The service industry will always require bartenders, waiters and waitresses to serve in bars, nightclubs and restaurants from major cities to rural towns to remote islands to buzzing holiday destinations. Wherever your destination, if you have experience in the service industry you probably won't have an issue finding a job to fund your adventures, or at least keep you afloat for a while.
Working at hostels is a great way to fund your travels, since many hostels rely on one family cooking, cleaning and arranging activities and they often require extra help. This is a good option if you have any special skills such as gardening, plumbing, painting or even bartending; you can offer these services in exchange for a free meal and a place to stay or ask for a small fee in exchange for doing everyday tasks like cleaning the rooms, washing the sheets, cooking or doing the washing up. Hostel work suits those travelling on a tight budget.
English is the second most commonly spoken language in the world and native speakers with the ability to teach are valuable assets to lots of countries. TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) or TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificates are a minimum requirement for teaching overseas and these can be obtained through an independent course or within a university degree. See TESOL Training International's website in the resources section for more information.
Among the perks of being a journalist or a writer are the opportunities that present themselves when you find yourself in a remote place. Travel journalism is a burgeoning industry and whether you approach the local paper at your destination with an idea about an article from the tourist's perspective or write about your overseas journey for someone at home, people will often be interested in your experiences. Check the resources section for some tips about becoming a travel writer.
