travel over work

The great thing is that I convinced one of my work colleagues to come with me, which has two benefits. She has now been introduced to Danielle's work for the first time and we will have a chance to bond over the event! I can't wait!

18. Create a standard packing list

If you are travelling regularly, save yourself the pain of wondering "have I forgotten something?" Every time you travel. I learnt this the hard way, and have about 20 packets of travel sickness pills in my medication box as a result. Because every time I travelled I would forget them and end up buying yet another box at the airport kiosk. (For about twice the price that I can get them at my local pharmacy). Create your list on your computer and print it out every time you go away, or print it once, laminate it and check the items off with a dry-erase marker. I promise you, this is a game changer and will mean that packing your bag to go away becomes super quick and hassle-free!* 

* Since writing this post, I've upgraded my travel checklist! I now have it in Trello. In fact, I have one checklist for travelling for work and another for personal trips.

19. Take a creature comfort from home

Candice popped back in to let me know that she likes to take a creature comfort from home when she travels for work. Especially if she will be away for a while. Candice suggested that your favourite pillow might be a good option, provided that you have room in your suitcase.

I think this is a fantastic idea. In fact, I've actually been packing my essential oil diffuser with me as my creature comfort. I love setting my diffuser up in the hotel room and diffusing oils to help me sleep, or to ground me after a hard day at the office.

20. Pack a set of clothes in your carry on

This tip only really applies if you are travelling a long distance (like, overseas), or have multiple stopovers as there is more chance of your checked luggage being lost or delayed. Got a meeting first thing the morning after flying? Imagine how embarrassed you would be if you had to rock up in your casual travelling clothes. Bags don't go missing or get hugely delayed too often. But you can guarantee it will always happen when you have somewhere important to be. Isn't that Murphy's Law?

If you pack some spare clothes, you can at least look semi-respectable for that meeting or event! (This may seem a little over-prepared, but if you are reading this, I am guessing you are probably a preparer. Being too prepared has never bitten anyone on the bum. Girl Guide's Honour)

21. Pack as light as possible, then lighter again

While we were on the cruise, Hubs and I spent quite a bit of time in the art gallery and even purchased some art to take home. This meant that we also got to know the ship’s Art Director, Ajay, who had been on the ship for the past seven months! My gosh, I couldn’t even imagine it! With this in mind I figured that Ajay was probably a master at travelling for work. I asked him to share his best tip. Ajay told me that it is all about packing light. He then offered these follow up pearls of wisdom:

• Make sure all of your books are loaded onto your phone or tablet, so that you don’t have to carry physical books.
• Roll everything – you can fit heaps more in. You'll just need to iron when you arrive at your destination. 
• Stuff your socks and underwear into your shoes. You should be able to fit at least 4 pairs of socks in each shoe! 
• If you are going away for a while, pack your socks and underwear into a plastic bag so that you can tip them directly into a drawer in your hotel room.

Have fun when travelling for work!

One thing I have learned about travelling for work is that I always hate it less when I let my hair down a little. Grumbling because you don't like travelling for business will not bring anything good upon you. So, save your complaining and work out how you can enjoy the situation that you are in. Whether that includes going out for dinner with your colleagues, hiring a cheesy movie from the in-room entertainment system, reading a trashy novel, splurging on a massage, or simply just choosing to smile instead of grimace, give it a go and be grateful that you have an opportunity that others would beg for. 

I hope you have enjoyed this huge post about travel tips for work! Have a great work trip and let me know in the comments if you have any other great travel tips!

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About the Author

Bec McFarland is an experienced HR practitioner, manager, career coach and the creator of Pop Your Career. She delights in sharing practical, straight to the point career advice, spending time with her family and eating Mexican food.

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45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them

Looking for the best travel jobs? If you think that you can’t afford to travel the world, finding a job on the road may be just the ticket. Travel’s wonderful, sure, but little things like food and a place to sleep are good too.

The Best Travel Jobs

We’ve found some of the best ideas to get paid as you travel the world , with some help on how to land each job.

Tip! While house sitting may not pay all of your travel bills, it can take a huge bite out of accommodation costs. Trusted Housesitters  is a great place to start.  Check Trusted H ousesitters job listings here.

You should know the basics of sailing for this gig, although some jobs only require a keen willingness to learn and a great attitude. Check out Find a Crew or Crew Seekers  online or ask directly at a local yacht club. Well known jumping off points include Darwin, Phuket, San Diego and Panama. We volunteered as yacht crew for evening cruises at the yacht club in Brisbane and found the club and captains to be friendly and open to our help.

Freelance Travel Writing

Traditional freelance travel writing is a tough gig. The competition is stiff, and the life of a freelance travel writer usually doesn’t pay well (or reliably). Even if you’ve got stellar contacts, don’t expect to get much pay in the first year or so. Even irritatingly talented writers struggle as travel writers.

One of the best places to start looking for freelance writing jobs, and that includes freelance travel writing, is FlexJobs .

FlexJobs screens employers for you. FlexJobs comes with a small, flat monthly fee, but they also vet all of the job opportunities, meaning that there’s a lot less spam to wade through.

FlexJobs is one of the top job boards for remote work, but there is a monthly fee (about $14.95 USD a month).

Check out FlexJobs here.

Check out Virtual Vocations job listings here for freelance writing and plenty of other online jobs. You can try it out for free, but there’s also a paid version.

Looking for help with your resume or CV? Check out a top resume review .

Cruise Ship Work

Cruise ships hire all sorts of folks, from entertainers to waiters to cooks. This type of gig is best for those without kids or a spouse. It may also not be great long term for a digital nomad who needs reliable internet access, since WiFi at sea can be spotty.

Earl from Wandering Earl has used cruise ship work to fund a large part of his 12 years on the road, and wrote a book called How to Get a Job on a Cruise Ship .

Click here check out his book on getting a job on a cruise line .

Royal Caribbean even hires horticulturalists and cupcake supervisors (now that’s a job I could handle). Check out careers at Royal Caribbean  or Carnival Cruise Lines .

Travel Blogging

If you’re the enterprising sort, you can start your own travel blog. You’ll be putting in a lot of work (trust us on this) as you build your blog. Even if your blog becomes well known, you’ll need great business sense and a way to stand out from the crowd before you start bringing in any income. We’d estimate it takes about a year of hard work blogging before you can start to make any real income here (and by real, we mean around $1,000 per month).

Tip: To really enjoy the combination of work and travel, don’t forget about your safety. Here’s when a reliable VPN service may come in handy to protect your online presence and unlock geo-restricted content.

While volunteer jobs by nature don’t pay, some will provide (often very basic) accommodation or meals, or both. Conservation Volunteers  provides basic accommodation, but not meals, in exchange for help on conservation projects. Be careful with this strategy, as many voluntourism placements charge you a significant amount of money to volunteer. This helpful article from Wisebread will point you in the right direction.

If you’ve ever been interested in volunteering on an organic farm, this might be the gig for you. WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) brings together volunteers and farmers. You’ll work a set number of hours in exchange for room and board.

No previous farming experience is required, so all you need to do is check into visa requirements first an you could find yourself on a flight to Europe to work on an organic farm!

Flight Attendant

This is one of those jobs that require travel as part of the career. Flight attendants wages vary depending on the airline, and new employees don’t have a great choice of shifts or destinations. That said, you can still score some great flights while being paid. Airline employees often get substantial discounts on airfare for themselves and their family. Some airlines even allow you to pass on discounts to specified friends.

We always get travel insurance when we travel.

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance covers nearly every country on the planet.

While this is out of the reach of most of us, those with flight experience can score great flights. To become a pilot , you’ll need over 250 hours of flight experience, decent vision, a clear criminal record and good health.

Technical Writer or Editor

If you’re technically (or scientifically) inclined, and have great writing skills, technical writing and editing can be a great gig on the road. Technical writers write everything from website text to software user manuals to detailed computer hardware specifications. I’ve worked as technical writer for the past ten years, both remotely and in cubicle nation. I’d suggest getting a certificate in technical writing and a few clients under your belt before you hit the road. Starting pay is about $25/hour for North American gigs for native English speakers, but experienced writers and editors can earn $60 an hour or more.

Academic Editor or Writer

Academic editors and writers are often in big demand. English is a second language for plenty of students, so

Academic editors and writers are often in big demand. English is a second language for plenty of students, so getting an editor to proofread academic papers is common.

Editors can work on articles all the way from high school to PhD level, depending on their experience. Writers are also in demand with paper writing and editing services, which offer work in fields as diverse as English, biology, and physics.

Busking can be great if you have a skill in some sort of performance art, from singing to drumming or juggling. Pick a busy area to maximize your tips, and be careful not to run afoul of local city ordinances for street performers. Check out the video below of talented electric violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson doing some busking work to get you motivated. Amazingly, all the music you hear is coming from his violin!

Bartender or Waiter

Depending on the country you’re visiting, you may be able to score a job waiting tables under the table. As you’ll be working illegally, you face a few risks, including being nabbed by the tax man, or even deported. That said, if you’re looking to work in a restaurant or bar, try to find a place where tips are good, as most of your income will come in the form of tips. There’s some helpful info here on traveling and working as a bartender .

Work for Your Accommodation

Many hostels will let you stay for free in exchange for light work around the hostel. While we were in Adelaide, Australia, we exchanged a couple of hours cleaning the hostel each day for a comfy double room with shared bath. All in all, it wasn’t a bad deal, as rooms were going for about $50. You research hostels before you leave on sites like Hostelworld.com .

Peace Corps Volunteer

The Peace Corps is serious business. Only apply if you’re able to commit to a long engagement in what might be a difficult environment. The application process is stringent, and usually includes an interview. The Peace Corps doesn’t pay a lot, but does cover health insurance and deferrals of student loans (for US Citizens), plus a bonus at the end of your term.

