One of the most popular jobs for both young and older expats in Europe is working as a tour guide. Spending the spring and summer months sharing travel experience and local history with like-minded people can be enriching in many ways. It is no wonder that tour guide jobs are so popular in Europe. The history of this continent is interesting and there are so many important places to be seen.
How to Find Tour Guide Jobs?
If you already live overseas, you can apply for a job at some of the local tour agencies. This will be a good idea if you only speak one or two languages. If you are fluent in several languages, you will have more success in finding a job, and your salary will probably be higher. If you are using the Internet for finding this type of job, be very careful! There are all kids of scams on the Internet; in such cases, “agencies” usually want you to pay for some kind of a “training fee”. Before you make any contact, try to find out as much as you can about that specific job offer and the agency you want to apply at for a tour guide job.
You can search for tour guide jobs through expat community forums. There are many websites where you can find great tips and information about this type of jobs.
You can try at Busabout. This agency usually has openings in February or March. Applicants usually have to do a test and answer questions about different attractions, languages, etc.
Contiki is another agency to contact.
You can also visit Travoholic and Transitions Abroad to find more job opportunities.
It is very difficult to find a job in Europe, if you only speak English, or you are just visiting Europe. Most European agencies will rather hire someone who actually comes from Europe and lives in Europe. If you live in Europe, your chances will be much better. However, there are companies that prefer employing English-speaking tour guides.
Advantages of Tour Guide Jobs in Europe
Working for a tour guide agency gives an individual the opportunity to both live and work in Europe. Most jobs will require 19 to 25 days of work per month. You can use your days off to see the city and its historical places, or you can travel around the country and learn more about it. Other benefits typically include job training, accident and medical insurance and low-cost accommodations through a number of the tour agencies in Europe.
Job Requirements for Tour Guides
The qualities required by tour guide agencies usually include friendly attitude, fun loving personality, positive attitude, politeness, and of course – curiosity. To make other people interested in something, you have to be interested in it first. You have to be able to relate to people of different ages, and you have to be a good communicator. Being computer literate is important for many reasons. Having a passport is a must; you need to have specific work permit or extended visa requirements based on the duration of your employment contract. Expats who already live in Europe have a competitive advantage when seeking employment over people who don’t. If you live in Europe, you will be able to have an in-person interview, and you will already have many documents required for applying for this job.