Vacancies for guides abroad

The profession of a guide is prestigious and relatively young. The field of tourism services is in constant development. The demand for employees in this business is stable.

Directions of the position

When looking for a vacancy, it should be borne in mind that the profession of a guide has several main areas of work.

• Sightseeing... His duties include accompanying clients of a travel company during excursions and visits to various attractions. Such an employee should have a good knowledge of history and geography. He has comprehensive information about the places and historical sites included in the tour.
• Transfer... The representative of the tour operator, whose task is to accompany tourists on the way from the airport to the hotel and back.
• Hotel... Works in one or more hotels located next to each other. The official duties of the employee include meeting the clients of the travel agency at the check-in counter. He solves organizational issues and accommodates guests. It also sells optional excursions.

Other types of guides

Depending on the needs of tourists and their intentions, this profession provides for the following classification of employees:

• Driver guide... Carries out car tours. He manages transport and at the same time tells passengers about the sights of the area.
• Tour guide... She plans a route, types and number of objects to be visited, the duration of the excursion, accompanies a group of tourists.
• Guide-translator... He works with people of different cultures and from different countries, conducts excursions in a foreign language, is responsible for the safety of each member of the group.

How much does the guide earn

The salary level of the guide is in a wide range. Factors affecting an employee's monthly income:

• the country in which the employee works;
• functional responsibilities;
• professional skills, knowledge, experience;
• level of proficiency in foreign languages;
• the number of excursions conducted, bonuses;
• salesmanship.

For comparison, the average salary of a guide in different countries is shown in the table below:

Job search

Finding a job is easy. Many workers have taken advantage of one of the following options:

On the Internet... There are many resources with information that offer to work as a guide.

You can find vacancies here:

• russia.jobisjob.com
• ua.jooble.org
• www.excursiopedia.com

Personal connections.You can try to find a job through friends. This option is especially relevant for those whose friends are already working as a guide. They will share their experience on how best to get such a job.

On the websites of major travel operators... The section "vacancies" often publishes the necessary information for job seekers.

• www.tez-tour.com
• pegast.ru
• www.coral.ru

Requirements for job seekers

List of requirements:

• Disposing appearance, neatness, sociability... In such a job, you will have to communicate with a large number of people on a daily basis. Answer their questions, solve emerging problems. Therefore, the ability to communicate with people in the work of a guide is critically important.
• The presence of oratorical skills, a clearly delivered voice... Tourist groups can be small or large. Regardless of its size, each participant should clearly hear what the guide is talking about.
• Resistance to stress and mastery of psychology skills... A professional employee must have the ability to please capricious group members and be able to defuse a conflict situation by diverting the attention of the audience.
• Goodwill and positive attitude... Vacationers should receive positive emotions and a boost of vivacity. The ability to create a good mood and a friendly atmosphere is also the responsibility of the guide.
• Knowledge of foreign languages ​​at a high level... This requirement is relevant for employees who work with foreign groups or abroad. The more languages ​​the applicant speaks and the better he knows them, the more value it is for the employer.

The chances of getting a job will be higher if the candidate has the listed qualities.

Advantages and disadvantages of working

Like any profession, this position has positive and negative sides. The latter more often relate to conditions and wages, but still, the advantages prevail over the disadvantages.

Pros:

• see the world, sights;
• have a good rest;
• have a good time;
• self-development;
• make useful contacts with people from different countries;
• lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

The tourism industry attracts creative and charismatic people who are confident in a foreign language, and also know how to beautifully and competently present information to the audience.

Minuses:

• piece-rate wages, depending on the number of excursions conducted;
• work outdoors, regardless of weather conditions and time of the year;
• responsibility for a large number of strangers;
• unstable schedule;
• constant and high load on the vocal cords and on the legs.

The guide often has to endure the whims and antics of people, to adapt to them. These are the features of work in the service sector. When conducting an excursion, a professional employee must remain completely calm and not lose composure in any situation.

Activities abroad

Working as a guide abroad has a number of nuances. Russian citizens abroad usually get jobs in Russian firms or in large foreign companies that have their own branch network in Russia.

Some countries impose restrictions on the list of professions for foreigners. For example, in Thailand, citizens of other states are prohibited from working as a guide. Representatives of travel agencies are only allowed to cooperate with similar Thai agencies.

In Europe, the situation is a little simpler. Several options are possible here:

• Work as an employee of a Russian tour operator.
• Independent work as a guide.

The latter option involves obtaining a work permit in the country where it is supposed to carry out activities, and a guide's license. It will have to be confirmed twice a year. To do this, you will need to take special courses and pass a difficult exam in the language of the host country.

When working as a guide in another country, a person will need to worry about their own food and accommodation. Those who act as an employee of a tour operator do not have such problems. The employer decides such questions.

Choosing a country for work

Some people want to live and work in sunny Goa or Phuket, others prefer Italy or another European state.

A number of important nuances depend on the state in which the applicant for the position plans to work:

• requirements for an employee;
• opportunity for career growth;
• the size of wages and bonuses;
• working conditions.

Each country has its own rules and laws governing the tourism business and the activities of guides. Don't forget about the language barrier. The job of a tour guide or guide is constant communication. If the applicant for this position is fluent in, for example, French, then it is better to choose the country where this language is a priority.

Is it possible to become a guide without knowing a foreign language

Candidates who are fluent in a foreign language are more likely to find a job as a guide.They can expect higher wages and the opportunity to get a job in a foreign company.

For Russian-speaking applicants without knowledge of a foreign language, the road to Russian travel companies is open. Such employees are offered positions related to serving tourists from Russia and the countries of the former CIS. When recruiting, special attention is paid to the candidate's ability to sell.

Since the duties of a guide include not only conducting excursions, but also advertising vouchers, brochures, postcards and souvenirs for the purpose of further sale to tourists. You can become a professional in the process.

Only at first glance, employment in the tourism industry seems simple and does not require special skills and knowledge from the employee, in addition to knowing a foreign language. The profession of a guide is hard work. Such an activity is suitable for people who know how to dispose to themselves, always in a good mood, hardy, stress-resistant, well-read and erudite.