Have you recently decided on a trip and want to gain valuable work experience in different job markets at the same time? Then Work and Travel is exactly right for you, but even there you need at least a short version of a resume. Here you'll find a short guide to your personal Work and Travel resume. Depending on what your resume contains, different work opportunities will open up to you.

Work and Travel resume

Here's a short list of the most popular positions:

  • Restaurants and hospitality (no prior experience)
  • Tourism (no prior experience)
  • Volunteer work (can be very physically demanding)
  • Au pair / working with children (female candidates are very often preferred)
  • Jobs in business (if you have prior experience)

A Short Description of Your Character

This section is what generally sets a Work and Travel resume apart from other resumes.
Employers who work with travelers often place great value on the person having a good character, to make sure they've found the right person for the job. Here you can explain where you come from and give a small summary of your academic or professional path. No details on qualifications yet; it should only give a brief overview of you as a person.

Your Skills

Here you can go into detail about existing work experience and expertise. The text can build on the previous one and thus paint a detailed picture of you as a worker.
Skills don't only mean work you've already done, though; helpful hobbies you have can be mentioned too. One example of such a helpful hobby would be furniture making. If you enjoy working with your hands or have built something more complex before, that's a big plus and should be mentioned.

Languages

Work and Travel resume

Speaking the local language can help a lot in most fields of work to strengthen communication, so you should list your languages in as much detail as possible and not leave any out, even if you only have the bare minimum of proficiency. A little is better than nothing, and for most jobs gesturing with your hands is perfectly enough.

Additional Information

Many employers also care whether you have allergies, hold a driver's license or smoke. Don't worry, nobody is allowed to refuse you work based on this information; it's just useful to know in case you have to work with food or whether a car can be lent to you.

Your Work and Travel resume should also include how long you plan to stay in the country. This information doesn't have to be exact, but it helps the employer plan their time and resources. You should also state prominently whether you already hold a valid work visa or are only applying in advance. A friendly profile photo should round off the entire Work and Travel resume, and photos of you with animals, out in nature or at work always score the best points.