The Travel Jobs... what are they?
Oct 30, 2003, 2:04 pm
#1
Used to be Sydneysider
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: CPH
Programs: AS MVP/Gold (and 75K aspirant)
Posts: 2,984
The Travel Jobs... what are they?
In about a year (after some serious screwing around) I am going to be jumping feet first into a new career. I'm weighing options, but would really like a job that would enable me to travel some (or a lot).
All you FT'ers who travel for work, what do you do? Are you all computer consultants, or are there other positions that require lots of travel?
Thoughts and comments would be appreciated! I really want to work in the public sector (probably in DC) so that might limit my options.
All you FT'ers who travel for work, what do you do? Are you all computer consultants, or are there other positions that require lots of travel?
Thoughts and comments would be appreciated! I really want to work in the public sector (probably in DC) so that might limit my options.
Oct 30, 2003, 2:21 pm
#2
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
I, too, made the rare mistake of not doing a search to ask this very question.
A list of threads pertaining to this topic can be found in this thread started by me.
You should most definitely find all the information for which you are seeking simply by clicking on this link.
A list of threads pertaining to this topic can be found in this thread started by me.
You should most definitely find all the information for which you are seeking simply by clicking on this link.
Oct 30, 2003, 2:26 pm
#3
Used to be Sydneysider
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: CPH
Programs: AS MVP/Gold (and 75K aspirant)
Posts: 2,984
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Canarsie:
I, too, made the rare mistake of not doing a search to ask this very question.
</font>
I, too, made the rare mistake of not doing a search to ask this very question.
</font>
Thank you for the information!
Oct 30, 2003, 4:43 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Chicago,IL.
Posts: 3,022
IMHO, its pretty accurate to say that there is a big difference between having to fly and travelling for leisure. Given the massive budget cuts many companies have implemented, I don think biz. travel is necessaraliy all its cracked up to be. Unless you are extremely senior, economy long haul and 3 star hotels are pretty much the norm and can get very old very fast.
In other words, choose a new career for many reasons, but dont put too much weight on the travel side. I know plenty of people who are completely fed up with biz. travel nowadays and would love to be able to give it up.The glory days of full fare J and 5 star hotels are very much on their way out.... Just a thought..
In other words, choose a new career for many reasons, but dont put too much weight on the travel side. I know plenty of people who are completely fed up with biz. travel nowadays and would love to be able to give it up.The glory days of full fare J and 5 star hotels are very much on their way out.... Just a thought..
Oct 30, 2003, 6:11 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott PLT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,900
My flights are backed with all manner of computer/business "consultants" and "anaylsts" or whatever they consider themselves. Of course, you don't have to be a technical guy or gal to fit into this category.
Are you *sure* you really want heavy business travel?? Like someone else mentioned, it's usually not glamorous.. It can be a real major grind, week in, week out. It's even worse if you always have to connect, especially if you are doing it through cities prone to bad weather.
Are you *sure* you really want heavy business travel?? Like someone else mentioned, it's usually not glamorous.. It can be a real major grind, week in, week out. It's even worse if you always have to connect, especially if you are doing it through cities prone to bad weather.
Oct 30, 2003, 6:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 834
Business travel really is not all that it is cracked up to be.
Lots of people who don't do it perceive it to be much more different than it really is.
On the other hand, those who negotiate it well are usually cut from a different mold than most others.
Look before you leap.
Lots of people who don't do it perceive it to be much more different than it really is.
On the other hand, those who negotiate it well are usually cut from a different mold than most others.
Look before you leap.
Oct 30, 2003, 9:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The road less traveled
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA EXP, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Diamond, Natl EE, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 5,118
I would agree with others here about week-in-week-out business travel being a pain. However, I do enjoy the occasional ~once a month trip... I travel about 75% leisure and 25% business. That's perfect for me!
------------------
"There are those who travel, and those who travel well."
------------------
"There are those who travel, and those who travel well."
Oct 30, 2003, 10:59 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Baltimore - Hyatt Lifetime Diamond/Courtesy Card, UA 2M
Posts: 994
There are those who are willing, and others who are able. In my business, the people who are experienced enough to get the job done are fed up with travel. Those who are keen to travel don't get the job done. The result for those who are "able" is full fare business (and upgrades from there) and you can pretty much stay, dine and entertain where you like. Most people burn out after several years, and many of the rest come to their senses and stop traveling. The remainder spend a large percentage of their free time here, on flyertalk. BTW, I am in sales of high end scientific instrumentation.
[This message has been edited by divaof travel (edited 10-31-2003).]
[This message has been edited by divaof travel (edited 10-31-2003).]
Oct 31, 2003, 1:58 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Department of Homeland Sincerity
Programs: WN Platinum
Posts: 12,085
business travel is fun if you're single and unattached.
otherwise it really sucks, unless of course you have a terrible relationship at home and want to get away, in which case you've got more serious problems than wanting to travel.
