If you're thinking about changing up your life, are considering travelling or working abroad, and wondering how to source opportunities to get paid? This article is for you.

The good news is, you don't have to sever all ties, quit everything, and feel as if you're jumping into the unknown or taking a major risk. (You absolutely can if you want to, though).

When I first started thinking about exploring the world further, it made sense to me at the age and time of my life to leave some things behind and become employed by a company. They also took care of all the administration, which was of course a major bonus for me.

The easiest route, with mostly always 'open' roles in this regard are positions in well-established companies that look to train you, and take you on. But, you can utilise your own skills without needing to be trained too.

I explore many avenues throughout this post, so let's dive in!

Sourcing company employment

Resort Destination Representatives: Stay on the ground, immerse, and learn the best helpful recommendations of the local resort to be the go-to help for holidaying guests and their overall experience.

Flight Attendants, Cabin Crew: Your (regular) ticket to jetting off and exploring different places and quick tastes of cultures all over the globe, whether it be New York City and Brazil one week, to Andorra, Iceland, and South Africa the next.

Local Excursion Guides: Learn in detail the best of culture, food, music, nature, or so much more that enriches guests that come to learn more about their holiday environment. From boat trips and niche qualifications such as divers, to simple driving, speaking, or walking tours, excursions are still unforgettable memories that make a holiday experience.

Cruise Ship Workers: Want to wake up every day somewhere new? There are many different roles available that make these 'floating cities' work; choose whether you prefer island-hopping throughout the sticky heat of the Caribbean, the polar opposite and wrapping up to sail silently through majestic Fjords and towering ice glaciers, or aim for the hustle and bustle to explore the quaint cities of Europe offering fresh pastries, bicycles, and canals for your time off.

The great thing is, these are just some examples of the types of role you can source from a wide range of companies to work abroad, even seasonally, and get paid to travel. (This is exactly what I did, and you can read more about that here.)

Seek contractual or seasonal opportunity

If looking to be employed solely by a company is not desirable for you, but you still want to consider work and travel, then you can attempt to utilise your current circumstances or skills in other ways.

For example, if you're already a freelancer with a niche, you can look to pitch your own services to companies, or clients, to be employed overseas on contractual basis.

There are positions available from musicians, entertainers, photographers, even if you have experience in babysitting; many of these companies and holiday resorts need everything from bands, theatre productions and evening entertainment, fitness, expert guides, and childcare roles.

Some further examples of areas of work:

Childcare and Babysitting Services

Health and Fitness Instructors

Speciality Work, like Yoga or Pilates

Entertainers: Singers, Performers, Dancers

Musicians: from individual pianists to cover bands

Massage Therapists, Spa Workers

Commercial, or Private Chefs

Waiters and Waitresses

Resort or Wedding Photographers

Seasonal Gardeners... !

You don't have to be willing to give up your life or talents that you already have. You can carry skills or interests that you already have through with you to incorporate into paid work overseas - you just have to be bold enough to apply, even when there may not be positions on a website.

The worst someone can say is no... but they still keep your details for later.

You don't need to be local

If you think places won't consider you because they can hire local too, think again.

The English language is so widespread, with a huge percentage of holidaying guests speaking English and many roles needing the skill. Also, think of just how many hotels are even around one small island, let alone the world...it only takes one.

If you speak an alternative language, you can often find positions available specifically to represent and cater for those guests on vacation, too. The travel company I used to work at had representatives specifically hired for their Dutch, German, French, and Polish clients, for example.

Consider your likes, hobbies, and skills

If you're still debating whether there are roles out there suitable for you or your skills, and are unable to match with any of the above - try looking even further to consider monetising your current hobbies or skills.

Have pets and enjoy caring for them? There are whole hubs of people looking for trusted petsitters, whereby you can apply and enjoy a brand new location you may never have considered before -- and get paid for it. Accommodation free of charge, plus a wage on top?? Yes, please. (And some great company no less, if you love animals.)

Don't like pets or have severe allergies to animals? Housesitting is a real job people pay for. For clients that have multiple homes and need their heating turned on in cold places, want the appearance their house isn't empty, or just need peace of mind their home is being looked after, there's also a surprisingly high demand for such a simple service.

Good at art? People often commission this skill if you're good enough; artists are being sourced now to work live in the moment and cover occasions such as a wedding or big event.

Or what about looking into retreat hosts if you love things like yoga, pilates, or breath work? Not necessarily indicating you need those skills (it helps), but all those retreats often need hands-on assistance and help to run smoothly. Many people that take their work abroad need and benefit from personal assistants. You can explore events and personal interests that might need your help, sourcing you some travel opportunity from time to time.

You also saw Seasonal Gardeners with an exclamation mark a little further back... don't laugh! They're also called Groundskeepers, and in the same way that Housesitting or Petsitting works, there are people that cannot tend to their garden while they're away (or even at all with things like old age), but still want it to look nice or have care. I've even seen some incredible requests for live-in groundskeepers on sprawling land in the Italian hills, you just have to know where to look. No joke. It really pains me that I have no gardening skills.

I could go on about utilising hobbies, but hopefully, you're getting the gist.

Utilise any current paid services and make them 'premium'

Lastly, it might just be that there's someone out there willing to pay top dollar for any services you currently have, and would pay to fly you out, because you're an expert in your own field. Never write that off.

For example: You're a doula, in high demand, highly respected by your clients. I've heard of services being sourced overseas with extremely high premium rates that would make your EYES water, purely because someone wants the personalised service from THEM and only them.

I've read a book about a successful Memoir Ghostwriter, often writing for high-end clients who prefer to pay to fly them out privately in order to speak in-person about delicate details, providing a deeper connection plus better understanding for their book.

My own mom is a prime example of in-demand service that took her abroad too... when I was around 15, I remember her being headhunted for some of the richest Sheikhs in Dubai, where they and their families had a need there for none other than reflexology. As a self-employed niche, she was given on-site accommodation out there, all expenses paid for, and had an extremely wealthy wage to work on-call whenever it was needed.

There is demand out there somewhere, I PROMISE you.

Why not throw a little tab in on your website for potential worldwide/abroad enquiries and offering premium, in-person services? See what happens. It can't hurt at all if you're open to it. It just might take you to some incredible places (and for great money).

There's a plethora of opportunity out there waiting for you to look into, and it may just be the best thing you ever do.

If you can dream it, you can do it

Of course, it's not all about money. It's the growth, opportunity, and richness of experience that counts. Ultimately, you have to feel what aligns with you.

I hope to have been somewhat of a cheerleader, underlining that your life doesn't have to feel mundane, stuck, or devoid of any paid travel opportunity. Working abroad is not only reserved for those who leave everything behind, love to take uncalculated risks, or appear to function on blind spontaneity.

I'm going to leave you with a story of a friend that I used to go to University with, who messaged me one random day and thanked me for being a travel inspiration.

He said that if I hadn't packed up and gone off to work with a travel company, posting hundreds of dreamy photos all over Instagram, then he wouldn't have reached a (jealous) point that pushed him to explore changing course toward travel himself.

He conducted research for his own interests and began to source marine qualifications, became a deckhand, and further evolved into a highly-paid private chef -- now hopping around aboard none other than a bunch of millionaire's Superyachts. (And yep, he was messaging me on his day off whilst anchored somewhere baking hot in the Mediterranean. Imagine that.)

Food for thought. I wish you curiosity and luck, and make sure to come back and tell me about your endeavours (hopefully from an equally sun-baked, far-away place somewhere off the Mediterranean coast too?)

Don't be afraid to carve your pathway,

-fe