Work in a travel agency without education. Travel agent: free travel or stressful job? Pros and cons of the profession

Work in the tourism sector attracts many. Sending a client to a Mediterranean resort, it seems as if you yourself are getting a little closer to the sea, the sun and all kinds of pleasures. The work is easy and the people are nice to talk to. In addition, firms-employers, as a rule, promise employees preferential rest. And this is a big plus. How realistic is it to apply for a position in a travel agency without experience and special knowledge? What exactly can employers offer such job seekers?

"Tourist" ads in the newspaper can be divided into three types. The first includes vacancies that require work experience in a specific position and knowledge of a foreign language: a tourism manager in certain areas, for working with VIP clients, an air ticket agent with knowledge of certain programs, etc. Unfortunately, this is not for us.

Ads of the second type - for candidates with minimal or no experience, but also with minimal salaries (about $ 200) - courier manager, assistant manager.

And, finally, a balm for the soul - offers "for everyone": without experience, without a foreign language and with salaries from 500 to 1500 dollars + interest.

So, let's start the investigation with these eye-catching ads.

This is business, not nonsense!

In terms of content, they are approximately the same: “To the office of a travel company, without traveling, etc. Vacancies: administrator-manager, deputy. department head, manager. From $1300 +%. From 20 years old, including reserve officers, higher, secondary specialized education. Education is free (with earnings). Flexible schedule, possible combination and foreign Career. Preferential foreign. relaxation. Weekly. payout s/n. There are also variations regarding all sorts of benefits: a social package, work on a labor basis, business trips abroad, etc.

We dial the first number.

Hello, I'm on a job ad

They don’t let me finish, taking the initiative in their own hands:

— Do you have any experience in tourism? Not? Not scary. What about education? Pedagogical? Wonderful! Come for an interview. We have vacancies: tourism manager in the office, administrator, manager control department. Responsibilities - negotiation, conclusion of contracts. For beginners - a series of lectures on the basis of the Academy of Tourism in working time. Registration by labor or by contract - the whole speech is given out by memorized tongue twister, without any possibility to insert a clarifying question. In conclusion, the interlocutor dictates the detailed address of the travel agency at the same speed.

- Excuse me, you can ask about the salary, because it's impossible for a beginner to get 1000 bucks?

- It all depends on the position, come - we'll talk. We have a payroll system. Salaries in the company range from 3,000 to 38,000 rubles plus interest, and they are high here.

- But in the beginning, apparently, you have to count on a minimum?

- We are all individually. Come and let's talk. Will you come tomorrow?

I'll think about it and call back. Thanks for the info.

The conversation during the second call is almost verbatim repeated. They just offered to come to the All-Russian Exhibition Center.

Yeah, yeah, great. But the question naturally arises: high paying job without experience - a big problem. And here, for you, there are dozens of travel agencies to choose from. They are eager to hire you, teach you everything and pay big money. Weird. I make the third, control, call.

- Hello. I'm on ad

The interlocutor gives out a text absolutely similar to the previous ones, but I do not give up:

- Tell me, is the salary - indicated in the announcement of $ 1,000 - is it a normal salary, or not?

— We have different positions fixed rates, they are calculated individually.

- What does that mean, sorry? Salary, as such, no?

- Girl, you apparently never worked in business. There is no salary in business, - the interlocutor explains in a tired voice, - this is a different level.

- The last question, can I? Do you make out officially, according to labor? And about taxes and social contributions.

- Girl, you ask strange questions. We have serious job business, you know? I don't have time for empty talk. If you want to change your life, come here.

If she bothered to explain how she proposes to change lives, I would think. Well, it's suspicious. Why secrets? We, it seems, are talking about work, and not about initiation into the Masonic lodge. Why is a personal meeting so necessary, and it is impossible to find out the details by phone? In general, in order not to waste time traveling to numerous interviews (suddenly, in vain), I decided to turn to the Internet: what do people say there?