If I had to do it all over again, I would choose a job that does not require travel.
------------------
"If life doesn't offer a game worth playing, then invent a new one."
-Anthony J. D'Angelo
otherwise it really sucks, unless of course you have a terrible relationship at home and want to get away, in which case you've got more serious problems than wanting to travel.
If I had to do it all over again, I would choose a job that does not require travel.
------------------
"If life doesn't offer a game worth playing, then invent a new one."
-Anthony J. D'Angelo
Oct 31, 2003, 8:19 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 51
Ender83,
you should take heed of the advice being given here by people who obviously know. I have probably spent more than half my life traveling over the last few years and would agree with much that people are saying.
I mean I write about some of the things I've encountered and strange incidents that have happened to me. They're up on my personal web-site
http://www.simplyjond.com
(check out the Archive in particular)
but whether these are funny or sad they are not the norm. Most of the time business travel is not romantic or exciting. It's just part of the job.
Don't know what you're doing now, but beware of the "grass is always greener" syndrome.
------------------
Travel well and arrive home safely,
Jon David
www.simplyjond.com - Tales & Things for Frequent Travelers
you should take heed of the advice being given here by people who obviously know. I have probably spent more than half my life traveling over the last few years and would agree with much that people are saying.
I mean I write about some of the things I've encountered and strange incidents that have happened to me. They're up on my personal web-site
http://www.simplyjond.com
(check out the Archive in particular)
but whether these are funny or sad they are not the norm. Most of the time business travel is not romantic or exciting. It's just part of the job.
Don't know what you're doing now, but beware of the "grass is always greener" syndrome.
------------------
Travel well and arrive home safely,
Jon David
www.simplyjond.com - Tales & Things for Frequent Travelers
Oct 31, 2003, 8:43 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Tejas, I just can't get away from the place
Programs: Exxon Mobil Supertanker, WN Double Peanut, Accor Golden Cockroach
Posts: 8,350
Am I the only one who enjoys business travel? My employer keeps us on a limited budget (cheap flights, FC only on upgrades/miles, Hampton Inn type hotels), but I do my best work on the road. I currently spend 75% of my time in the office, and am trying to get back on the road.
Saying that, constant business travel does limit relationships/family. Most of the people in my company who live on the road don't last longer than two years.
Saying that, constant business travel does limit relationships/family. Most of the people in my company who live on the road don't last longer than two years.
Oct 31, 2003, 8:54 am
#12
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
There is a commercial currently airing on television by AT&T which sums up the current business travel experience quite accurately.
It follows a man on business travel trying to enter his bland hotel room with the plastic key, eating an unappetizing room service meal while uninterested in what is showing on television, sleeping uncomfortably on the bed in the room in his clothes, then traveling in the back seat of a taxi on his way to the airport, only to be stopped at security several times, and then seeing that his flight is delayed while sitting in a virtually-empty terminal. At the end, when he talks to his little girl on the cellular telephone, you can tell he really misses her. This is one of the few commercials that hits the mark for me and still does every time I see it. I can really empathize with that poor man.
Has anyone else seen this commercial?
Do a search in almost any forum on FlyerTalk and you will find similar scenarios and stories.
When I first started traveling on business in the 1980s, I thought I was the luckiest man on earth. Wow — I got miles for free travel, went to places where I have never been before, met all sorts of people, had Elite status in virtually anything, got upgrades, free meals, free merchandise, paid vacations, went to business functions and parties when companies went all out and spared no expense — the works!
Today’s economic environment is quite different. Elite status does not earn much anymore, companies are cutting back drastically, and business travel has become a real chore lately. Airlines, lodging and car rental companies have greatly reduced benefits lately in the form of increased redemption for awards, higher requirements to achieve Elite status, and cutbacks in services. The threads in the Delta Air Lines forum on FlyerTalk, as an example, concentrate more on how Delta is cutting back on the SkyMiles program than how one can benefit from the program. Although I still love traveling in general, I am actually considering giving up business travel.
There is always a chance that the business travel environment will improve in the future.
I am not trying to discourage anyone from gettin a job where one has to travel on business. Try it. If you like it, great! If not, you can always quit...
It follows a man on business travel trying to enter his bland hotel room with the plastic key, eating an unappetizing room service meal while uninterested in what is showing on television, sleeping uncomfortably on the bed in the room in his clothes, then traveling in the back seat of a taxi on his way to the airport, only to be stopped at security several times, and then seeing that his flight is delayed while sitting in a virtually-empty terminal. At the end, when he talks to his little girl on the cellular telephone, you can tell he really misses her. This is one of the few commercials that hits the mark for me and still does every time I see it. I can really empathize with that poor man.
