By: Heather Keys
Are you among the nearly 70% of people who’ve used part of their vacation time for work?
If you are, you may have thought at some point, “If I was able to get this project done on the road, why can’t I do more? Why do I have to return to an office when I’m just as productive outside of it?”
In a perfect world, none of us would have to work while we’re on holiday…sadly that’s unrealistic for many of our readers. But one way to bridge that gap and get a taste of adventure while still earning a paycheck is to find a job that lets you work remotely.
Having the freedom and flexibility to explore the world or even hop around to different places that inspire you and make you happy can make a huge difference in your well-being, productivity, and creativity. You might even be traveling right now and contemplating a job change—one that will let you work and travel without having to cut into your actual allotted vacation time.
Well, traveling doesn’t have to put your job search on pause! Here are a few tips to move forward in your search for remote work even when you’re on vacation.
Create a Professional Online Presence
Ensuring your online presence is up-to-date and as detailed as you’re comfortable with will give you more peace of mind while traveling and allow recruiters and potential employers to find and learn about you. Use social media to share your expertise and connect with people and companies that interest you—look through all of your profiles across different platforms to make sure you’re sharing only what you want to share publicly!
You may even want to set up a simple website to showcase your accomplishments—this is very helpful if you’re in a creative field or have many projects you can highlight for potential employers.
Sign Up for Job Alerts
Signing up for job alerts will help you find new roles as they’re posted without needing to take time to search for them. Plus, you can filter your alerts to remote job vacancies and roles in addition to specific job types and fields.
Download our list of 21 platforms with remote-friendly jobs and careers.
Don’t Forget to Network!
If you haven’t yet, join online communities dedicated to remote work—digital nomad communities can be very helpful in finding opportunities for fellow travelers. Remember to post on LinkedIn and be proactive in asking questions, sharing advice, and keeping the conversation going!
Quick note: Before jumping in, read a primer on how to avoid the scams and pyramid schemes that run rampant in remote work groups. You’ll see a lot of people posting things like, “I’m 100% remote and make six figures while only working a couple of hours a week. DM me for details.” This is never a legitimate opportunity.
Stay Organized
Staying on top of your applications and conversations with recruiters can get messy quickly. You may send dozens or even a hundred or more applications before landing your next job. Use tools like Trello or Asana to keep track of your job applications, where you are in the interview process with potential employers, and any deadlines and calls that may be coming up.
Schedule Dedicated Job Search Time
If you’re able to, schedule some time to dedicate to your job search while traveling—even if it’s just to answer messages and flag potential jobs you’d like to apply for. If your schedule is flexible and you can send applications and even organize interviews, make sure you’re in a place with a reliable internet connection (and remember time zones!).
More resources for travelers:
- All of Frayed Passport’s articles on jobs and careers
- Overemployment: What It Is, How to Be Overemployed, and How It Can Accelerate Your Path to Financial Freedom
- 9 Jobs You Can Do Remotely That Don’t Require Coding
- 10 Tips to Be Successfully Overemployed: How to Avoid Potential Issues During Overemployment
- Exploring the World of Bleisure Travel: Traveling for Business & Leisure
- Worksheet: Build a Career Path that Lets You Work Remotely and Travel
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.
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