Post Undergrad Jobs You Can Apply For If You Want To Travel After Graduation
Trying to find post undergrad jobs can be a difficult struggle, especially if you aren’t sure what it is you want to do. Do you join the workforce immediately and settle down, or do you go onto grad school and higher education programs to get more degrees in your fields? Sometimes, it can be good to find a job that allows you to get away for a while and gain real-world experience in order to help add a little clarity and perspective to your life. To make that goal of traveling more achievable, here are some post undergrad job opportunities that are great for those wandered looking to go out and see the world!
1. Au Pair
One of the most popular post undergrad jobs for graduates looking to travel is an au pair or nanny position. Au pairs are typically young women who move abroad to work as live-in nannies for families looking for a little extra help with their young children. Aupair.com is a great free resource for graduates looking to work as au pairs as it allows you to make a profile families can view and message you through, while also offering you different profiles on families looking for nannies in the countries you are interested in visiting and all their requirements and expectations (like education, age, responsibilities, etc.).
Au pair opportunities range from one month to over a year, so there’s a lot of flexibility and variety in the available jobs.
2. Travel Blogging
One of the best post undergrad jobs for those looking for travel opportunities is to work as a traveling writer or blogger. If you take a minute to research blogging opportunities online, there are actually way more paying positions for bloggers than you might realize. A lot of these positions are remote and happily encourage broader topics ideas, like travel and lifestyle. Working for a blog online can be a great way to find work and make a paycheck while still having the freedom to travel and write about subjects that interest you.
3. Teach English Abroad
One of the best post undergrad jobs for traveling abroad is an English teaching position. There are actually a bunch of job opportunities for teaching English abroad, and many of them don’t require degrees in English. JET (the Japan Exchange and Teaching program) hires qualified teachers from all over the world to teach English in Japan. The only big requirements applicants have to have are a bachelor’s degree and English must be a primary language.
Outside of JET, you can find many websites online with teaching opportunities all over the world. Some have more requirements than others, so just be sure to apply for as many as you can. You’ll be surprised how many get back to you.
4. Freelance Photographer
Writing and teaching not your thing? That’s no problem – there are plenty of other post undergrad jobs perfect for people with other talents and skills. For example, a lot of magazines employ freelance photographers to provide photos for their content. There’s also freelance photography with weddings, graduations, and gender reveals/births, which happen all the time all over the world. If you have the skill of photography, then don’t limit yourself by staying in one place – get out there and see what the world has to offer!
5. Peace Corp
As far as well know post undergrad jobs that allow you to travel, the Peace Corps is probably the most famous and well-known. It’s more of a volunteer opportunity than a job, but many view their experiences with the organization to be some of the most rewarding of their life. Volunteers are usually sent to developing countries to teach English, build housing, work with disease prevention, or take on other important jobs and responsibilities. It’s not one of the most luxurious jobs on this list, but it is an amazing opportunity to volunteer and put more good into the world.
6. Teach English Online
We’ve already gone over teaching in foreign countries as one of the post undergrad jobs available to recent graduates, but for those who may not be comfortable teaching in a physical classroom, there are plenty of remote English teaching jobs. QKids and VIPKids are two great opportunities for teaching English virtually to young second language learners. The lessons are commonly premade, so if you aren’t as comfortable with lesson planning, it’s completely okay. And because these lessons are remote and virtual, you can teach from anywhere!
Remote English jobs commonly require a TEFL or TESOL certification, but these can be achieved online in only a few months.
7. Americorp
If you’re someone looking for post undergrad jobs for traveling but don’t want to travel abroad, AmeriCorps is a good choice for you! AmeriCorps has been around for decades and serves as an opportunity to engage adults in civil service work. Their main goal is “helping others and meeting critical needs in the community.” AmeriCorps are sent all over America to participate in civil work in education, disaster response, environmental and economic work, and providing assistance to elderly Americans, veterans, and the military.
If AmeriCorps sounds like the opportunity for you, visit americorps.gov and check out the service opportunities.
8. Remote Work
Another great way to find post undergrad jobs that allow you to travel is by looking for remote work opportunities. Especially post-CoVID19, many jobs have gone online and become remote and virtual. While this was difficult for a while due to the isolation of being stuck inside alone all day, now that the world is opening up again it’s a great time to take advantage of these remote work opportunities.
Whether it’s teaching English, working for a call center, working as a freelance contractor, or whatever other jobs you find available, there are plenty of remote opportunities that provide the perfect job for traveling and making money simultaneously.
9. Cruise Ship Staff
In case you never thought about it before, one of the most interesting post undergrad jobs out there for those graduates looking to travel is working on a cruise ship. Whether you join the cruise ship staff as a performer, a member of the kitchen, or concierge and customer relations, there are plenty of opportunities available working on the open ocean. Plus, even if it’s only for a short while, working as part of a cruise ship would make a great story and an interesting addition to your resume.