Has anyone else seen this commercial?
Do a search in almost any forum on FlyerTalk and you will find similar scenarios and stories.
When I first started traveling on business in the 1980s, I thought I was the luckiest man on earth. Wow — I got miles for free travel, went to places where I have never been before, met all sorts of people, had Elite status in virtually anything, got upgrades, free meals, free merchandise, paid vacations, went to business functions and parties when companies went all out and spared no expense — the works!
Today’s economic environment is quite different. Elite status does not earn much anymore, companies are cutting back drastically, and business travel has become a real chore lately. Airlines, lodging and car rental companies have greatly reduced benefits lately in the form of increased redemption for awards, higher requirements to achieve Elite status, and cutbacks in services. The threads in the Delta Air Lines forum on FlyerTalk, as an example, concentrate more on how Delta is cutting back on the SkyMiles program than how one can benefit from the program. Although I still love traveling in general, I am actually considering giving up business travel.
There is always a chance that the business travel environment will improve in the future.
I am not trying to discourage anyone from gettin a job where one has to travel on business. Try it. If you like it, great! If not, you can always quit...
Oct 31, 2003, 11:50 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Hartford, CT
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 178
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Canarsie:
There is a commercial currently airing on television by AT&T which sums up the current business travel experience quite accurately.
...
Has anyone else seen this commercial?
</font>
There is a commercial currently airing on television by AT&T which sums up the current business travel experience quite accurately.
...
Has anyone else seen this commercial?
</font>
Oct 31, 2003, 12:18 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Seattle, WA;HH Diamond, Avis PS, DL PM & 1MM ... back to travelling the globe consulting aerospace engineering
Posts: 749
Let's see, here's my typical week this year with only 8 exceptions:
Sun afternoon, 3:00P: Leave home for airport
Sun eve, 6:20P: Depart on flight
Sun eve, 9:00P: Xfer to connecting flight
Sun eve, 11:20P: Arrive at airport, get rental car, head for hotel
Mon early AM, 12:30A: Check-in at hotel
Mon morning, 4:30A: Alarm goes off, get ready for work
Mon morning, 6:30A: Begin work at customer
Mon eve, 4:30P: Leave customer for hotel
Mon eve, 6:00P: Room service while I work issues for tomorrows implementation sessions
Mon eve, 11:00ish: lights out
(same schedule until Fri)
Fri afternoon, 3:30P: Leave customer site for airport
Fri eve, 6:00P: Depart on flight
Fri eve, 8:20P: Xfer to connecting flight
Sat early AM, 12:30A: Arrive at home airport, get bags, car, and drive home
Sat early AM, 1:45A: Arrive home for the weekend
This routing will start again in 37 hours!
Ain't life on the road glamerous! Sad thing is that this has been 'normal' for several years now
Time for a new no-travel job! 
GMF
Sun afternoon, 3:00P: Leave home for airport
Sun eve, 6:20P: Depart on flight
Sun eve, 9:00P: Xfer to connecting flight
Sun eve, 11:20P: Arrive at airport, get rental car, head for hotel
Mon early AM, 12:30A: Check-in at hotel
Mon morning, 4:30A: Alarm goes off, get ready for work
Mon morning, 6:30A: Begin work at customer
Mon eve, 4:30P: Leave customer for hotel
Mon eve, 6:00P: Room service while I work issues for tomorrows implementation sessions
Mon eve, 11:00ish: lights out
(same schedule until Fri)
Fri afternoon, 3:30P: Leave customer site for airport
Fri eve, 6:00P: Depart on flight
Fri eve, 8:20P: Xfer to connecting flight
Sat early AM, 12:30A: Arrive at home airport, get bags, car, and drive home
Sat early AM, 1:45A: Arrive home for the weekend
This routing will start again in 37 hours!
Ain't life on the road glamerous! Sad thing is that this has been 'normal' for several years now
Time for a new no-travel job! GMF
Oct 31, 2003, 12:46 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by boilermaker:
Am I the only one who enjoys business travel? My employer keeps us on a limited budget (cheap flights, FC only on upgrades/miles, Hampton Inn type hotels), but I do my best work on the road. I currently spend 75% of my time in the office, and am trying to get back on the road.
Saying that, constant business travel does limit relationships/family. Most of the people in my company who live on the road don't last longer than two years.</font>
Am I the only one who enjoys business travel? My employer keeps us on a limited budget (cheap flights, FC only on upgrades/miles, Hampton Inn type hotels), but I do my best work on the road. I currently spend 75% of my time in the office, and am trying to get back on the road.
Saying that, constant business travel does limit relationships/family. Most of the people in my company who live on the road don't last longer than two years.</font>
No, you are not the only one. I can't get enough of it. In fact, having not had any business travel for a few months, I'm currently bouncing off the office walls