travel a lot for your job and like it?

[Jewel1310]

I am considering some job options that involve more than 50% travel. The travel would be to a location for weeks or months at a time and will vary. I used to travel but more like 10% but stopped to be home with my kids. Now they are in college so I am looking to make some changes. I know it isn't glamorous and can be exhausting but the job itself would be interesting.

What advice or thoughts would you share as I consider this decision?

 

[crazyme5kids]

I don't travel for my job, but my husband does. We are both happier when he travels . Seriously, there was a two year period that he wasn't traveling (still very long hours though) and he was miserable. Travel suits him.

 

[Micca]

When the kids are gone, it's a good time to flex your wings. Try it out, you
may love it. If you don't like the travel, you can always do something else.
Besides, the frequent flyer miles might come in handy for a trip to "you know where"

 

[Jewel1310]

Crazy my stepdad traveled and my mom (And I think my stepdad)felt the same way.

Micca that is exactly the way I am looking at this - I could spend a few years doing this. if I don't like it I can change things. Because of the workI should be more marketable after the experience.

thanks to you both for the comments.

 

[SaraJayne]

My husband has to travel for his job and he hates it. He's the type of guy that prefers to be at home at night with his family.

But I know others that travel often and they love it.

Do you have a partner/spouse? What do they think about it?

 

[tvguy]

I did it for a year when I was 22-23 years old and single. I was tired of it by the end of the year. Of course, I was traveling with 7 equipment cases plus my personal luggage. This was before metal detectors at the airport, you just walked on the plane, and if you tipped the skycap $20 you avoided excess baggage fees. I can't imagine traveling with all that stuff with the current security.
Most vivid memory I have is arriving at my hotel right next to the Comedy store in Hollywood (California) at 9 pm on a Sunday night, and trying to find a quick biteto eat. Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Sunday night, almost everything was closed. I did find a health food restaurant open, it was the first and only time I ate pizza with sprouts and pine nuts on it.

 

[cirquelovers]

I am considering some job options that involve more than 50% travel. The travel would be to a location for weeks or months at a time and will vary. I used to travel but more like 10% but stopped to be home with my kids. Now they are in college so I am looking to make some changes. I know it isn't glamorous and can be exhausting but the job itself would be interesting.

What advice or thoughts would you share as I consider this decision?

My husband used to travel alot! It all depends on where you are going I suppose. He loved it when he was in Vegas for 6 months but it actually became too much by the end. I think eating alone every night and not always having "familiar" food was troublesome at first. He hates to eat alone but I think he's used to it now. He didn't used to be very adventurous, food wise, but I think he's adapted pretty well. I also remember him being stuck out in the middle of nowhere for quite a few weeks and he was not a happy camper. He did get to experience a lot of our country that he had never seen before. I think he really enjoyed that part of it a lot!

One big questions is are they paying all travel expenses up front or reimbursing you when you turn in receipts? Do they expect you to stay in a certain hotel, airlines etc... Do you get to book your own travel, hotels etc... How much is the daily/weekly stipend or whatever it's called for food and stuff? Will you get to go home on weekends or how often? Ok that was a whole lot of questions on the same little subject but those are the things we learned from him working for different companies

I know some of the answers to those questions became deal breakers at times.

Can you handle your only communication with loved ones being over the phone? We have a call time so I can at least talk to him every night. I need to hear from him once a day or my imagination can run wild I start thinking he's dead in a ditch

 

[prncess674]

I work for a large consulting firm and travel weekly for work. We have pretty nice travel perks. Travel is Monday - Thursday. Tickets are on the cheapest nonstop flight to our destination. Many firms make employees connect to save more money. Time is a valuable commodity and they don't want us wasting it transiting airports. We have negotiated rates at most of the chain hotels and we are allowed to stay at Hilton, Westin, Sheraton, Marriott hotels. No Ritz or Four Seasons, but definitely decent business class hotels. All miles earned are ours to use as we choose for personal travel. We are reimbursed actual expenses for taxi, breakfast, dinner, tips, etc. If travel is international then all employees may fly business class.

 

[NHdisneylover]

My husband travels 40-45 weeks a year. He generally goes Monday morning to Friday afternoon but sometimes comes in on Thursdays and once in a while leaves on a Sunday and returns on a Saturday (generally when going to Asia). He misses seeing us, especially when he has to miss some of the "little" things like a girl scout play, parents' night at school and the like. It is also harder for him to stay in good shape when eating out so often many hotel in Eastern Europe have no excercise equipemnt--so he really has to make an effort to do what used to be easy for him.
Nonetheless, he generally really likes his schedule. He is the type to get bored easily so he truly enjoys the chance to meet new people and solve new problems on a regular basis. He gets to see a lot of interesting places too--and then we will tag along (paying our own way of course) a couple of times a year when the kids are out of school (we spent a week in Bohemia and a week in Budapest with him last year).
Sleeping in hotels and eating different food has never bothered him

I would say it is worth a try if you find the idea intriguing at all. Besides, 50% is really not all that bad--we call those years the ones when DH didn't travel all that much

 

[eliza61]

I am considering some job options that involve more than 50% travel. The travel would be to a location for weeks or months at a time and will vary. I used to travel but more like 10% but stopped to be home with my kids. Now they are in college so I am looking to make some changes. I know it isn't glamorous and can be exhausting but the job itself would be interesting.

What advice or thoughts would you share as I consider this decision?

I'm probably very similar to you in that my kids are in college and a h.s. junior so both are pretty independant.

I fly a lot for my job in the first half of the year (Jan-July). Typically I fly from Philly to Chicago and Philly to Boston.

Really the hardest part was getting organized. On my travel days I stick to a tight schedule and try not to get bogged down with outside activities. for example, I generally catch a 7 am flight to chicago, so that means me getting every thing ready the night before and in the airport shuttle by 5:00 am.

I am an absolute pro getting through security in record time.

I'm lucky in that I know my schedule a week or 2 in advance so I can schedule family things around that.

Give it a shot.

 

[Jewel1310]

Lots of good comments/questions.

I don't know all the travel arrangement questions, but i did send them to the people I am interviewing with. We are to discuss those points during the second interview that is upcoming. I am divorced and enjoying being on my own right now. When I traveled before I had a spouse and the kids at home. That made it tough because I was leaving them and I hated that. That issue doesn't exist any longer.

I talk to my sister and kids by phone often but don't see them during the week (unless the kids are on break)

I am in a fortunate place. I like my current job. i would like the job functions of the potential new job better. All jobs have thier pros and cons. The questions and comments have made me think. Should I get offered the position I know many important things to consider as I evaluate the options!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I travel a whole lot and love it, even with boys aged 10 and 13. Things to consider:

Food - will you get a large enough allowance to eat a healthy diet. Eating out and not gaining weight is difficult to manage, especially on a tight budget.

Exercise - find a reliable system that works for you no matter where you are. Even if you eat a healthy diet on the road, you will consume more calories than at home. You will need the exercise.

Timing of travel - Will you lose time with your family for the travel itself? Will you have to fly out on Sunday or return on Saturdays, or do they let you travel on workdays? Big difference.

Adventure - Do you like exploring new places? If you can find a way to make the travel itself fun, you will find that it becomes a healthy part of your life, not something to be dreaded.

 

[Jewel1310]

Great comments DBF. I need to keep those comments in mind. I agree finding time to exercise on the road will be critical! I like the adventures spirit!