Run an Import/Export Business

The premise is simple: Find a product in one country, and sell it for a tidy profit somewhere else. This is perfect if you have a strong entrepreneurial bent, as you’ll have to dig up the product, the market and the suppliers all on your own.

Interpreter or Translator

You’ll need to be fluent in either written (a translator) or spoken (interpreter) two languages or more, and many employers want a university degree in linguistics.

If you can herd groups of confused people, and enjoy talking about the sights, this job might be for you. Tour guides don’t just schlep people around museums; you might even score a job as a wilderness guide. Speaking multiple languages isn’t a must but would be a definite asset.

Tour Organizer

If you can build trip itineraries, plan visas and stay arrangements, group tour organizing might be for you.

Seasonal Fruit or Vegetable Picker

The work is long and hard, but demand is often high for seasonal farm labor in Australia and many other countries in the world. If you’re staying in a New Zealand or Australian city with outlying farms, you should be able to find some work picking crops or shearing sheep.

Because the jobs depend on the harvest, timing can be a bit tricky. Here’s a tip from a backpacker we met in Cairns: Don’t pick watermelons, they weigh a ton and you’ll be exhausted within the first hour.  Anywork Anywhere is a good place to start looking for jobs.

Ethnomusicologist

I have to admit to being a little skeptical when I first ran across this job . Ethnomusicologists are involved in the anthropology of music and study how music and culture relate. The Society for Ethnomusicology  is a good place to start. Grant competition is fierce, and an academic background is highly recommended.

Online Poker Player

While this requires mad poker skills (obviously), the good news is that it’s open to anyone with a good internet connection and a small bankroll to start. According to the FBI, online gambling is illegal in the United States .

Day traders buy and sell stocks and other financial securities online, usually within the space of a day. A word of warning: You really need to know what you’re doing here, as this is a risky job for those without solid experience and knowledge. The large majority of day traders actually lose money .

Scuba Instructor

You’ll need a minimum of a PADI Open Water Scuba instructor course (or a similar accreditation). The more qualifications and specialized courses you take, the more marketable you’ll become. Instructors don’t make a lot of money, but the great perk of this job is that you get to teach in some of the world’s most beautiful locations.

Massage Therapist

While you don’t technically need an accreditation to be a massage therapist in certain countries, it may help you land clients and gigs. There are probably hundreds of styles of massage, ranging from deep tissue to Thai. Pay depends on the country you’re in, but the job can extremely flexible if you work as a freelance massage therapist.

Skiing Instructor

In most parts of the world, ski instructors must take courses and become accredited. Canadian ski instructors earn about $12 an hour to start.

Freelance Photographer

With the advent of digital cameras and the Internet, freelance photography has gotten a lot more competitive. That said, if you have great photography skills and a keen business sense, you may be able to sell some of your travel photos.

Travel Agent

Years ago, being a travel agent was one of the dream jobs for would-be travelers, who dreamed of perks and discounted fares. Today, travel agents are a rarer breed, as commissions have been cut and the internet has allowed consumers to book more of their own trips. You can work as a home based travel agent through a web-based travel agency. Successful travel agents today often offer specialized services that don’t compete with discounted web fares. Commissions and wages these days are low and perks are hard to come by.

An au pair is a nanny who may also be expected to do light housework. A large proportion of au pairs are female, and tend to work in Europe, the US and Canada, and Australia and New Zealand. If you’re looking to cover a lot of ground, this arrangement may not work well, as au pair contracts range from six months and up. Check out the  International Au Pair Organization  to start.

House Sitter

While house sitting may not pay all of your travel bills, it can take a huge bite out of accommodation costs. Trusted Housesitters  is a great places to start.

Check Trusted H ousesitters job listings here.

Also check for caretaking jobs, which generally involve a longer time commitment and increased responsibilities (like taking care of someone’s motel while they’re on vacation). Caretaking jobs often pay a stipend in addition to free accommodation. You can find caretaker jobs through the Caretaker Gazette . There’s a small membership fee for most sites.

Check Caretaker jobs listings here.

If you own an apartment or house, consider swapping for a place at your destination. You can save a fortune in accommodation costs, and often live much better than you would in a hotel.

International Resort Worker

International resorts like Club Med hire a wide variety of people, from electricians to bakers to activities coordinators. Check out Club Med jobs for information.

Time Share Salesperson

The bane of resort goers everywhere, time share salespeople make a commission by convincing vacationers to purchase a partial ownership of a vacation property (or multiple properties). For a set amount of money, the vacationer gets access to a vacation property for one or two weeks per year. Timeshares have taken a beating in the press for scamming vacationers out of their money. Even timeshares on the up and up are often sold with restrictive dates for access, hidden fees and taxes. Check out RCI.com  to get an idea of what kind of time shares are available worldwide.

Work at a Campsite

If you’re the outdoorsy type, you may be able to combine camping and work in Canada and the US. Work camping involves either hooking up your own RV or on-site housing and working as a camp host, desk clerk or even a tour guide. Private campgrounds and national parks like Yellowstone offer seasonal employees RV hookups or onsite housing.

Real Estate Agent

You’ll need to pick a specific area, become knowledgeable in the local real estate market, but many expats make good money as real estate agents, especially specializing in selling to other expats.

Location Independent Businesses

You can take many businesses with you on the road. These are usually computer-based business like website development or computer programming. All you’ll need is a laptop, internet connection, and a mad set of skills and you can work anywhere in the world. Sites like Freelancer.com  let you bid on jobs from all over the globe, while Fiverr gigs are set at a $5 (though you can add on extra services for extra $$).

Check out our article on the best online jobs for travelers for some ideas.

Deckhand on a Cargo Ship

While not as glamorous as working on a luxury cruise liner, working on a container ship can be a more leisurely way to see the world. Workers often acts as lookouts and perform maintenance like painting and maintaining containers. You’ll need a high school diploma and many deckhands have training through industry or labor union schools.

Back in the day, legit international businesses would pay couriers to fly packages as carry on between select destinations. Cheaper and faster international shipping, increased security and transporting docs electronically have made these jobs almost non-existent. Use a lot of caution with courier sites, as most seem to be trying to sell a membership, a supposedly discounted airfare or an outdated e-book written 10 years ago. Courier List, once one of the biggest names in the business, suspended subscriptions because of decreased opportunities.

Transport a Car or RV

Car and RV dealerships or car rental companies sometimes hire people to drive cars to a different destination. Car rental companies sometimes find themselves with too many cars in one destination and want to move them to an area where rentals are more in demand. Car dealerships may need a specific car, with specific options or colors that they arrange to get from another dealer. While most companies work with full time, professional drivers, there may be some opportunities for one time trips. The trick with these jobs is getting a car that’s going where you want to go at the right time. You’ll need a clean driver’s license and may need a specialty license to drive RVs. Transport companies like DAS Auto Shippers and RV Transport  hire drivers. HitTheRoad.ca  is a well known Canadian company that offers mostly long distance, one way, one trip driving contracts for cars, while AutoDriveAway  has listings for the USA.

Camp Counselor

Countries as diverse as Canada, the USA, Croatia and even Russia hire camp counselors. Check out Bitten By the Travel Bug’s helpful  articles on camp counseling .

ESL Teacher

Teaching English as a second language is a well worn staple for travelers, and for good reason. Some countries, like Japan, China and Korea are well traversed by ESL teachers, though there are opportunities around the world. Japan and Korea pay reasonably well, while countries in South and Central America generally pay less. Depending on the country, accommodation may be included in your pay. Many teachers also tutor after hours for extra cash. An English as a Second Language (ESL) Certificate  helps, as does a Bachelor’s degree, though with persistence it’s possible to get a job without either if you have the right connections. If you can figure out a way to break into the field, teaching business English to adults is reputed to pay better. There’s a helpful guide to teaching English abroad here .

Online Teacher or Tutor

Many universities and colleges are moving to online learning. While this is great for students, it’s also a fantastic perk for teachers or tutors, who can work from almost anywhere to teach their online students. An advanced degree is helpful for teaching, but it is possible to teach for a trade or technology school with experience and good connections.

Check out  Teaching Traveling  for a profile of a web and mobile design instructor who worked remotely for nine months while traveling from US to Argentina. The best part of this gig? You’re paid as well as if you were working at home. To find work, browse the teaching listings at university like the University of Phoenix , community colleges, and even technology and trade schools.

Geologists often travel as a requirement of their work. They can work in fields as diverse as oil and gas exploration, climate change and mining. You’ll need a minimum of a four year undergraduate degree .

Join the Military

Joining the military simply to travel seems like a bad idea, given the chance that you could be permanently stationed in your home town, or … well… killed. That said, military service can lead to opportunities to work overseas, though there may be little time for recreation.

Personal or Virtual Assistant

A personal assistant wears a thousand hats, depending on the needs of their employer. Personal connections seem to be critical.

Virtual Assistants offer administrative services to clients from a remote location. Virtual assistant services include scheduling appointments, managing email accounts, managing social media accounts, and more.

Marine or Wildlife Biologist

For nature lovers, the great perk of working as a marine or wildlife biologist can be location. Marine biologists can be stationed in fantastic locations like Hawaii and Costa Rica, while wildlife biologists can be found anywhere on the globe. Biologists need a minimum of a four year undergraduate degree, though researchers who work with universities usually require a PhD.

Internet Affiliate Marketer

Internet affiliate marketers create websites that sell other people’s products and then take a percentage of the sales. While the industry has a smarmy reputation, it is possible to make money through affiliate programs. No formal education is required, but a strong entrepreneurial bent and tech savvy is needed.

Working Holiday and other Visas

If you’re under 35, see if your destination country offers a youth working holiday visa. Many countries have agreements that allow youth to work on a working holiday visa for up to one year. Check out Wikipedia’s list of working holiday visa programs .

When planning to work in a foreign country, check into visa requirements first. In many countries it’s possible to work illegally (under the table), but be aware that there can be consequences that include immediate deportation. Receiving lodging or a stipend for volunteering may fall within the category of working under the table, depending on the country.

