4 Hands-On Career Paths for Outgoing and Driven Individuals

We talk a lot about remote-friendly careers here at Frayed Passport—ones that let you travel the world and explore new destinations without having to worry about being stuck in an office.

Well! We’re going a bit of a different direction today. If you’re interested in jobs that are more social or hands-on, read on to see what might make sense for you—whether you’re just starting out or if you’re looking to shake things up.

Engineering

If you’re looking for a solid career path that’ll allow you to work your way up, earn a good income, and give you the chance to do hands-on work, engineering is a fantastic option. “Engineering” is a pretty broad term, with jobs running the gamut from the more office-based software engineering to more tactile work like mechanical engineering (all with varying levels of how outgoing and face-to-face you need to be!)—check the list linked above to explore some popular engineering roles.

There’s always a need for skilled, hardworking engineers around the world, meaning that not only can you get paid well, but you also may have opportunities to work for international companies and on exciting projects that can help with infrastructure, medical systems, and even space exploration.

Sales

If you adore being on the go, meeting new people, and getting the rush of accomplishment—especially if you’re got a competitive edge—then face-to-face sales may be a wonderful career choice for you!

And this actually is a career where you can work your way up to traveling frequently. You may be asked to attend conferences (allowing you to buffer your trip with a bit of sightseeing), meet with prospects and clients regularly, and scout new areas of opportunity. Sales is a career with a fair amount of job-hopping, so if you want to try working with a variety of employers, or even strike out on your own as an independent consultant, you’ll make a lot of connections in this field the more you get out and get seen. Plus sales can be incredibly lucrative, with many jobs offering commission-based structures that allow you to earn a higher income proportionate to the success of your outreach.

Fashion & Beauty

Another career path to consider if you’re more of a social butterfly is that of the beauty industry—and as with engineering and sales, the skills you build here can take you anywhere!

There is so much you can do in this area, from blogging and influencing, to image styling and consulting, to makeup artist work, to skincare specialization, and even cosmetic surgery. The type of work you can do of course depends on your level of education, licensing requirements, and other factors, but you can dip a toe in with activities like beauty blogging, or even more specific training programs, like eyelash extension courses. If you want to have a fun, creative career that isn’t necessarily tied to one location, but that also lets you work directly with other people daily, consider fashion and beauty!

Starting Your Own Business

You knew we were going to mention this one—it’s one of our favorite topics for travelers who want the freedom to work from anywhere! Starting your own business is a heck of a way to get out of your comfort zone and get in front of other people. Building and managing your own business, wherever you are in the world, requires you to be smart, hardworking, outgoing, and driven—and yes, that also goes for freelancing and contract work.

Let’s hope that sharing some of these options helps inspire you when it comes to your career! For additional resources on creative career paths, check out these articles:

• Overemployment: What It Is, How to Be Overemployed, and How It Can Accelerate Your Path to Financial Freedom
• 10 Tips to Be Successfully Overemployed: How to Avoid Potential Issues During Overemployment
• Best Semi-Retirement Jobs for Creatives
• Best Semi-Retirement Jobs for Nature Lovers
• The Ultimate Guide to Geoarbitrage: Work Where You Want, Save More Money, Semi-Retire & Travel the World

About the Author

Heather is a freelance writer who loves exploring the intersection of travel and history. Read her other articles on Frayed Passport here.

Featured image by Wedding Dreamz on Unsplash