Admin - I hope this is OK to post...
Hi Folks, after years of wanting to get into the travel industry I'm finally in a place where I can make a careeer change.
I would like to work in retail and want to know how to get started. I'm passionate about travel and willing to learn, including doing any college courses required. With no experience (other than enthusiasm!) this is the sticking point as the shops require previous experience, although call centres don't necessarily, as long as you have customer service/sales experience which I do. So.....How do I get my foot on the ladder?
I wondered if someone who's already working in a travel agents (Muzzy, if you're stil out there?) could PM me?
Thanks,
Dawn
http://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk you will be be able to work from home.
Try Best way forward is to enroll in college doing a full year on a NC course in Travel/Tourism or part-time evenings
That way you are picking up some training, Thomson holidays are advertising in their branches at present, and have leaflets in their stores just now. Go in and have a chat
Best of luck
Fiona
Wow didn't realise the cost friend in the UK worked for them. So thought they maybe good to start up with
Get in touch with Thoms Cook
You will find posts from Muzzy on the UK and Ireland discussion forum where you can possibly PM him
Fiona
Fudgey, great idea but erm, 10k is slightly out of my reach
Thanks Fiona, I have an appointment with a careers advisor at the job centre this afternoon so I'm hoping to get some college course info and take it from there. I just hope I've not missed a deadline to enrol for this year.
Thanks Kath, will have a look on that link.
have a look at
Seems that unless I can get a job with ongoing training, I've missed the local college course for this year. The careers advisor provided me with some blurb about the role and it seems the ideal time to get in is your early 20's, it's hard to get into that kind of role once you're in your mid 30's so that doesn't bode well for me
I'm currently trying to get some work experience in a local travel agents; I've asked if I can work in there without pay for a few days and I'm waiting to hear back.
Forget homeworking, you need plenty of experience before they would consider you.
What I would ask is what aspect of travel interests you? Also where has most of your travelling been done? Often it works in your favour if you can find a company that specialises in destinations that you are particularly familiar with, then there is only the technical training that is required.
Two publications that can help are travel weekly and travel trade gazette - they should both have jobs online, and I've seen several for people looking to start in the industry. It might be feasable that you just to get in to a company first, i.e. take more of an admin role, and move up from there.
what aspect of travel interests you?
I like the planning and the experience of new places and culture
where has most of your travelling been done?
Mostly Europe and America with sidebars to China, Mexico, Margarita & Africa
Thanks, I'll have a look at those two publications you mention.
Funnily enough, I've applied for an admin role at British Airways (had my first assessment this morning) as thought that might be a way in. Will see what comes of it. It's a start anyway....
Easiest thing to do is to find contact details and subscribe to the Offline editions of both publications I mentioned (you'll have to be working for 'Puddleduck Travel' to qualify for free copies!). And BA's a good way in, great to have on your CV if you want to move around the industry, even if their staff perks have been decimated! Good luck!
Thanks Sam - just heard I'm through to the second round for BA
Well done PD, good luck for the rest of the stages. It's a great way in and opens lots of options going forward.
yes well done, keep us informed.
I had a long conversation with a recruiter for Hays Travel and she was very helpful (and honest) - without a qualification I wouldn't have got into retail, I'd missed the enrollment for college courses this year (and even if I did a course there's no guarantee it would be enough to get a job as I'd have no retail experience) oh and I was too old for their apprenticeship scheme.
Never mind, just one of those things I guess, I'll have to feed my interest with HT and researching holidays for my mates!
Sorry to hear you didn't get hired by BA, but congrats on getting the job with SAFC, it sounds as though it could be very interesting.
Thanks Judith
Anyway, I have been a staff nurse since 1993 and for about 10 years now i have been really interested in Travel, so decided to do something about it. Now I still work part-time night duty as a staff nurse but also work part-time as a travel consultant in a small travel agents in our village. i was the same as you. I wanted to get into the travel business so bad, i would have done anything to get in....and I have. I enrolled with ICS Home Learning and worked from home at my own pace. at the end of the course I sat my exams and passed them all with merit. I went on to do the Advanced Course and passed that exam too. If you pass the exams after doing the course you are classed as a travel consultant and if you go on and pass the Advanced exams you are classed as a senior travel consultant. Although I had all this knowledge, i/ didn't really have any experiance of working in a travel agents, but the shop where I always book my holidays were very good during my courses with lending me brochures etc. As it turned out, one of the girl's was on maternity leave, but decided she was going to come back part-time and they asked if I would be interested working for them maybe 2 or 3 days a week for around 4-5 hours. it would help them out and also give me that valuable experience I lacked. of course I jumped at the chance and have been working there for over a year now and absolutely love it.
Check out ICS and see if it is what you are looking for. The courses I did have now changed, but i am sure they will have something to suit you. The best thing about them is that you work at your own pace from home so you can still keep your job at the football club. It only took me 6 months to complete the first course and pass the exams. I just found it so interesting since I always loved reading anything to do with Travel.
I would definately go for it if I was you. I just wish I had done it sooner. I don't know if you mentioned what age bracket you are in, but if you are older then don't let that put you off either. I will be 50 next year. I would go into some of the local travel agents and explain how keen you are to get into Travel and tell them you are going to do the course and see what they say.
Good luck and hope this helps.
Maryjo
p.s. Since I started in the travel agents I have also done numerous courses too. I am actually a Dubai Specialist now after doing the courses run by Dubai Tourist Board. Also completed courses and have certificates on South Africa, Sandals resorts, Couples Resorts, Hawaii, St. Lucia and many more. So please don't give up...go for it!!!!!
Thanks for posting Maryjo, thats good inspiration for those of us who are older (38!) who are looking to get back into work or change career.
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