We hope we’ve inspired you that there are a lot of ways to make money on your travels . Now get out there and get one of these best travel jobs!

There’s always options if you really want to travel! 🙂

My boyfriend is a programmer on the go. He wrote a post to share some inspiration with other programmers, if anyone is interested or seeking an excuse to hit the road while still working as a programmer.

Hi Zara, Some helpful tips, there! Charles is a programmer, too, coincidentally enough. We’ve found that sites like oDesk and Guru tend to pay less than if we can manage to take our work for existing clients on the road.

Same here, a programmer… who is willing to be on the go….

Great list…hope to put some to use full time one day:)

Hi D.J., These days, I really favor jobs that I can take along with me – the whole digital nomad thing. It’s not quite as glamorous as everyone thinks, but honestly, it beats working in a cubicle 9-5 every day (been there!)

Fantastic list – very inspirational! I’ll send people this way – what a great resource!

Thanks! I know that we struggled with how to find a job when we were traveling, so I hope this can help someone out… 🙂

Quite an extensive list! I’ve looked into more than a few of these in the past (and am even considering a couple of them right now) and they’re all very viable options!

I tried to make a list of jobs that were possible for most folks. I honestly wouldn’t have thought working as yacht crew was viable if Charles and I hadn’t spent time at the yacht club and met a few people. Who knew? Now that we have kids, yacht crew may be out for a few years :), but then again, maybe we’ll get our own catamaran when they’re a bit older and be our own crew. 🙂

Anyone know if it’s necessary to have an ESL teaching certificate? I do not have a degree so thought maybe TESL cert might be helpful but many friends say not so much? Would love some feedback… Great article. Thanks!

Nice to see you here! I’m going to copy my answer from our chat on our Facebook page , in case someone else reading this would like to know.

“From what I’ve read, if you have a Bachelor’s degree, the TESL certificate isn’t necessary for most overseas teaching jobs (it depends very much on what the specific school you’re approaching wants, of course). Some schools will hire a teacher who doesn’t have a bachelors or TESL, but you need to have a connection (like knowing someone in the school who’ll vouch for you), or experience. Since you have experience, I’d say that trumps an TESL certificate for most schools. I’d try contacting one of the schools you’re interested in and asking – you never know, right? Hope that helps a bit… ”

Another good place to start is Nomadic Matt article on TESL certificates .

TEFL cert not that important, but you pretty much have to have a BA/BS in anything unless you have contacts and connections.

Many great ideas and a great single source of links! I can vouch that travel blogging requires a lot more time than the writing time! I would say that my preferred would be one job not mentioned: husband to a high-flying career (business, diplomat, etc.) spouse stationed in a well-located country 😉

Wow Raul, this was Micki’s post however I have to interject my thoughts on what you just wrote. I’m 100% in favor of that and will toss the idea to Micki. If she questions it I’m going to refer her back to you, okay. 😉

Nice article!

That’s a whole lotof jobs to consider! 🙂

Thanks, Tommy. Hopefully, the tips should keep someone well funded for a while 🙂

Fantastic Tips!

I never know we can exchange a hostel stay with cleaning and home Swap!

Opened my eyes really!

Hi Lex, Nice to see you here! I was surprised how many hostels were interested trading light housekeeping for a room. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard of people building a small website for a hostel in exchange for a short stay. I’d imagine any kind of barter might work, really, anything from cleaning to carpentry to gardening.

A terrific post jam-packed with great ideas! In short, there’s no reason to stay home.

Hi Terry, So true. I spent a lot of my 20’s working crappy jobs, and barely getting by. Honestly, I could have been traveling and working at the same time, and been just as far ahead financially.

This is a great list of ideas for people looking to travel long-term and work. Thanks very much for sharing!

Hi Emma, you’re welcome. Hope it provides some inspiration.

This is fantastic list and an inspiration for those who are considering travelling indefinitely but wondering how they can continue their journey. I know a lot of friends doing scuba dive instruction in Thailand and the Maldives.

Hi Samuel, Scuba diving in Thailand or the Maldives sounds like a great way to earn money on the road! We took our Open Water PADI course in Ko Tao. Thailand, and loved every second of it.

Great list! Very inspiring to those who may not have realized all the options out there. I’ve been going the digital nomad route myself, but I also love the idea of taking on seasonal jobs in different places. Especially things like campground host would be really fun, I think!

Great tips. But they really fall into two categories, don’t they? The jobs that you can do anywhere in the world which will fund your travels – and those which will also get you actively involved in the local community. I hope people will consider the latter and really see the world while they’re making some cash on the side!

That’s a really great way of thinking about work. Not only can it make you some cash, but working somewhere can help you connect with the local culture and people.

Great list! Some of these are really great suggestions, though some might not work out so well if the end goal is to travel. Getting a pilot’s license is extremely expensive, and it’s a very low paying job for several years when you first start. But picking up jobs along the way, teaching ESL and staring your own location independent business are solid choices. I always thought the different cruise types of jobs sounded interesting, but I don’t think I could handle the seasickness!

Yep, I won’t be taking up flying as a commercial pilot any time soon, either. I’ve had a couple of friends who put in some serious time flying in Northern Canada (mostly for oil and gas companies and flying firefighters up North). They really put in their dues for a lot of years, that’s for sure.

A lot of people are choosing the location independent work route, whether it’s working a regular job remotely, or starting their own business. The idea of sitting under a palm tree with a laptop while getting paid to work is a pretty powerful draw. Though it’s not all it’s made out to be – sand’s pretty tough on keyboards and there’s a lot of glare on the screen 🙂

Hi, What can i do for getting a job the above mentioned 45 list.I am interested to travel the worldwide.So please give the suggestion to get a job in the above mentioned list.

Don, some of these jobs require degrees or certifications. Some are as simple as showing up at the place you want to work. Others require that you apply for the position just as you would in your home country.

It really depends on the job you want, what you’re qualified to do, where in the world you happen to be and whether you want to work for cash only or after filling in the proper paperwork and getting a work visa.

The rest is up to you. Good luck!

Nice article also its nice to date airhostess so you keep getting cheap tickets…. Rest is everyone knows… 🙂

Ah, now that’s the SMART way to go about travel. Ren, I think you’ve got it all figured out 🙂

Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I’ve truly loved surfing around your blog posts. After this I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I am hoping you write more often!

Roccia, we’re so glad you stopped by! If you every have any questions, or need any help, give us a shout!

Great list! The best job Ive seen someone have that allowed them to travel with ease was as a hairdresser. They would rock up into a city – put up a sign in the hostel saying $30 a cut and would have queues of people getting a trim – just how they liked it back home. Then they would cash out and move onto the next city.

Peter, now that’s a fantastic idea! Love how enterprising that is – and at $30 a cut, they could make some decent money!

I wrote this article really just to get people thinking about all the options that there are to make money traveling. In my 20’s I worked a LOT of crappy jobs trying to save money to travel, when it would have been just as easy to work on the road.

What a great list! I’ve done a Work & Holiday in Australia and was able to get a couple “real” jobs in marketing that paid well enough to fund my travels (in such an expensive country), but some of these sound really tempting!

Rachael, the working holiday visas are a fantastic way to travel.

Some countries are starting to increase the holiday visas age to 35 for specific visitors (for example, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand residents up to age 35 can visit Italy on a working holiday visa).

Most folks think that the working holiday visas are only for jobs like fruit picking and waiting tables, but you can actually end up with some good jobs (like your marketing jobs) that give some great work experience and pay reasonably well.

Really great list! Thank you, Micky

What an awesome resource for people looking to travel but worried about income! This a great page to bookmark and share around. Thanks for putting this together.

Thanks so much Aloyna and JRinAsia! Glad we helped out.

I took your advice and recently became on online tutor… I started sharing this as well with kids that I tutor who are looking for a job.

Ralph, That’s so wonderful to hear! I tutored for a couple of years as well (though not online), and think it would be a great travel job. Thanks for sharing!

Great list of jobs here. I’ve done / still do many of these. Writing, photography, tour guiding, car delivery, working for accommodation. The only negative experience I’ve had was with hittheroad.ca so I can not recommend that service, but the more skills you have, the better, right?? I’ve travelled with a few geologists…and they get to go to some remote, crazy places…wish I knew that when I was in school.

Some great ideas, travel blogging is a challenge but rewarding.

Great post, great site. We’re a travelling family so always great to read about others. Looking for inspiration to find a new travelling career ideas and help us stay on the road for longer so this is great! Thanks!

Great ideas. This is the dream of all of us to finance our travel with work during our trip.

If you’re a certified teacher, you can easily travel by working in an international school! They pay your flights each year, give you a house or housing allowance, and the salary is usually good enough to travel every glorious school holiday! I’ve been doing it for 6 years now, and I will never go back to Canada to teach… No jobs! I can live in paradise, or a couple hours flight to it. You can’t go wrong! 🙂

Meg – overseas lifer

What an awesome list! It just goes to show that you can do anything if you are creative enough to figure out a niche that aligns with your destination. This is a much harder lifestyle to maintain when you have kids so I always recommend younger travellers go far while they are single:)

Some of these ideas seem really great. The list really is extensive!

I would have never thought to work while traveling, usually that’s my vacation time away from work. Though that could greatly extend your vacation and/or allow you do more if you are constricted by money and expenses. Having some cash inflow allows you to do a lot more than otherwise. Though as an Austin mover I have been lucky enough to travel and see a lot of places while working.

Myself a pilot, I would love to see the entry regarding traveling on a pilot’s wages changed. There is no need to have perfect vision innately. It simply needs to be correctable to perfect. Most contacts and glasses have no problem with this issue.

Andrew, yes it is a common misconception about perfect eyesight and pilots. Contacts and glasses are fine for most airlines if you can see 20/20 with them on. Most fighter pilots need perfect vision (whether naturally or via lasik) however I’m guessing the average traveler doesn’t fall in that category. 😉

Thanks for the comment.