Managers' Promises

I found a large number of reviews just about those companies where I called. For example:

“I saw an advertisement for a job in a travel agency on a recruiting site (no company name, no email). Great positions and salaries! Phoned, went to VDNH for an interview: a crowd of people (!), Polite "managers". Filling out a short questionnaire. The conversation is about anything, the result is the same - pay 480 rubles for three days of training (?!). What exactly - they can’t really say (like, the peculiarities of all sorts of countries, visa support). You say: "I don't have any money with me." They ask: “Leave at least some amount“ as a pledge ”(!!!). Then they promise two months of work in the same office at VDNKh, but find it difficult to answer in what capacity (“with applicants”). Then they promise some more training.”

“I went to these three-day classes, I expected: where is the fun. I waited: on the second day they say: in order to become a manager of mass destinations (that is, to work with clients), you yourself need to go on their ticket for 450 USD. Well, or someone to vparit it yourself. But it’s better to go, the “manager” explains, how will you work later if you haven’t been abroad? And if they were, then not from our company - not that. Whether work starts after a trip for 450 USD, I don’t know, I didn’t pay.”

In general, miracles do not happen. I'm looking for a job, not a "business" of dubious quality. It's a pity that the promised thousands of dollars so far unattainable. So wanted!

You will have to continue searching for other ads that offer a specific job, but for little money.

The quieter you go, the further you'll get

There are few such ads, but they exist. For example, you need an assistant tourism manager, work experience of at least six months, or experience active sales. True, knowledge of mass trends is still necessary. Salary - $200 +%. I'm calling.

- Hello. I'm on a job posting. I must say right away that I have no experience in tourism, but I worked as a sales manager, and you said that I have experience in active sales. I have rested abroad several times, so I have an idea about mass destinations. Maybe I'll come along?

Submit your resume and we'll take a look.

— Excuse me, but do I have a real chance?

- Of course, we would like to find a person with experience in tourism, so that he has an idea about the systems for booking tickets, hotels, and so on. But since the position is starting, options are possible. If you are a confident PC user, you know a foreign language - this is a plus.

- Thank you, I will definitely send a resume and I will wait.

There was hope. But for $200. Well, let's continue. Travel agent required. Salary - dog. girl, v/o, pc, foreign languages».

- Good afternoon, you advertised that an employee was required for a travel agency.

Yes, we need an assistant manager.

- Excuse me, but what is the salary and at what level should the language be? I can't say that I speak English perfectly, but quite well.

- We need a good level of language proficiency so that there are no problems with partners. And the salary is around 8000 rubles.

- And the fact that I did not work in the field of tourism is not scary?

- Not. Submit your resume and we'll take a look.

Well, here's another chance. Of course, there are not many such vacancies, but there are several in each issue of the newspaper.

And finally, I found another offer, and I liked it. “A courier manager is required to work with embassies and deliver air, railway. dor. tickets." Many say that the main thing in a career is to get into the stream. And even if you prove yourself well in a courier position, you can count on more interesting work. Let's ask about this.

— Good afternoon, I am interested in the vacancy of a courier manager.

— Yes, we need a full-time employee. Salary 6,000 rubles, payment for travel and telephone. If you are satisfied with the conditions, let's arrange an interview.

- I'm interested, but there is a question: is career growth possible in such a position? That is, to become a tourism manager?

- You know, everything is very individual. If you like it with us, and you are a responsible and reliable employee, everything is possible. In principle, here you can take a closer look at what areas of work are, what will be more interesting to you: visas, booking tickets, hotels. In the course of work, you will be able to understand what and where you should learn. So there are chances.

- Thanks, I'll think about it.

Simple Conclusions

So let's summarize our research.

- If you need a stable job, it’s better to forget about the offers of “crazy money” for participating in a “cool business”.

- Reliable employers offer positions with very specific responsibilities and ask for a resume.

