coughtail in hand by the pool (because that's what you've posted to facebook) but didn't hear about the 11 hours previous sitting in an office out the back working your cough off.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be doing more business travel again (my current job doesn't have the same opportunity as my previous), but I'm under no illusions that business travel is anything other than hard work.

 

[Cynicor]

And it seems to be bad for your health. Airport lounges, hotel food, buffet breakfasts and tiny useless gyms. Many (most?) business travelers are above the optimum weight...

 

[smit0847]

And it seems to be bad for your health. Airport lounges, hotel food, buffet breakfasts and tiny useless gyms. Many (most?) business travelers are above the optimum weight...

Here, here. I see a lot of very overweight business travellers.

A good friend of mine is a national retail manager for a national retail chain. He has 37 stores across the country and has to visit each store at least once a month. He does a HUGE amount of domestic travel (no intl) - at least 3 or 4 flights a week often as many as 5 or 6. He lives in MEL but once flew to PER for an Xmas party and was there for about 14 hours. 95% of his travel is in VA Y. If there are delays he often won't get home on a Friday night until midnight (and will then have to work in MEL at 8am Sat).

While he has lots of funny stories and his life seems quite glamorous (he's constantly on the move and never spends more than about 48 hours in any one city) he assures me that it is not nearly as enjoyable as it sounds. He says after a few 4am Monday morning alarms to drive to the airport in the middle of winter the appeal wears off very, very quickly. A free coffee and a bowl of fruit salad dont exactly cut it.

 

[boomy]

A good friend of mine is a national retail manager for a national retail chain. He has 37 stores across the country and has to visit each store at least once a month. He does a HUGE amount of domestic travel (no intl) - at least 3 or 4 flights a week often as many as 5 or 6. He lives in MEL but once flew to PER for an Xmas party and was there for about 14 hours. 95% of his travel is in VA Y. If there are delays he often won't get home on a Friday night until midnight (and will then have to work in MEL at 8am Sat).

While he has lots of funny stories and his life seems quite glamorous (he's constantly on the move and never spends more than about 48 hours in any one city) he assures me that it is not nearly as enjoyable as it sounds. He says after a few 4am Monday morning alarms to drive to the airport in the middle of winter the appeal wears off very, very quickly. A free coffee and a bowl of fruit salad dont exactly cut it.

There is absolutely nothing glamorous about frequent domestic travel and I'm telling you that as someone who also flys 3-4 times a week and sometimes more. I did set up some "rules" to make travel more comfortable such as flying mostly with QF, no departures before 8am, renting nice cars and staying in good hotels.
Maybe to some who don't travel very often it may look like a glamorous life but in the end of the day the lounges stopped being exciting long time ago, the hotels can feel very lonely sometimes no matter how fancy they are and all the cities look the same every time.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about it but it's not all fun and games, it's mostly just work.

 

[Clivem]

.......a bach of construction project management ...........Matt

Matt unfortunately .....These days it appears a degree in CPM can, and is more accurately described as a degree in 'Risk Mitigation'.
The focus certainly appears to be off 'farming concrete' and bring that harvest in on time and budget .......
Seek out a cadetship with an established builder with reputation of delivering....... doing your degree this way is harder and longer (nothing worse than having to front for lectures or hit the books after a hard day at works) but that how you will earn your chops.
I started out as a dual trade frigie/sparky and graduated as Mech. Engineer more than 24 years ago - The construction industry has been good to me and taken me (and my family) all over the world - Highlight of my career so far has been the three and a half years I spent in Hong Kong on the Chek Lap Kok airport project. While the Mech. services of the project all went pretty well the I.T. nightmare that occurred just after the change over were monumental and I still shake my head every time I walk through the terminal doors.

 

[ReLoad]

There is absolutely nothing glamorous about frequent domestic travel and I'm telling you that as someone who also flys 3-4 times a week and sometimes more. I did set up some "rules" to make travel more comfortable such as flying mostly with QF, no departures before 8am, renting nice cars and staying in good hotels.
Maybe to some who don't travel very often it may look like a glamorous life but in the end of the day the lounges stopped being exciting long time ago, the hotels can feel very lonely sometimes no matter how fancy they are and all the cities look the same every time.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about it but it's not all fun and games, it's mostly just work.

Some great points,

A couple of years back I put in a rule about only staying in decent hotels too and it's a great way to end some very long days. The thought on ending up at god knows what quality of hotel was an unwelcome distraction.

Like a lot of people on here, monorail commuting sucks and has no glamour or fun whatsoever.

The trick with all this travel is really simple, be nice to others, don't expect anything apart from what you are paid for and keep yours eyes open, it's amazing what you see and learn on your travels.

Happy travels!

 

[Blinky]

Some great points,

A couple of years back I put in a rule about only staying in decent hotels too and it's a great way to end some very long days. The thought on ending up at god knows what quality of hotel was an unwelcome distraction.

Like a lot of people on here, monorail commuting sucks and has no glamour or fun whatsoever.

The trick with all this travel is really simple, be nice to others, don't expect anything apart from what you are paid for and keep yours eyes open, it's amazing what you see and learn on your travels.

Happy travels!

Yes a lot of good points in this thread.

As for occupations, a senior management position with a national or multi-national company usually does the trick.

The other suggestion is set and keep as many routines as possible. Same, good quality hotels in frequently visited cities; same hire car and parking arrangements; same travel times as far as possible (and the "fly forward" Virgin Gold and above option is a gift from the gods when you can get back home earlier).

And as others have said, frequent (business) flying is hardly glamourous. I love Sydney. I was born there and still have family and friends there. The hotel I stay in has Harbour views. Yet if you ever have to fly there, drive out to the western suburbs (my sister lives there, I'm not a snob) and back to the airport in a day, through the impossible traffic and drab cityscape, I defy you to describe the experience as anything other than living hell.

 

[NFF]

Put it to a test. Fly several times a week for a month and see if you like it.

 

[UP4014]

As others have said, better to find a job you love and you'll do it well. Then spend the rewards on travel, you'll enjoy it much more.

Me, I work in the rail industry and and travel enough to be between QF Gold and Platinum. I think it's great fun to travel but I'm also doing a job I love.

Matt

 

[harvyk]

Put it to a test. Fly several times a week for a month and see if you like it.

A month isn't long enough for it to become "yet another trip"... It would need to be several months in a row with no end in sight.

 

[JohnK]

I am in IT and did some travel for work many years ago.

Most IT roles have no travel.

 

[harvyk]

I am in IT and did some travel for work many years ago.

Most IT roles have no travel.

Depends on the company, your seniority (or in some cases lack of), and what sort of work you actually do. An break fix person looking after a single site or sites all in the one city = virtually no travel, a projects person doing floor walking = a fair bit of travel.

 

[YSSY]

I work in the Maritime field, have worked deep sea (blue water) sailing worldwide, cruise ships, super yachts, government ships, offshore oil&gas etc. the work involves travel to and from the ships around the world, regularly travel once onboard depending on ship type and travel to courses on a regular basis all over the world. Then when giving up the sea work can involve consultancy or management roles working from home or living in Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Dubai etc.
I can work as little as 5 months a year or more as desired. It's not a career for everyone , but does give plenty of travel and can be very interesting.

 

[rioter]

I am in IT and did some travel for work many years ago.

Most IT roles have no travel.

It is going to depend on who you are working for. I have managed to maintain WP for the past 3 years(just maintained for a fourth) across two jobs. Just need a company with offices all over the world.