Charles/Micki,

Thank God, I stumbled upon this site, this list is a terrific resource guys, I love traveling and this will help tremedously! In fact, I am in Europe right now, lol. 😉

Always like to stumble blogs I read by accident! I’ve done so many of these – most noteably, teacing English and summer camp work, with a dabbling in blogging, translating, tour guiding, etc. Definitely helps ease the blow!

Great share and post!

Tour guide is a very good way to make extra money while traveling. There are even some people who actually travel TO a country, work as a guide for a few days and vacation a few days.

Ha. Pretty good list. I have actually had a fair few of these. Timeshares was definitely an interesting experience.

I have yet to bartend. Australia maybe on my horizon.

This is great! Thanks for writing it 🙂 I plan to go work and travel Europe in 2014!

easy in theory…..1st: for how many of those jobs do you require a specific specialization? and also the percentage of employer happy to give a job, even if small or temporary,to a stranger traveller and very often from another country?…I’d say not very high,I aqm italian and have constantly travelled for the last twentyfive years (travelling is my life), and my opinion is,that,if it wasn’t for busking,probably, I would’t have never gone all the way I did,nice your ideas though,inspiring.thanks

Amazing post. So far we have been working as English teachers in China and web designers in Cambodia, but there are more job opportunities, as you say, we would like to go for in the future. Greetings from Macau!

Very nice tips. Thank for this. Travel Blogging is the best for me!

Fantastic post! Very useful info! Gave me some ideas of jobs I didnt know you could do!

Excellent list! yardandgroom.com has taken me around the world (before responsibilities & a real job!) It’s great for horsey types who don’t mind serious hard work.

Complete List..but in 2013 and so on, I think Internet Marketing will be a great job. Just traveling worldwide and sit relax in front of your laptop

Wow … A lot of different opportunities listed. Making income from Blogging is tough, but if you have the time, one day it can pay off. I also like the idea of a campground host in the near future. Thanks for sharing!

Great article, so many job apportunities , who would have thought so?? dont stop writting 🙂

Thanks for sharing this wonderful list – so many jobs here I hadn’t even thought of! Ethnomusicologist ;-D

When I was in Australia a girl came into my hostel about every other week and would cut everyones hair and within a few hours would walk out with $200-$300. She didn’t charge much (maybe 10-15 for guys and 20-25 for girls) but most people needed one. She would then head out and party till she ran out of money and start over again. I on the other hand utilized my skills as an entertainment coordinator for hostels and got free accommodation from them and would put on tournaments for money where winner takes all except for the organizing fee i took.

Great list. The working online options are better for persons like myself who don’t travel on a US/Canada/UK passport. Working holiday visas and sometimes just tourist visas can be such a nightmare.

Nice article. There are lots of jobs to do while traveling, I like to work in camp site while traveling to Australia. My main concern is the working permit.

I love walking bare foot on the grass in winter morning.. ahh.. feels so awesome..

I’d love to have more than one of the jobs on the list. This is a comprehensive post!

I was really enjoying your article and stopped at the campground picture because it looked so much like home to me. Imagine my surprise to see it WAS! Paul Lake is basically the closest campground to my hometown of Kamloops, BC, Canada. It was really cool to stumble on this. I am a relatively new single at 42. I am hoping after a few more years of work in a steady well-paying job I will have some freedom to travel extensively. I think you have listed a lot of great ideas and resources. I wonder, do you think a lot of them will apply to me at this stage in my life with no real formal education beyond high school? I am going to send this to my young adult children too. I think travel when you are young is a great idea!

Thanks for the list.

Very useful tips. I wish to use few of these some day.

Great article . Very informative

Hey what about looking after Elephants, or other animals abroad? Is the pay good enough to feed and let you have accommodation? I would be very interested in this type of work…..Let me know….Someone!!

Hi Dianne. There are a lot of places in the world where you can work for room and board however I’m not sure about looking after elephants specifically. I suppose you could get a job abroad in a zoo or perhaps work for a lodge in Africa or India.

There are lots of animal sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers around the world as well so that’s always a possibility however there’s usually a fee involved so it will actually cost you money rather than the other way around. Here are a few sites of that nature: Globalteer , Go Eco or Conservation Volunteers

Most places operate on small grants and donations so being paid to do a job where thousands of people are willing to pay their own way makes it hard to find. That’s not to say it’s impossible however you would have an easier time tracking down a privately owned animal reserve or animal rehab center if you want to actually make money looking after animals abroad.

If you’re lucky enough to have a background in animal biology or animal behavior, you might be able to join an expedition on a grant that would cover your expenses however that level of detail lies far outside the scope of this article.

Dianne, we wish you good luck finding something of this nature and if you do, please come back here and share your findings!

This all sounds pretty amazing….I always wish I had all this info in my early 20’s! Now, I’m more interested in how you guys keep up the travelling with 2 kids! I know from experience that it’s really expensive to travel on poor currency as the Commonwealth countries are 10 – 12 times more expensive!!Currently my husband’s job takes him away from us for 2 months at a time…it would be really great to be able to be a family unit again and still see the world 🙂

It’s always a bit of fun juggling work and travel with our two little ones :).

Wow, and we were trying to think of things we could do when we hit the road. Great list this will come in very useful! Great blog by the way!

Great list! Hope to use that list some day 🙂 Thanks for your post 🙂

Thank you so much for the brilliant as well as comprehensive list !

Fantastic list! I just wish that there were more options eligible for members on non-EU states as for instance House Sitting and House Swamping request you to be from a certain country. Moreover, there’s always visa issues to solve.

WOw its a great combination of two sites including traveling and job information. love your this informative blog…

thanks to share!!!!

Wow, that list is great. I never realized how many different opportunities there were for travelers. I especially like the tour guides. Always thought that would be fun.

Thanks for putting this together, some great ideas I hadn’t thought of! We’ve done a fair bit of volunteering along the way, which saves us money but certainly doesn’t make us any. I’d soooooooo love to volunteer on a sailing yacht for a long trip!

What an awesome list! Thank you so much for sharing!

Are you aware of any online opportunities which require extensive excell/analytical skills which can be done from remote locations? I am fully qualified accountant and auditor but not a huge fan of working in the profession. I really want to travel and try use the skills I have from remote locations…just not sure if those opportunities exist?

Hi Ant. The best way to work online is to try to find a local company that is willing to let you work remotely before you even start traveling. It will be steadier income and if you’re from a wealthier nation then the pay will be more than you’d make in a lot of countries with lower living costs. If you know you’ll be staying someplace that costs less, you can also offer your services for lower than the going rate to help guarantee your position. Because you’re also a local, you speak the same language, have similar views and can meet them in person. A lot of companies have no problem hiring remote workers however a lot of them have trouble outsourcing to employees in foreign companies.

In terms of your skillset, I can think of tons of industries where it would be in demand. Of course anything financial like banks, accounting firms, tax preparers, market analysis experts or any large company’s payroll and HR department need people with analytical skills. You can also browse the jobs on Monster or Workopolis to give you some ideas.

Other than that, there are numerous sites where you can bid on jobs or offer your services on a smaller scale. Odesk, Elance, Guru and Fiverr are 4 that quickly come to mind. You likely won’t be making the same money you could earn with a dedicated position however there are plenty of people that do just as well taking on numerous small contracts and they can pick and choose as they go.

Good luck on your search!

“While you don’t technically need an accreditation to be a massage therapist, it may help you land clients and gigs. There are probably hundreds of styles of massage, ranging from deep tissue to Thai. Pay depends on the country you’re in, but the job can extremely flexible if you work as a freelance massage therapist.”

Please change this horrible piece of information. It’s called a Massage License, and it is absolutely required to legally practice massage therapy in most countries. Here in the US, a MINIMUM of 500 hours from an accredited massage school is required. Upon completion of school, you are then required to pass a state licensing examination. And every state has their own licensing requirements. You cannot just simply start massaging for the hell of it anywhere you want. It is against the law and fairly strictly enforced.

Hi Robbie. Yes, a message license is required in the US and in 3 provinces in Canada it actually falls under the governmental health care service so you are right that in these countries it is illegal to practice without a license. The same holds true for a good portion of Europe and scattered first world countries around the world.

That being said, it’s not governed in a good portion of Asia, South America, Africa and many tropical islands around the world. So like we said, a license helps however we’ve seen many people offering massages in hostels we’ve stayed around the world and I’m pretty sure they weren’t licensed in that country. They all seemed to be making money doing it so obviously it’s a viable business.

In regards to your comment I’ve modified the line to clarify it more. Thanks for pointing that out.

It seems very useful for everyone. Nice info

Great list Micki! As a pilot myself, I can attest to the amazing flight benefits! The sad part is that most pilots probably travel only slightly more on their personal time than non-pilots. Many of my colleges tell me that the last thing they feel like doing after flying at work for 4 or 5 days is hopping on another airplane. It’s sad to see them lose the love for travel. After all, I think that’s why we all got into it.

Add travel nursing to the list! My husband and I started traveling in 2011 and LOVE it. Traveling abroad is a little more difficult but possible. We have stayed in the states but there is plenty to see in this great country. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for adventure and excellent pay.

Flight Attendant…..I’m glad you listed this as people rarely realize how much “perk” travel is associated with being one. I took a “gap year” between my undergrad college & next one to pursue this. It was the best choice I ever made. In the span of one year, I had opportunities to explore US (home base), Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Carribbean (over 15 islands!, often more than 3’xs each!) and this position was held almost 20 years ago. I am now fully into another career but this is always the job employers ask me about first in my interviews. They are very curious about how I became one, where did I go, how did I live out of a suitcase, etc. It was really quite easy. I answered a newspaper ad (yes, I’m that old :-)) and showed up for an open call. From that, about 450+ people were eventually narrowed down to 25 selected for training. My best asset was having a outgoing personality and decent work ethic. After waiting tables in highschool and having a Associates degree, they were happy to have me join. On my days off, I’d jumpseat to other locations and split bills w/ fellow crew members to say, spend 4 days in the Keys to go snorkeling or take 3 days and go explore New Mexico. I think it sounds so daunting and courageous to follow travel dreams by reading blogs but truthfully, once you’re out there doing it, it’s so fun you forget why you had any fears holding you back. Cheers. Here’s to just going for it. We only *know* that we’ve got this 1 life. Right now.

WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for travel jobs

Everyone loves what you guys are up too. This kind of clever wokrk and reporting! Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to our blogroll.

I’m a Freelance Photographer and capturing amazing sights to places where I spent my vacation. I even collect photos. Will probably sell my photos nest time. Thanks to your ideas.

That’s a very cool list. Love to explore the world. I am going to try this. Even-thought I have been traveling for the last 5 years with my wife. It helped me a lot since she is a travel nurse and willing to travel 3 months at a time.

Great article. Many choices. What this shows is that you can really put yourself in a no excuse position if travel is your main focus. I have a family of 5. We sold everything and went from a 4700 sq ft house to a 40 sq ft cargo trailer and SUV. For my revenue, I do consulting on 2 fronts: personal and professional. I do business strategy and tactics consulting for businesses and personal accountability and objective acquisition and completion consulting for individuals. Consulting is a great revenue stream as long as you actually know what you are talking about and can adequately relay advice. Anyway, great article. Thanks for sharing and have safe travels and a prosperous future!

Regarding the military option, I can tell you from experience that you would have time for recreational activities. I was stationed in Mannheim, Germany during my time in the Army and I got the chance to travel to surrounding countries during my time there. We had a lot of three or four day weekends that would come up plus all of the holidays. I had a great time during my time in Europe. Unless you’re a barracks rat or a natural homebody, you will more than likely go many places while stationed overseas. Deployment is about the only time you wouldn’t have much in recreation.

WOW! I pinned this for future reference! Very extensive and complete list and many I have never heard of or thought of!

The younger or older you are the more attractive this life style may be. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way. Of course the more money you can make the better the travel (I’m for that). Thanks for the insight!

I love traveling and these are great ideas. We always stucked and can’t due to jobs issues but now i feel i really travel 🙂 thnx alot!!!

We no longer have any excuses…

Great list, really thorough! I know a lot of my friends think that you’ve gotta be some sort of millionaire to travel, but this serves as proof that it’s not so. There are so many ways to make money on the road. Great job.

Awesome post.

HI Micki, thank you for this extensive list. You provide great information and resources! There really are countless options when you want to finance your travels. When there’s a will, there’s a way!

Thanks to this site i got my job due to this sit i am enjoying

Great list ! And very Wise to recommend checking for the visa situation too…. been there done that and unfortunately it’s not that easy… 🙂

I want to travel the world. What kind of jobs should i take if i start. Can someone help me . I am from India and want to travel the world and get paid while i travel as travelling is my life.

Thanks for sharing such a detailed list!

Thank you so much for such a detailed article. It’s becoming easier and easier to work remotely while travelling and being able to pick up freelance work by advertising on websites like Elance and Upwork (formerly Odesk). If your dream is to travel and visit new places, you can find a way. There’s still plenty of places where it’s very cheap to live and get by, and half decent internet is available in most. It’s how I’ve been living my life for most of the last 15 years and hopefully will continue for many more 🙂

All the best

Working at a campsite, lol it reminds me of Regular Show even though they work at a park.

Well, it caught my interest and would definitely be one of the jobs that I would look for if I would travel the world. TV shows can be super inspiring :U

Thanks for sharing these jobs, these are very useful to me. When I go for travelling, I definitely try some of these.

I came across your website while searching for articles about tolls in Portugal (btw, thanks for sharing your experiences) which led me to continue reading your posts in your travel blogs and tips . I enjoyed reading them especially this one which gave me possibilities to travel without having 9-5 job.

Great stuff guys! Keep up the good work…

Web Design is a great idea too! Can do that sort of thing anywhere with a laptop and internet connection. You meet tones of people and potential clients while travelling meaning you could be doing work for people all over the world!

Hi Micki !! Great ideas, I admire your style of writing and can definitely feel the sense of adventure in each. Good reads !! 🙂

Great post – lots of jobs on there that don’t appear on most lists! You’ve given me a few great ideas!!! Thanks heaps!

Thats a great resource shared.

Wow great list, you thought of almost everything and I totally agree with you that blogging is not easy, it is a real job and you have to take it seriously!

Great list, as always…hope to put some to use full time one day:)

Thanks for sharing!

I really like your post. It’s a great resource for traveler that need extra income. May I suggest a company named VIPKid? VIPKid is a great place to work if you are looking for a job while traveling. I have been with the company for a year now and it’s so rewarding teaching English to students in China. You are able to make between $14 and $22 an hour as well as set your own work schedule. This job affords you the opportunity to earn extra income from anywhere with internet connection. All you need is a Bachelor’s degree, be a native speaker of English and have some teaching experience (formal or informal).

hi, I am currently 17 and a senior in high school, and I am confused I have no idea what I want to do with this life of mine after highschool I want to go to collage that’s for sure but I have no idea for what kind of career I want something that is a high salary and I like traveling a lot so I hope my future career would require that, but most of all I want a career that I like something I would have a passion for I want to do something I love, not just sit at a desk doing paperwork all day, no offence too anyone who does that but my point is I just need some advice here

Fantastic list! Thank you so much for the brilliant as well as comprehensive list !

Traveling with family is the best and most enjoyable

I started travelling by teaching English and that served me really for 5 years until I got into travel blogging! With the list you have though, you’re proving that there are a ton of ways to make your dreams come true these days <3 I recommend to just ask yourself what your passion is, and then work out how you can make money from it 🙂 Then you're laughing 😀

I really love the idea of work for accommodation. It offers an opportunity into the the lives of the locals. Got familiarized with the term recently on Hippohelp. Have you ever used it?

I do online marketing, with blog review, so it is very convenient to travel. I take advantage of these to make money and develop blogs stronger. The work you propose is also good, I will refer and try it!

Great list! Hope to use that list some day 🙂 Thanks for your post

If we enjoy working on cars and are looking for a new career path, consider enrolling in a career training program to become an automotive technician. There are many types of programs in the field.

Nice tips and work mention are really helpful. I definitely use some in my life.

Great tips for those who want to take advantage of their time even travel but I think he needs to have relations with the local people or know people there what do you think?

Such a beautiful blog. its really worthful. thanks for writing this.

Very helpful and motivating article. Thank you!

Great article! It really helps us think about our work opportunities on our 18 month around the world

I like your tip to work for your accommodation when you’re traveling abroad. My brother wants to travel to Canada to work while he’s taking a break from school. I wonder if there is a program that he could go through to get work.

This is such an informative article. Thanks for sharing 🙂

This is an outstanding post that’s filled with so many useful nuggets. Thank you for being so detailed on great Jobs you can do while travelling the world.

Ever since the covid 19 pandemics started, many people have lost their jobs. And just now I was thinking that what are those people doing now whose jobs have been lost. The importance of this post of yours has increased, even more, I have also read it, it is really very factual, that how we can move again along with travel.

Great list, really thorough! I know a lot of my friends think that you’ve gotta be some sort of millionaire to travel

You have post brilliant list of jobs.. I like this article.

Thank You! It’s actually a cool and useful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you simply shared this helpful information with us.

Thanks for these impressive ides. I have already chosen travel blogging to survive for a bike tour but after reading this, I am confident that I can do may other things to fulfill my worldwide bike tour dream

Working whilst travelling the world sounds like an absolute dream! I hope one day I have the guts to take a leap of faith and give it a go!

Thanks for providing these amazing suggestions about the great jobs in which we can travel the world such as pilot, travel blogging, trader, etc. as they will help a lot of people who like to travel and by reading this blog, they will get know about some fabulous opportunities.

Absolutely wonderful article!!! How I would love to travel the world while traveling, But alas I can’t. But I would definitely keep this article in mind, for future references. You never know when you might get the spark to leave all aside and live.

You posted a fantastic list of jobs. This article is good.

Amazing article! In my opinion, this is the best job in the world and everyone wants to travel and get paid for it. See the world without spending money on it and besides being free, this is something worth living for.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are a few jobs listed that don’t require a college degree, such as au pair and travel blogger. This is great news for people who might not have the financial resources to go to college but still want to travel and work at the same time.

Great post, thanks for the tips!

I can’t express how much I appreciate you for producing this list of fantastic employment for travellers! There are numerous opportunities. Have you or a loved one worked one of these occupations while on the road?

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IRS Tax Tip 2023-15, February 7, 2023

Whether someone travels for work once a year or once a month, figuring out travel expense tax write-offs might seem confusing. The IRS has information to help all business travelers properly claim these valuable deductions.

Here are some tax details all business travelers should know

Business travel deductions are available when employees must travel away from their  tax home  or  main place of work  for business reasons. A taxpayer is traveling away from home if they are away for longer than an ordinary day's work and they need to sleep to meet the demands of their work while away.

Travel expenses  must be ordinary and necessary. They can't be lavish, extravagant or for personal purposes.

Employers can deduct travel expenses paid or incurred during a  temporary work assignment  if the assignment length does not exceed one year.

Travel expenses for  conventions  are deductible if attendance benefits the business. There are special rules for conventions held  outside North America .

Deductible travel expenses include:

• Travel by airplane, train, bus or car between your home and your business destination.
• Fares for taxis or other types of transportation between an airport or train station and a hotel, or from a hotel to a work location.
• Shipping of baggage and sample or display material between regular and temporary work locations.
• Using a personally owned car for business.
• Lodging and  meals .
• Dry cleaning and laundry.
• Business calls and communication.
• Tips paid for services related to any of these expenses.
• Other similar ordinary and necessary expenses related to the business travel.