- The opportunity to become a tourism manager, in principle, is available to everyone. You will have to start with starting positions for small salaries.

- The chances are significantly increased if you speak a foreign language at a high level.

Tourism manager is a specialist in the tourism industry who organizes tourist trips for clients. It is currently one of the most in-demand jobs in the leisure and entertainment industry. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in foreign languages, geography and social studies (see choosing a profession for interest in school subjects).

Salary

Salary as of 06/06/2019

Russia 15000—100000 ₽

Moscow 30000—130000 ₽

Short description

The travel manager makes our dreams come true for the vacation that each of us looks forward to. From the outside it seems that this is the most romantic and interesting profession - a holiday every day, the opportunity to travel to distant countries on duty.

But these are different things - to relax on your own or to competently organize a hassle-free vacation, which depends on many people and circumstances.

Tourism manager is a generalized name for a profession that is multifunctional. There are generalists who are able to organize a tourist’s journey from start to finish on their own, but most often in travel companies (tour operators) a division of labor is practiced by specialization: customer service manager, ticket manager, destination manager, visa processing manager and insurance, business travel manager, etc. Each of these specialties can be handled separately by a tourism manager without work experience under the guidance of a more experienced specialist. AT large companies organizing a tourist trip resembles the work of an assembly line: at each stage of organizing a tour, different specialists are connected to the case.

The specifics of the profession

The functional responsibilities of a tourism manager depend on where he works: in a tour operator or in a travel agency. In a tour operator, managers are engaged in the development and formation of tourist routes, and in travel agencies, as a rule, they sell tours to customers.

Responsibilities of a tourism manager working in a tour operator:

• route development;
• preparation of excursion programs and entertainment;
• hotel reservations;
• redemption of tickets for regular flights;
• organization of charter flights;
• negotiations with the host;
• registration of insurance and visas;
• formation of tour packages;
• conclusion of contracts with travel agencies;
• conducting advertising campaigns;
• permission conflict situations with representatives of the host country.

In travel agencies, the job of a tourism manager is to:

• receiving calls;
• counseling potential clients(in person and by phone);
• provision of guides, catalogues, maps;
• market research and optimal selection tour at the request of the client;
• interaction with managers from tour operators;
• drawing up a contract with a client.

There are travel companies that combine the functions of a travel agency and a tour operator.

Pros and cons of the profession

pros

• the prospects of the industry as a whole and the constant demand for personnel;
• the opportunity to visit many countries as part of work or on last-minute trips and special offers on vacation;
• high level of salary;
• the versatility of the profession of a tourism manager allows you to work with any level of education and experience, there is a job for anyone; when applying for a job there is no strict educational qualification.

Minuses

• high responsibility;
• frequent stressful situations in case of production inconsistencies and force majeure circumstances (an airplane may be delayed, a natural disaster or war may begin, tourists may not be released by customs, etc.);
• trips to different countries are of a production nature and it is impossible to completely relax and enjoy your vacation;
• tourists can disturb with calls at any time of the day, and the manager must calmly respond and answer questions that have arisen, solve problems with the host in favor of the client;
• seasonality of work and dependence on this salary level.

Tourism manager training (Education)

On this course, you can get the profession of a software engineer remotely in 3 months and 15,000 rubles:
— One of the most affordable prices in Russia;
– Diploma of professional retraining of the established sample;
– Education in a completely remote format;
— The largest educational institution of additional prof. education in Russia.

Provides an opportunity without interruption from work and place of residence on the basis of the existing higher or secondary specialized vocational education get new profession in the direction of "Domestic and international tourism". Programs have state accreditation, therefore state documents are issued.

The Russian Institute of Vocational Education "IPO" - recruits students to receive a specialty through a remote program of professional retraining and advanced training. Studying at the IPO is a convenient and fast way to receive distance education. 200+ training courses. 8000+ graduates from 200 cities. Short deadlines for paperwork and external training, interest-free installments from the institute and individual discounts. Contact us!

