Work Ethic Pays Off

Want to pick grapes in France, be a mother’s helper in Greece or stretch your travel budget by teaching English in the Orient?

These are just a few of the opportunities you might stumble across, if you’re lucky. If you don’t want to rely on luck you can get help to find out where and when short-term jobs may be available.

One of the most helpful books on this subject is “Work Your Way Around the World,” by Susan Griffith, published by Vacation-Work, Oxford, England.

The first edition, published in 1983, covered a variety of jobs, including how to find au pair positions, fishing, sheep-shearing, ski instruction, campground work, teaching English, various harvest times and volunteer jobs around the world.

Comments From Youths

What makes the guide especially interesting is that it tells of specific jobs young travelers did get, and gives their comments on how they got the work, what they were paid and what they enjoyed or disliked about the situation.

The guide was prepared for British youths so prices are usually quoted in pounds. Another problem is that the 1985 edition has not yet been distributed in North America. If you plan to travel via Britain, it is in bookstores in London. The 1983 edition is sold in North American bookstores.

Another guide with details on short-term jobs and volunteer positions is “Work, Study and Travel Abroad,” by Marjorie Cohen, published by the Council on International Educational Exchange. This book also includes comments by young travelers about working conditions.

This kind of guide is handy during the planning stage of a trip because along with advice on potential jobs it includes details on travel services such as budget transportation and low-cost accommodation.

The most recent edition, 1984-85, is available in bookstores or by mail order from CIEE-PUB Dept. 205 E. 42nd Street, New York 10017. Send $6.95 plus $1 postage ($2.50 for first-class).

Annual Listings

Three guides are annuals that include listings of employers, types of jobs they have available, salary and time of year they hire. Prices are quoted in British pounds. Many listings are repeated, with minor changes, each year:

“Working Holidays,” published by the British Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges, is in its 33rd edition. It is designed for British travelers but the North American distributor has added a chapter for Canadian and U.S. users which gives details on red tape such as visas and work permits.

The 320-page guide lists details of jobs on five continents, with the emphasis on Europe. A travel section has specific information on air, sea, rail and bus transportation throughout Europe.

It is only available by mail order from CBIE (Canadian Bureau for International Education), 141 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1P 5J3. Include $8.95 for regular mail, $10.35 for first-class mail.

Paid and Volunteer

The 1985 edition of “Overseas Summer Jobs” by David Woodworth is distributed by Writers Digest Books. It is sold in bookstores for $8.95. It lists both paid and volunteer positions. The guide claims that employers listed offer a total of more than 50,000 summer jobs and each of the employers has specifically asked for the job information to be included. Most are in European countries.

Employers in England, Scotland and Wales supplied details on short-term positions for “Summer Jobs in Britain” by David Stevens. It’s also distributed by Writers Digest Books and costs $8.95.

Many jobs listed in these guides must be applied for in advance, followed by an application by you or your employer for a work permit. Permits are not always granted and not everyone wants to fix travel plans so rigidly. Ideally, what many young travelers want is to take a break during a long journey, pick up a short-term job and increase their spending budget. Some are lucky and this works out. But if you count on it, you could find yourself stuck with a job not opening up or find yourself thousands of miles from home stuck doing something you really dislike.

If you are going to make the big investment in air fare, make sure you have enough spending money to enjoy your trip without being forced to seek employment. If you find some interesting work, it’s a bonus which can help you extend or upgrade your stay.

Don’t overlook volunteer positions. Community work, archeology or a month at a kibbutz can be interesting breaks from traveling. You might earn no more than pocket money, however; you could work eight hours a day, six days a week, for a month to receive an amount that could be earned in a day at home. Sometimes you are even asked to pay a fee to hold down a volunteer job, so be sure it’s an experience you really want.