Self-employed individuals or farmers with travel deductions

• Those who are self-employed can deduct travel expenses on  Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship) .
• Farmers can use  Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming .

Travel deductions for the National Guard or military reserves

National Guard or military reserve servicemembers can claim a deduction for unreimbursed travel expenses paid during the  performance of their duty .

Recordkeeping

Well-organized records  make it easier to prepare a tax return. Keep records such as receipts, canceled checks and other documents that support a deduction.

Subscribe to IRS Tax Tips

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February 16, 2019 By Michelle Maraj 36 Comments

30 Jobs That Require Traveling for Work

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that we will receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase. All opinions are those of the author.

Not all of these jobs center around traveling – the majority of these jobs require you to travel to visit different company branches or to your clients. Look at companies that built products or services that can be consumed internationally. You may need to travel to a manufacturing plant as an engineer, travel to a university as a recruiter, or travel to another branch to interview employees.

How do you find a job that requires traveling for work?

There are many myths surrounding jobs that require travel, and one of them is that you need to be self-employed in order to be able to travel and work. This isn’t true! While self-employed and creative jobs give you the flexibility to determine your own travel schedule, there are still many salaried jobs out there that require you to travel.

Most of these job descriptions will describe a certain percentage of travel in the job requirements, such as 30% travel or 70% travel . Consider a five day work week when trying to figure out how much the travel requirement is. A job with 80% travel means that you will typically travel Monday through Thursday. A job with 25% travel may mean you travel one week per month.

What types of jobs require traveling for work?

To find a job that travels, envision jobs where your employer may need to send you to another office or branch. You should also consider jobs that involve working with clients, who you may need to travel to see. To increase the likelihood of traveling internationally, you should look for a company that has an international presence.

Consulting jobs of all kinds will also require traveling for work. Nearly every field is going to have consultants, which will be people who provide advice on different business processes. Consider searching for your field + consultant in your job search, and see what comes up.

See 5 myths about jobs that travel.  

Human Resource & Training Jobs that Travel

University Recruiter // With a job in recruiting, you will have to visit different cities to try to find and convince the best candidates. As a University Recruiter, you will travel to different schools to coordinate recruiting events, interviews, and site visits.

Workshop Coordinator  // Companies always need continuous learning experiences. A workshop coordinator would help facilitate training opportunities in different corporate offices.

Academic Researcher  // Working in academia, you will attend conferences all across the world to further your research. You may also travel to work with researchers from other institutions.

Ski or Scuba Instructor  // Whether you want to be in the mountains or in the ocean, an instructor to teach lessons is profitable and can help you do what you love every day.

Tour Group Leader  // If you love history, sight-seeing, and know a lot about a particular city, you may consider becoming a tour group leader. Help others enjoy a new town.

Engineering Jobs That Require Travel

Automotive Test Engineer // An engineer needs to make sure that your vehicle is safe and can withstand all sorts of conditions. Automotive test engineers will travel to different climates and cities to test cars in various conditions.

Plant Controller // As a plant controller, you would be responsible for leading manufacturing sites and ensuring everything is working appropriately. This may involve traveling to different plant locations.

Communications Field Technician // There are telecommunication sites all across the world, and someone has to maintain them. a field technician may be required to travel to ensure communication towers are working effectively.

System Implementation Consultant // Companies of all sizes are purchasing technology to make their processes more efficient. System implementation consultants are hired to make sure the technology is working and set up effectively.

Product Marketing Engineer // A product marketing engineer will help make sure a company’s product is designed, tested, and deployed appropriately. This may involve working with offices and employees from multiple offices. Read our interview with Kaitlyn the Product Marketing Engineer .

Other Engineering Interviews:  Faizan the Management Trainee , Michael the Cybersecurity Consulting Manager , Dale the Cybsersecurity Consultant

Finance Jobs that Travel for Work

Public Accounting Staff  // If you are studying accounting in university, getting a job as a public accountant can take you to clients in a variety of places. Travel on a project basis to help companies with their finances.

Internal Auditor  // Similar to a public accountant, an internal auditor helps to make sure finances in a company look good before external auditors come in to check it. Many companies outsource internal auditors, so consider an internal auditing consulting position.

Anti-Money Laundering Consultant  // Banks and credit unions want to make sure people aren’t doing anything suspicious with their money. An anti-money laundering consultant will help make sure processes are in place to prevent money laundering from happening.

Retirement Planning Consultant  // People throughout your country will need help saving for retirement, and a planning consultant can help. Different companies may fly out their retirement planning consultants to work with new clients.

Management Consultant  // A business strategy or management consultant will work with executives at a company to improve processes and solve any problems that come up. Management consultants are known for having exotic traveling schedules.

Healthcare Jobs Requiring Travel

Travel Nurse  // As a traveling nurse , you may be assigned to different hospitals across the country for a few weeks at a time. This helps hospitals who are short staffed  bring on additional help.

Pharmacy Technician  // Some medical companies will hire traveling pharmacy technicians, bringing diverse skills to different locations.

Doctors Without Borders  // DWB will accept both medical practitioner and non-medical individuals for roles to support developing countries.  You can be a physician, surgeon, or you may be a water sanitation or logistics specialist.

Medical Sales Representative  // These medical individuals travel to make sure local physicians and hospitals are familiar with the latest drugs and technology, and help make sure patients have access to the best resources possible.

Au Pair/Nanny  // As an au pair, you will live with a family and help take care of their children. You can get a job as an au pair in a new country to you, and you may get the opportunity to travel with the family as well.

Service Jobs That’ll Take You Around the World

Flight Attendant  // Serve drinks and amenities on an airplane, and get flown to new locations every day for work. Working for many airlines will also give you benefits to fly on stand-by for free.

Cruise Ship Worker  // There are many job opportunities on a cruise chef – work in the kitchen, as an entertainer, or help promote tours. As you help cruise travelers experience the best, you may get to spend a few free hours in port as well.

Missionary  // Many programs exist to help promote religion in a foreign country. Look into volunteer programs that may be helping developing nations.

Peace Corps  // The Peace Corps sends volunteers across the world to help promote peace and serve people. Returning from your experience as a Peace Corps volunteer is also a great resume boost.

Teach for America // Teach for America places individuals in low-income schools to help inspire children. You may be placed in cities anywhere across the United States, and your service will be rewarding.

Creative Jobs with Travel Opportunities

Wedding Photographer  // As a wedding photographer, your clients do not need to be limited to your home base. You can be hired by people from all over the country, or all over the world, to photograph their wedding!

Travel Blogger // If you have your own travel website, you can be paid for blogging about different sites that you visit. Many travel bloggers will make money off of advertisements, but you may also be able to land sponsored posts, where companies will pay you to try their services or products.

Website Designer // Many website designers have the flexibility of working remotely, and will design websites for their clients on the go. If you have the programming and graphic design skills, being a web designer could be a profitable option.

Beauty Technician // Beauty brands, such as for make-up, hair, or nail, will hire beauty technicians to travel to trade shows to promote their products. With the right passion for beauty, being a beauty technician can be a fun and creative way to see your country.

Event Coordinator // Nearly any large company will have a marketing department with event coordinators, who may be required to put on all types of events ranging from training to recruitment. These events could take place anywhere across the country.

How do I convince my current employer to let me travel more?

If you are currently in a career that doesn’t travel, but you want to convince your employer to let you travel more, you may have a few options. Work from home and flexible mobility policies may not exist for everyone. In these cases, look for training opportunities outside of your city or state.

Also look for conferences in your field, which are likely to take place all over the country. These are great opportunities for networking and learning. Your employer will likely have a budget set aside for conferences, so see if you can dip into that budget!

What other jobs will pay you to travel for work? Let us know in the comments below! 

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More From Forbes

Work hard, play hard: why and how ceos can work and travel effectively.

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Karen B. Moore is Founder and CEO of Moore , a nationally ranked integrated communications and public affairs firm.

I have been known to say, “The best CEOs are out of the office.” By that I mean they are getting out into the world networking, exploring different cultures and connecting with different kinds of people. In both personal and business opportunities, these activities can bring real-world knowledge to the table that others may not have. I have traveled to more than 100 countries, and on each trip, I combined work and pleasure.

There are two critical things you need if you are a CEO who travels. First and foremost, you need to build a talented team that has a strong leader and a passion for success. Having the right, dedicated team to effectively run the day-to-day business is essential for all companies—especially if the CEO spends significant time out of the office.

Second, you need the right technology infrastructure that will allow you to work from anywhere in the world. I once conducted a significant client presentation on Zoom from the middle of a national preserve in Tanzania surrounded by a large lion pride and a herd of elephants trumpeting in the background. Besides building relationships, working remotely also allows CEOs and corporate leaders to increase brand awareness and explore market expansion opportunities. Mastering the art of working effectively while traveling requires a shift in mindset and some practical strategies, but it is worth the work.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Travel Experiences

Here are some tips for CEOs to get the most out of their travel experiences:

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Embrace the local culture. Set aside time to explore the city, sample local cuisine and immerse yourself in the culture. Having a willingness to try new things and explore new opportunities is a great characteristic for a CEO.

Network with locals. Connect with local business leaders and entrepreneurs. This can provide valuable insights into the local business landscape and potential partnerships. I have established friendships and new partnerships among leaders I met in the airport lounge!

Maintain a work-life balance. Working in various time zones can be productive both professionally and personally. Depending on the location, I can have free time in the morning to explore and then conduct work in the evenings. For example, when traveling to Estonia, I set aside 7-10 p.m. local time to do my work with my colleagues back in the United States. This allowed me to explore castles, hike in the woods and rummage through antique stores in the mornings.

How To Strike A Balance Between Work And Play

While travel offers significant benefits, it can disrupt productivity if not managed effectively. Here are a few ways CEOs can strike a balance between work and travel.

Plan ahead. Before you travel, create a detailed itinerary that includes your work commitments, meetings and deadlines. Knowing your schedule in advance can help you allocate time for work tasks more effectively.