Invites you to get a diploma in your specialty at professional retraining courses. The Academy specializes in continuing education programs, offers convenient format distance learning, an individual approach to the needs of students and flexible prices.

Colleges

Education for a tourism manager in the specialties "Tourism", "Management (by industry)" or "Management of an organization" (with a specialization in "Tourism") is presented in more than 20 Moscow colleges, including:

• at the Humanitarian College of the Russian State University for the Humanities
• Humanitarian College of Innovative Technologies
• College of Small Business No. 48
• College International Academy business and management.

Upon completion, graduates receive a diploma with the qualification "Specialist in tourist services"

Place of work

• travel agencies
• tour operators

Personal qualities

• high stress resistance;
• iron endurance and self-control;
• sociability;
• organizational skills;
• personal organization;
• eloquence;
• diplomacy;
• charm;
• good memory;
• the ability to convince the interlocutor;
• a responsibility;
• flexibility of thinking.

Career

An aspiring tourism manager can apply for the position of assistant manager, whose duties include working on the phone or talking to customers. In the future, he can become a customer service manager. The average salary of a tourism manager is made up of a fixed part and percentages. Specialists with five years of experience and having their own client base can count on twice big salary. In the future, a tourism manager may become a deputy director of a travel agency and even a director. Tour operators provide a richer experience in tourism than travel agencies. Here you can master all the specializations of the profession in the organization of the tour from start to finish. With due diligence and the desire to master all the secrets of the profession, you can grow to the position of a top manager who actually manages the tourism business and is responsible for increasing the profits of the enterprise, developing and expanding the market. His responsibilities include signing important contracts, negotiating, conducting a competent advertising policy, marketing research. As a result, their salaries are high.

A high status in tour operators has a travel manager (travel manager) or tour coordinator, whose duties include the development of individual and corporate tours. They, as a rule, should know perfectly well resort places, hotels, modes of entry into different countries, be able to work with accounts, credit cards, book hotels and air tickets. Travel managers enter into agreements with the host, so they must be fluent in at least English language have the skills to prepare commercial offers and negotiating, know and follow the rules of business etiquette.

Elite specialists are also business travel managers who have to deal with businessmen who are accustomed to high standards of service, clarity and punctuality, regardless of even force majeure.

Over time, many successful managers who have mastered the promotion technology tourist destinations from start to finish, can open their own business.

Olga Grafskaya, CEO tourism bureau "Bonjour Travel"

Looking for travel job

Work in tourism attracts job seekers with the opportunity to see the whole world. I almost always hear this from novice employees. Experienced Staff ready to argue that not everything is so fabulous. Any, even the most expensive medal has a reverse side. Our foreign partners arrange so-called information and study tours for employees of travel agencies. I must say right away: there are never free tours, and the conditions are completely unroyal! The meaning of such trips is to see with your own eyes what we offer customers, to get personal experience and express an opinion that is far from the phrases from the advertising booklet.

Such tours are organized out of season, and these trips are very difficult. Every day, the agent inspects several hotels, and in countries of mass tourism it comes to several dozen. Your head is spinning and you start to get confused. Experienced specialists make notes, comments for themselves, someone takes photos or videos. And newcomers just walk, look and admire. And in the end, they can't remember anything. For rest, one day is usually left, the rest of the time is working. Partners look at how someone behaves on such tours, and if they understand that the agent is incorrect, he can be blacklisted and will not be invited to the next round. It is possible to travel around the world, but if an employee is constantly traveling, when will he work?!

Who and why works in tourism

The labor market in tourism, like many others, is also experiencing a shortage of personnel. It is divided into two parts: these are young girls with no experience, who believe that there is nothing difficult in this area, and experienced professionals who have worked in the industry for more than one year. The disadvantage of the former is not even in the lack of experience, but in the fact that many do not want to learn.

