Living Abroad (Without Bags of $) Part 2: Work in Hospitality

For recent graduates who want to get out of America for a while, or for current students looking to travel and not study abroad over the summer, hospitality jobs are a great option. You can go anywhere tourists go, live where they live, and get paid for it. Don't fool yourself into thinking the work itself will be glamorous. In all honesty, it's hard and often unpleasant, but as I wrote in the introduction to this series, these live-abroad options are for those of us who can't afford luxury travel. So here is what you need to know about getting a job in hospitality.

What is a "hospitality" job?

In this context, hospitality essentially refers to paid positions at luxury hotels, lodges, and resorts, where tourists who have a lot more money than you go for vacation. These jobs include housekeeping, valet and porter services, desk clerking, waiting and bar-tending, even massage therapy. Basically anything to do with serving guests. Typically, no prior experience is required, though for more specialized positions (like that massage therapy option) you will need training and/or certification. 

My first hospitality job - working in the Colter Bay Grocery Store in Grand Teton National Park

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What are the pros and cons of working in hospitality?

Hospitality work definitely isn't for everyone. It can be tough, unrewarding, and sometimes downright unpleasant. But there are a lot of upsides, not the least of which is the chance to travel to some amazing destinations on a tight budget. Pros and cons typically depend on who you ask, but here's the gist:

The Pros:

- Location location location. If you're working at a luxury resort/lodge/hotel, you will be in one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

- It's easy on the wallet. Not only do you avoid draining your savings; you actually make money. Food and lodging are typically included in your contract, so you'll probably make at/around the equivalent of minimum wage. And some of the more specialized positions make a good bit more. 

- There'll be no shortage of entertainment. Again, you're working in a tourist center, so you'll have all kinds of exciting activities to take advantage of during your days off. More importantly, a lot of these activities will be discounted or FREE for employees. 'Nuff said. 

- You'll meet some great people. Possibly the best thing about a job like this is you will make a lot of other young, adventurous, motivated friends from all over the world. 

The Cons:

- It ain't pretty. In all honesty, hospitality jobs can be kind of rough. Chances are you won't feel like you're on the fast track to success when you're scrubbing toilets or busing tables for hours on end. Even if you have one of the more desirable positions, you'll have to deal with tourists day-in and day-out. 

- It's not much money. Like I said above, the wages aren't usually super high for these kinds of jobs. You may feel way over-qualified for your position (and you probably will be), and wish you'd stayed home, done that internship, and applied to grad school after all. 

- Cabin fever. A lot of these vacation spots are pretty isolated. Unless you can find wheels or befriend someone with a car, it's pretty easy to get stuck. So make sure you pick the right place, and get used to the idea of not being quite as connected with the outside world.

- You'll meet some not-so-great people. No workplace is perfect, and luxury resorts are no exception. You may have to work alongside some pretty unpleasant characters, and there won't be much you can do about it short of buying a plane ticket home.

Camping with new friends in the shadow of the Teton range on one of our days off. 

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How do I apply for a position in hospitality?

If the pros listed above outweigh the cons for you, awesome. Next step: getting a job. First, you have to decide where you want to work. Without a specific country, or at least region, in mind, you'll have way too many options to wade through. So if you like hiking, look for mountain lodges. If you like the beach, search through beach resorts. You get the idea. Once you have a general idea of where you want to go, you basically have two options:

A) Find a cultural exchange program that works in your region of choice. 

These essentially match young internationals with companies looking to hire seasonal workers. For instance, if you wanted to work in Australia, you would Google "Australia cultural exchange" and apply to a program that suits your needs. They would then place you in a specific job in a specific location. The pros: security, as your exchange program will typically assist you with travel preparations, and resume-building, as certain program names may look good on paper. The cons: cost, since you will typically have to pay a stiff program fee, and rigidity, since you are often assigned to a particular position rather than selecting your job of choice. If you've never done anything like this before, and/or you want to play it safe, go with this option.

B) Apply directly to a resort in the area you want to work. 

This might take a bit more research, and your options may be more limited, since some only hire through programs like the ones outlined above. But if you're the do-it-yourself type, this will be the more fulfilling route to take, and you can pat yourself on the back for not wasting money on an unnecessary middle-man program. The pros: no program fees, and complete control over which positions you apply for. The cons: fewer options overall, less help in terms of travel preparations and less on-the-ground support. If you've done a lot of travel, held down a job like this before, and/or are a bit of a risk-taker, this is the option for you.

P.S. - Check back soon for Part 3: Volunteer