Optimize travel time. Airports and layovers don't have to be unproductive when you have access to airport lounges. Between flights, I will find a quiet place with fast and secure internet access and available electrical outlets.

Stay connected. Stay in touch with colleagues and clients through email, phone calls or video conferencing to ensure you're aligned with your team and up to date on any developments or changes.

Modern technology has made it easier than ever for professionals to work effectively while traveling, so use it to stretch your capabilities further than you may have previously dared. I was once on a call with folks who were dialing in from 11 different time zones and all simultaneously viewing and updating a strategic plan. Last month, I even conducted an advocacy workshop with clients from my room on a ship in Antarctica, which I was able to do because I had prepared to work remotely.

By approaching travel strategically and utilizing the right tools, CEOs can work and travel effectively, ultimately propelling their companies toward even greater success. Where are you traveling next?

Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

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Hours of Work for Travel

Fact sheet: hours of work for travel, description.

In limited circumstances, travel time may be considered hours of work. The rules on travel hours of work depend on whether an employee is covered by or exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). For FLSA-exempt employees, the crediting of travel time as hours of work is governed under title 5 rules-in particular, 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) and 5544(a)(3) and 5 CFR 550.112(g) and (j). For FLSA-covered employees, travel time is credited if it is qualifying hours of work under either the title 5 rules or under OPM's FLSA regulations-in particular, 5 CFR 551.401(h) and 551.422.

Employee Coverage

Title 5 overtime laws and regulations apply to most FLSA-exempt Federal employees, including General Schedule and prevailing rate employees. Certain employees, such as members of the Senior Executive Service, are not eligible for overtime pay or other premium pay under title 5. (See 5 U.S.C. 5541(2) and 5 CFR 550.101 for coverage rules.)

OPM's FLSA regulations apply to most FLSA-covered Federal employees. (See 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) and 5544(a)(3) and 5 CFR 551.102.) An employee may determine his or her FLSA status by checking block 35 of the most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) to find out whether his or her position is nonexempt (N) or exempt (E) from the overtime pay provisions of the FLSA. Alternatively, an employee may obtain a determination from his or her servicing personnel office.

Overtime Work

In general, overtime hours are hours of work that are ordered or approved (or are "suffered or permitted" for FLSA-covered employees) and are performed by an employee in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a workweek. (See 5 U.S.C. 5542(a), 5544(a), and 6121(6) and (7), and 5 CFR 550.111 and 551.501. Note exceptions.)

Travel That is Hours of Work Under Title 5

Under 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) and 5 CFR 550.112(g), official travel away from an employee's official duty station is hours of work if the travel is-

• within the days and hours of the employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek, including regularly scheduled overtime hours, or
• involves the performance of work while traveling (such as driving a loaded truck);
• is incident to travel that involves the performance of work while traveling (such as driving an empty truck back to the point of origin);
• is carried out under arduous and unusual conditions (e.g., travel on rough terrain or under extremely severe weather conditions); or
• results from an event that could not be scheduled or controlled administratively by any individual or agency in the executive branch of Government (such as training scheduled solely by a private firm or a job-related court appearance required by a court subpoena).

An agency may not adjust an employee's normal regularly scheduled administrative workweek solely to include travel hours that would not otherwise be considered hours of work.

Travel That is Hours of Work Under the FLSA

For FLSA-covered employees, time spent traveling is hours of work if-

• an employee is required to travel during regular working hours (i.e., during the regularly scheduled administrative workweek);
• an employee is required to work during travel (e.g., by being required to drive a Government vehicle as part of a work assignment);
• an employee is required to travel as a passenger on a 1-day assignment away from the official duty station; or
• an employee is required to travel as a passenger on an overnight assignment away from the official duty station during hours on nonworkdays that correspond to the employee's regular working hours. (See 5 CFR 551.422(a).)

Official Duty Station

"Official duty station" is defined in 5 CFR 550.112(j) and 551.422(d). An agency may prescribe a mileage radius of not greater than 50 miles to determine whether an employee's travel is within or outside the limits of the employee's official duty station for determining entitlement to overtime pay for travel.

Administrative Workweek

An administrative workweek is a period of 7 consecutive calendar days designated in advance by the head of an agency under 5 U.S.C. 6101. The regularly scheduled administrative workweek is the period within the administrative workweek during which the employee is scheduled to work in advance of the administrative workweek. (See definitions in 5 CFR 610.102. See also 5 CFR 550.103 and 551.421.)

Commuting Time

For FLSA-covered employees, normal commuting time from home to work and from work to home is not hours of work. (See 5 CFR 551.422(b).) However, commuting time may be hours of work to the extent that the employee is required to perform substantial work under the control and direction of the employing agency-i.e., productive work of a significant nature that is an integral and indispensable part of the employee's principal activities. The fact that an employee is driving a Government vehicle in commuting to and from work is not a basis for determining that commuting time is hours of work. (See Bobo decision cited in the References section.)

Similarly, for FLSA-exempt employees, normal commuting time from home to work and from work to home is not hours of work. (See 5 CFR 550.112(j)(2).) However, commuting time may be hours of work to the extent that the employee is officially ordered or approved to perform substantial work while commuting.

Normal "home-to-work/work-to-home" commuting includes travel between an employee's home and a temporary duty location within the limits of the employee's official duty station. For an employee assigned to a temporary duty station overnight, normal "home-to-work/work-to-home" commuting also includes travel between the employee's temporary place of lodging and a work site within the limits of the temporary duty station.

If an employee (whether FLSA-covered or exempt) is required to travel directly between home and a temporary duty location outside the limits of the employee's official duty station, the time the employee would have spent in normal commuting must be deducted from any hours of work outside the regularly scheduled administrative workweek (or, for FLSA covered employees, outside corresponding hours on a nonwork day) that may be credited for the travel time. (The travel time is credited as hours of work only as allowed under the applicable rules-e.g., for an FLSA-covered employee, if the travel is part of a 1-day assignment away from the official duty station.)

• 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) (General Schedule employees)
• 5 U.S.C. 5544(a)(3) (Prevailing rate employees)
• 5 CFR 550.112(g) and (j), 610.102, and 610.123
• 5 CFR 551.401(h) and 551.422 (OPM's FLSA regulations)
• Decision by United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Jerry Bobo v. United States , 136 F.3rd 1465 (Fed. Cir. 1998) affirming Court of Federal Claims decision of same name, 37 Fed. Cl. 690 (Fed. Cl. 1997).
• Section 4 of the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 84) as amended in 1996 by section 2102 of Public Law 104-188. (See 29 U.S.C. 254.)

Back to Top

Carolyn Hax: Can one spouse tell another to stop traveling so much for work?

Adapted from an online discussion.

Hi, Carolyn: I’m writing this as I manage a level of exhaustion and frustration I haven’t felt in a while. (Yes, I’m already reaching out to a therapist because it’s scary.) What right do I have to tell my husband to travel less for work? He used to have a two-nights-every-other-week routine that we, as a family, managed fairly okay (tiring but okay). But now it has become a weekly routine of two to four nights a week where I am left alone with both kids, 7 and 10. I also have my own job — I own my business, flexible but SUPER stressful — after-school activities, etc.

When he travels, I can’t work out, which makes me SO happy; don’t have backup for anything, from taking a breather to being late, to socializing with my friends; the house becomes kind of unmanageable; and, yes, the kids and I miss him a lot. The whole vibe of the home is off.

I get it that all spouses in all marriages deal with it just fine, but it doesn’t make ME happy. At all. Everything about me worsens — food intake, insomnia, moodiness, stress, etc.

Do I have the right to tell him not to travel as much? Most of my friends (moms) in the same field don’t travel remotely as much. Heck, I’m in the same field, and I don’t work past 4:15 p.m., because someone needs to be home with the kids after school. Can one spouse say, “No, you don’t get to do that for your career”?

— Exhausted

Exhausted: “All spouses in all marriages” aren’t relevant.

Your marriage is: Why is it all tell-tell-“No, you don’t”? Did you (or he) skip the part where you started a conversation?: “I’m losing it here, the extra travel is overwhelming to me, so I would like us to talk seriously about other possibilities.”

About Carolyn Hax

If you haven’t said it that way yet, then do so right away. Inviting your partner into the solution is so much better, so much happier and more effective for the marriage, than saying, “Do this.”

If you already tried that and he didn’t take you seriously, then there’s your opening: “I said to you, very clearly, that I am not doing well with this arrangement, and you didn’t take me seriously. So now on top of feeling overwhelmed, I feel dismissed. Please take this seriously — it is starting to scare me how tired and frustrated I am, and since it is your home and family, too, you belong in the discussion about what needs to change.”

I don’t know how much of this is in your husband’s control, short of getting a new job — which is possible, too, but also a bigger ask with a longer lead time and a steeper learning curve, plus a bunch of other unknowns. So you might need an interim solution while you work toward lasting ones.

In fact, the interim solutions might add up to a more workable household: Hiring household help, delegating more weekend responsibilities to him, carpooling and setting dedicated workout times (because you’ve hired out/delegated/carpooled your way to more free time) in combination can be enough to restore some equilibrium. But it’s not happening if you don’t get it started together.

As always, if he resists even this conversation, then your stress has a marital source bigger than his travel schedule and probably belongs in a couples’ therapist’s office. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

More from Carolyn Hax

From the archive:

Dad struggles with wedding toast to ‘selfish’ son

A DNA test and a long-kept family secret

Honey, I’d like you to meet bill, a lifelong acquaintance

A step-parent acknowledges a past betrayal

Unemployed spouse puts chores, hobbies above job search

Sign up for Carolyn’s email newsletter to get her column delivered to your inbox each morning.

Carolyn has a Q&A with readers on Fridays. Read the most recent live chat here . The next chat is May 3 at 12 p.m .

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This is the hottest item at new york bars and restaurants..., breaking news, how much does your workspace affect productivity.