People from the second category do not need to be trained, they come with client base, which is good for the head of the agency, but there is also a minus. Such an employee wants to receive exclusive working conditions. They may not bring direct losses to the director, but the profit for the agency will be zero, since the manager who brought the client will get all of it.

Fabulous salaries in tourism are rare. There is a twofold situation on the market: on the one hand, there is a glut of supply, on the other hand, there is a reduction in the industry as a whole. Therefore, the range of salaries for a tourism manager is from 20 to 60 thousand rubles. But it all depends on the person and his desire to earn.

The perfect travel agent resume

The most important thing in the resume of applicants in the field of tourism is work experience. But this does not mean that I will not accept a person without experience. It is important for me that the employee was interested in earning, not getting.

Template phrases are often written in the resume: purposefulness, responsibility, career opportunities. You can look through dozens of profiles and not find a single worthy candidate. How can you talk about something serious career growth at a travel agency? This work is very interesting, despite all the difficulties that you have to face every day. The increase in wages in tourism depends not only on the management, but also on the employee himself. At the interview, I ask the question: “Are you ready to put in the effort to attract new customers? If so, which ones? If not, why not? Many job seekers are willing to take a small flat fee and do nothing else. I will refuse such an employee.

Personal qualities for professional growth

In tourism, attentiveness is very important, because an insignificant mistake only in writing the personal data of tourists can lead not only to a fine, but also to the threat of disrupting the trip.

An important role is played by punctuality, the desire to develop independently and constantly learn. Exploring new countries, sightseeing routes - isn't it interesting?

And, of course, responsibility is extremely important! Here is an example, or rather, my nightmare, which, I really hope, will never happen in practice. A tourist must fly away on a long-awaited vacation and he needs to get a visa. The employee scrupulously fills out all the documents and takes them to change. On the way, he loses his tourist passport. You can borrow money and pay for a tourist, but what to do with a lost passport?! To say that after this trust will be lost is to say nothing!

Learn to travel and sell travel

A travel agent can get an education in specialized higher educational institutions. When there was a boom in tourism, there were many educational courses on tourism. Now the industry is in decline - not only travel agencies are closing, but also educational institutions. But the presence of a diploma, unfortunately, does not mean anything.

Tourist routine

In fact, a travel agent has a lot of responsibilities: from keeping the workplace clean to being ready to answer their clients at any time of the day or night. The motto of our agency: "Your personal consultant 24 hours." The schedule of the agent is irregular, especially during peak seasons. In the off-season, the load is less. I do not force all employees to be at the workplace when there is no load. Someone is engaged in self-development, someone comes up with methods to optimize their work and attract new customers. I welcome and encourage this.

Each agency has regular clients, and we maintain their files. We store all the data so that each time you do not ask to send the same documents. We keep a history of trips, wishes, comments. Our regular customers do not need to explain what they want to get from the rest. They only say dates and wishes for choosing a country. Everything else is our job. Moreover, this part of the routine duties is the most creative, it provides an opportunity to please and surprise the client, to guess his desires.

Nothing to hide

In other industries, the practice of non-intervention of a specialist in a client's decision has been adopted. We have it the other way around. If it's about regular customers, then I already know what they need, and I advise based on their preferences. But if the client chooses a country or a hotel himself, I will definitely talk about the nuances that can ruin a vacation or upset a tourist. But I never insist. This is a personal choice of a person, and it must be reckoned with.

For example, a couple of years ago, several of my clients wanted to New Year go to Egypt. I did not refuse them and lose clients. The result, I think, is well known. The Egyptian direction was closed, and it was necessary to resolve the issue of the return of funds. You could say: "Do it yourself, you chose this country, now these are your problems." But I can't afford it, and for several months I fought with partners for the return of the funds of my tourists.

nervous work

Difficult clients have always been and always will be. It is very hard with people who are used to criticizing everything and seeing the bad even where there is none. It is difficult with those who first ask a question about the size of the discount, without even saying what they want. Any work should be financially rewarded.

