You Call This Work?
Take a break in your routine with a short-term gig in an exotic locale.
By Jane Bennett Clark, Senior Associate Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, September 2006
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Ahhh, the daydream. One minute you're doodling in a staff meeting, and the next you're ducking out to tend bar in a London pub, pilot a hot-air balloon in Switzerland or guide a rafting expedition down the Colorado River.
Unlike most daydreams, though, these fantasies have legs. You can land a short-term job in a dream location, from Yellowstone National Park to the Great Barrier Reef. Older baby-boomers are scoring cool jobs in great spots as a segue into retirement, says Bill Berg, of Cool Works, a job-listing Web site that specializes in employment at national parks. And workers who want to take a mini sabbatical or mid-career break can pick up extra cash while they travel.
Two years ago, Melissa Newby spent a season pumping gas in Yellowstone National Park before starting a full-time job as an engineer. In May, Newby ditched her desk job for the one in the spectacular setting. "I wanted to come back to Yellowstone while I was still young," she says. Rehired at the service station, she'll stay until the park's season ends in October. Then, she says, "I'll see where life leads me."
Head far east
If you're looking for a higher-level job, consider going east to teach English in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan. All of those countries have an "insatiable demand for native speakers of English," says Susan Griffith, author of Gap Years for Grown Ups (Globe Pequot Press, $20). Teaching jobs vary widely; to get an overview and feedback from participants, go to www.eslcafe.com. For example, the JET Programme offers one-year contracts worth 3.6 million yen (about $31,000), enough to pay rent and other living expenses.
You usually don't have to speak the native language or even have teaching experience. But you'll feel more prepared if you become certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL). Explore options at www.english-international.com (for other Web connections, see the box below).
Use your network -- your current employer, an alumni group or friends overseas -- to help you connect with a company abroad. Determined job seekers have found short-term gigs in law firms, financial institutions and the news media, says Larissa Zepko, of Bunac (British Universities North America Club), an exchange agency that helps young adults secure short-term work visas for Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand.
Hey, dude
Jobs abound at dude ranches, ski resorts, lakeside inns, mountain lodges and national parks, and include everything from waiting tables and mucking out stalls to leading wilderness treks and whitewater-rafting trips.
In selling yourself, remember that service jobs demand energy and enthusiasm as much as experience, says Michael Landes, author of The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures (Ten Speed Press, $22). If possible, schedule an in-person interview and let your personality shine. For outdoor leadership jobs, you'll need certification in CPR, first aid and other safety skills and may be required to attend a training session.
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