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It takes up to two years to get your workspace just perfect, according to a new study.

Ahead of Get Organized Day on April 26, the poll of 2,000 U.S. office workers found only 40% are ‘very satisfied’ with their current workspace, be it from home or from an office. 

Those who were unsatisfied blamed the lack of space (48%), back pain from their chair (34%), and their area being too messy (32%).

Overall, 79% of people take pride in their workspace setup and 86% see their workspace have a “huge” or “moderate” impact on their happiness.

Commissioned by  Mind Reader  and conducted by OnePoll, the study found 83% feel more productive if their workspace is organized and — if it were more organized — believe they could increase their productivity by 38%.

Three-quarters said they’d even consider sharing their workspace with a famous daytime talk show host if they could.

Top picks for celebrity co-workers include Drew Barrymore (21%), Kelly Clarkson (19%) and Jennifer Hudson (15%).

Over half (58%) said they were “professionally organized” but admitted they’re personally chaotic.

In fact, people felt the most organized in their work (61%) and least organized in their mental health (27%).

Compared to other aspects of their life, 77% said their workspace is more organized than the rest. Enough so that 47% believe their loved ones would be surprised to see just how organized their workspace is.

Respondents also shared the trends they’ve tried in the past five years to help keep them organized: decluttering their digital space (35%), minimalism (32%) and using space-saving or multi-functional products (27%).

As a result, 83% swear the trends they’ve tried have effectively improved their organizational skills.

“It’s natural for us to feel more productive when we’re in an environment that is comfortable and organized,” said Glenn Goldberg, Head of Marketing at Mind Reader. “Our goal is to offer simple solutions to daily workspace problems that will have a big impact on organization, creativity and productivity. ‘Get Organized Day’ is a moment in time to motivate people to reorganize their workspaces and embrace that fresh feeling of productivity that comes as a result.”

The survey also found that where one works matters.

Nearly half (47%) said they work remotely to some capacity of their job. 

If they’re working from home, 59% said they still prefer to work from a desk, while others change spots throughout the day (18%), work from their dining room (17%) or exclusively from bed (16%).

Remote workers said the best parts of working from home are not having to commute (50%), dressing how they want (48%) and feeling more productive and organized (29%).

More than a quarter (28%) said they work in a hybrid environment, splitting their time between their home and an office for their job.

Comparing the two locations, 40% said their in-office workspace is more organized, while 29% said their home workspace is more organized.

However, hybrid workers spend more time customizing their at-home workspace than their office workspace (35%, compared to 27%).

The best parts of working in person or in an office setting are feeling more engaged with coworkers (37%), feeling more productive (29%) and feeling more organized (29%).

“No matter if your workspace is at home or in an office, it’s important for it to meet your needs and feel like your individual space,” continued Goldberg. “By implementing trending, ergonomic or organizational accessories into your workday, we hope it will increase efficiency and create an environment that makes you feel your best.”  

TOP 5 ORGANIZATION TRENDS OF THE PAST 5 YEARS

• Decluttering their digital life/space – 35%
• Minimalism – 32%
• Using space-saving or multi-functional products – 27%
• Using printed labels – 24%
• Creating secondary spaces within their home – 22%

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Working Parents, Plan for the Week with This Simple Exercise

• Avni Patel Thompson

To avoid surprises and decision fatigue, take 20 minutes to preview your family’s commitments.

As work travel and hours in the office mount, work parents are feeling the logistical challenges of making every week happen — from kid pickup and dropoff and sports practice to meal planning and doctor’s appointments. The main difficulties lie in managing the firehose of information, coping with decision fatigue, and dealing with surprises like an illness or a forgotten event. The best approach for avoiding — or mitigating — these obstacles is the weekly preview: A planning session between the core adults in the family each week to go over what’s coming. The week’s plan is documented and discussed, highlighting variances from typical weeks and indicating back-up plans for particularly tricky spots.

It’s been nearly four years since we first met Amir and Ria as they were navigating the early months of Covid with two jobs and two young children at home.

• AT Avni Patel Thompson  is the founder and CEO of  Milo, the world’s first app to tackle the invisible load of running and raising a family. She is a third-time founder building technology solutions that make everyday parenting lighter and more connected. Previously she was the founder of YC-backed Poppy. Prior to taking the entrepreneurial plunge, she spent over a decade building consumer businesses at P&G, adidas, and Starbucks. She has an MBA (HBS ’08) and a BSc Chemistry from the University of British Columbia. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two daughters.

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Could Trump Go to Prison? If He Does, the Secret Service Goes, Too

Officials have had preliminary discussions about how to protect the former president in the unlikely event that he is jailed for contempt during the trial.

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By William K. Rashbaum

The U.S. Secret Service is in the business of protecting the president, whether he’s inside the Oval Office or visiting a foreign war zone.

But protecting a former president in prison? The prospect is unprecedented. That would be the challenge if Donald J. Trump — whom the agency is required by law to protect around the clock — is convicted at his criminal trial in Manhattan and sentenced to serve time.

Even before the trial’s opening statements, the Secret Service was in some measure planning for the extraordinary possibility of a former president behind bars. Prosecutors had asked the judge in the case to remind Mr. Trump that attacks on witnesses and jurors could land him in jail even before a verdict is rendered.

(The judge, who held a hearing Tuesday morning to determine whether Mr. Trump should be held in contempt for violating a gag order, is far more likely to issue a warning or impose a fine before taking the extreme step of jailing the 77-year-old former president. It was not immediately clear when he would issue his ruling.)

Last week, as a result of the prosecution’s request, officials with federal, state and city agencies had an impromptu meeting about how to handle the situation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

That behind-the-scenes conversation — involving officials from the Secret Service and other relevant law enforcement agencies — focused only on how to move and protect Mr. Trump if the judge were to order him briefly jailed for contempt in a courthouse holding cell, the people said.

The far more substantial challenge — how to safely incarcerate a former president if the jury convicts him and the judge sentences him to prison rather than home confinement or probation — has yet to be addressed directly, according to some of a dozen current and former city, state and federal officials interviewed for this article.

That’s at least in part because if Mr. Trump is ultimately convicted, a drawn-out and hard-fought series of appeals, possibly all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, is almost a certainty. That would most likely delay any sentence for months if not longer, said several of the people, who noted that a prison sentence was unlikely.

But the daunting challenge remains. And not just for Secret Service and prison officials, who would face the logistical nightmare of safely incarcerating Mr. Trump, who is also the presumptive Republican nominee for President.

“Obviously, it’s uncharted territory,” said Martin F. Horn, who has worked at the highest levels of New York’s and Pennsylvania’s state prison agencies and served as commissioner of New York City’s correction and probation departments. “Certainly no state prison system has had to deal with this before, and no federal prison has had to either.”

Steven Cheung, the communications director for Mr. Trump’s campaign, said the case against the former president was “so spurious and so weak” that other prosecutors had refused to bring it, and called it “an unprecedented partisan witch hunt.”

“That the Democrat fever dream of incarcerating the nominee of the Republican Party has reached this level exposes their Stalinist roots and displays their utter contempt for American democracy,” he said.

Protecting Mr. Trump in a prison environment would involve keeping him separate from other inmates, as well as screening his food and other personal items, officials said. If he were to be imprisoned, a detail of agents would work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, rotating in and out of the facility, several officials said. While firearms are obviously strictly prohibited in prisons, the agents would nonetheless be armed.

Former corrections officials said there were several New York state prisons and city jails that have been closed or partly closed, leaving wings or large sections of their facilities empty and available. One of those buildings could serve to incarcerate the former president and accommodate his Secret Service protective detail

Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman for the Secret Service in Washington, declined in a statement to discuss specific “protective operations.” But he said that federal law requires Secret Service agents to protect former presidents, adding that they use state-of-the-art technology, intelligence and tactics to do so.

Thomas J. Mailey, a spokesman for New York State’s prison agency, said his department couldn’t speculate about how it would treat someone who has not yet been sentenced, but that it has a system “to assess and provide for individuals’ medical, mental health and security needs.” Frank Dwyer, a spokesman for the New York City jails agency, said only that “the department would find appropriate housing” for the former president.

The trial in Manhattan, one of four criminal cases pending against Mr. Trump and possibly the only one that will go to a jury before the election, centers on accusations he falsified records to cover up a sex scandal involving a porn star. The former president is charged with 34 counts of felony falsifying business records. If convicted, the judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan, could sentence him to punishments ranging from probation to four years in state prison, though for a first-time offender of Mr. Trump’s age, such a term would be extreme.

If Mr. Trump is convicted, but elected president again, he could not pardon himself because the prosecution was brought by New York State.

Under normal circumstances, any sentence of one year or less, colloquially known as “city time,” would generally be served on New York City’s notorious Rikers Island, home to the Department of Correction’s seven jails. (That’s where Mr. Trump’s former chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, 76, is currently serving his second five-month sentence for crimes related to his work for his former boss.)

Any sentence of more than a year, known as state time, would generally be served in one of the 44 prisons run by New York State’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The former president could also be sentenced to a term of probation, raising the bizarre possibility of the former commander in chief reporting regularly to a civil servant at the city’s Probation Department.

He would have to follow the probation officer’s instructions and answer questions about his work and personal life until the term of probation ended. He would also be barred from associating with disreputable people, and if he committed any additional crimes, he could be jailed immediately.

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.

William K. Rashbaum is a Times reporter covering municipal and political corruption, the courts and broader law enforcement topics in New York. More about William K. Rashbaum

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Prosecutors accused Donald Trump of violating a gag order four additional times , saying that he continues to defy the judge’s directions  not to attack witnesses , prosecutors and jurors in his hush-money trial.

Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan is off to an ominous start for the former president, and it might not get any easier  in the days ahead. Here’s why.

The National Enquirer  was more than a friendly media outlet  for Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. It was a powerful, national political weapon that was thrust into the service of a single candidate , in violation of campaign finance law.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.