Now the tourism market is very a difficult situation. Crisis, sanctions, imperfection of legislation and, unfortunately, dishonesty and financial dishonesty of partners have a very negative impact on the position of the agent in the market. After all, a tourist comes to the agency and trusts us, but we are not the last resort and cannot control or influence all the links that are involved in this process. Unfortunately, this cannot always be explained, and some colleagues meet with their clients in court, although the agent did his job at 100% and even more. But the argument is simple: "We came to you, so you are responsible for everyone."

Profession without career

The job of a manager is a bit of a chore from a technical point of view. But it is very diverse: new clients, new requests, new countries, new hotels. Career development occurs in a horizontal plane. There is no step-by-step promotion from an ordinary employee to the director of your own agency. Can't name it career prospect I think it's more of a transition to a new level. It is not enough for the director of the agency to have knowledge of tourism alone, he must understand both accounting and legislation, and know the work of a manager. You can hire employees who will be responsible for a certain segment of the work, but this is financially expensive. I know a few examples former directors agencies that closed their companies and went back to hired employees, because they did not want a huge responsibility on their shoulders.

Sometimes employees leave. Someone - to larger agencies, someone - to a tour operator, and someone, completely disappointed, - in general from tourism. Some do not want to hear about tourism anymore, others remember this experience with warmth!

One of my partners had a travel agency in another country. Everything got tired, and she closed it. She went to rest in Georgia, and fell in love with this country so much that she stayed there and discovered ... yes, yes, tourist agency! She studied the history of Georgia and herself, as a director, often accompanies groups as a guide.

"Jobs for the Young"?

Many people think that a tourism manager is a job only for young people. But I do not agree that in tourism, employees over forty years old are rare specimens. On one information tour, I met an agent who was 72 years old! She has more enthusiasm and energy than some young girls. I have a lot of respect for these people.

There are many people who want to get a job as a tourism manager in Moscow today, because many want to have a position, at least a little, at least indirectly, related to popular resorts and travel to any corner of the world. Tell clients about the features of tours, the beauties of distant countries, interesting options recreation, exciting excursions. Those who have just recently received a diploma, or transferred to part-time studies, are usually looking for tourism manager jobs with no experience.

Tourism managers compose tours, gather groups, communicate with clients, selecting suitable tours and vouchers for them. Their work is directly related to communication and the choice of resorts. Therefore, there are so many young people who want to become an assistant tourism manager in Moscow.

Wage level

The histogram shows the change in the level of the average wages Professions Tourism manager in Moscow:

Salary level of a tourism manager in other cities of Russia:

Trud.com - first aid in finding a job

You can always find interesting job offers in a travel agency on our employment portal. Without days off and holidays, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, Trud offers applicants the largest database of real and current vacancies in Moscow companies. We collect job advertisements for you from all job sites. We do not limit our information base, replenishing it with all vacancies from all proven and reliable sources - electronic publishing houses for employment. Thus, thanks to the centralization of information from various sources, we managed to create the largest database of vacancies, which is beyond the power of a single portal.

The number of vacancies in the profession Tourism manager in % by salary ranges in Moscow:

Moreover, each visitor can use the services of "Trud" absolutely free of charge. You don't have to pay a dime to find out which companies are looking for tourism managers. We are not intermediaries, so we always open the name of companies and coordinates. Choose the most interesting vacancies for yourself, taking into account all your requirements. After all, we have enough job offers to go through vacancies in search of the optimal one. To the delight of students and those who have just graduated from the university, we have not only tourism vacancies for already established professionals, but also options from travel agencies for training and subsequent employment. To get a better chance of working as an internal or external tourism manager, we advise you to send your resume to several companies at once. In addition, you will be able to find out more details about the proposed job at the interview and, perhaps, it will turn out to be much more attractive to you.