Author: Amanda Brandon
Workamping is one of the hottest topics among travelers or full-time wannabes. But what if you don’t want to be a camp host, or do manual labor? The good news is that there are so many opportunities to work and travel if you’re willing to think outside the guard gate or camp store.
Telecommute to Your Job
If you’re lucky enough to already have a telework arrangement with your employer, then working on the road may be just a few steps away. Who says you have to give up the insurance, paid time off, and perks associated with your day job? A few tips:
Gather some info from similar working campers. You may need some ideas before you talk to your boss about how it all works.
Talk to your boss. This could get hairy if you don’t tell your boss your plans.
Be prepared for the talk. Have a plan for how you will stay connected to the office. Will you need to travel to attend meetings? Will you have reliable Wi-Fi? How will you handle computer security?
Have a backup plan. A change this big could mean that you need to do something different. Be willing to look for fully virtual work, stacking part-time jobs, and project work.
Related Read: How Workamping Can Help You RV More
Become a Freelancer
This writer and her hubby are full-time freelancers. I write and edit. He does insurance adjusting. We do fairly well with our arrangement of gig work. His work requires that we camp within a couple hours of his service area which varies based on storm seasons, insurance claim volume, and special assignments. My work is completely virtual.
Some ideas on freelancing:
Get certified in an on-demand skill and find companies that hire on a per-project basis. A few ideas include home inspections, construction estimates, delivery services (groceries, restaurants, catering, packages), RV repairs, RV roofing, and welding.
Sign up to be an independent contractor with a virtual company. We’ve met tutors who teach English to kids in China, online professors, virtual nurses, and more. This may be just one of your money-making strategies to combine with other project work.
Become a virtual transcriptionist, writer, editor, or other virtual professional. I personally write and edit for completely virtual companies. My work includes everything from writing blog posts to editing content for car dealerships to writing resumes. One of my favorite parts of this work is that I can work on a project basis – meaning I can take orders when I’m available.
Here are a few ideas for where to find this type of work:
Look on Indeed.com for remote freelance opportunities. I have a bunch of job alerts set up so that I can see new jobs in my email each morning.
Join a virtual job vendor for leads. Two great resources for virtual work are FlexJobs.com and VirtualVocations.com. These companies charge a monthly fee for vetted job postings and they also have directories of companies that hire virtual employees.
Subscribe to freelance blogs for job updates. I don’t do this nearly as much as I used to, but there are a few blogs that offer job listings each day or a few days per week. A few to consider:
Craigslist – Look in the gig section. I’ve found many, many jobs through this oldie but goodie. Just remember that Craigslist posts everything, so do your diligence in vetting postings. If you see multiple cities or paid training opportunities, be aware. Not all commission-based jobs are fakes, but sometimes schemes get through the filters.
Ryan Robinson (a blogging expert) has an extensive list of places to get jobs based on your industry (tech, coding, designers, photographers, salespeople, customer service professionals, and more). Some of them are marketplaces. Some are resources for job listings. You could spend the better part of a day setting up profiles and searches with this list. It’s a great resource. I even found quite a few I didn’t recognize.
Work contracts or seasonal work and camp while you do it.
Do you have an in-demand skill such as travel nursing, pipeline experience, welding, water mitigation, specialized moving services (transport, move-outs after water loss, RV transport), or have you worked in a seasonal industry? Consider short-term contracts. A few ideas that aren’t workamping:
Travel lodges for cruise companies. I was on a plane recently and met a lady who worked for a cruise line. They hire seasonal staff in places like Alaska to work in their destination lodges. Many even have campgrounds for staff. The perks were remarkable – discounted cruises and more. Jobs include customer service, housekeeping, maintenance, foodservice, and management.
Transport services. With RV owners renting their rigs and other specialized needs for transportation, you could develop quite the business with your truck if you’re willing to work in a regional area for a time. Reach out to mini storage owners, RV rental agencies, and campgrounds to get your name out there.
Travel nursing. You obviously have to be a nurse for this to work, but most nursing contracts are less than three months, and you’ll have time off. This is a great way to explore and keep a lucrative job.
Have foodservice experience? Work with caterers (Craigslist is a great resource) on jobs.
Become a specialized videographer/photographer. Another “work a region” idea. If you’re great with a camera, you can film commercials, weddings, and all kinds of events. This may be more of a business venture than a job, but the opportunities are out there.
Become a virtual assistant. If you’re organized and good with social media, calendars, email correspondence, and other clerical work consider signing up with a virtual assistant service or start your own.
Offer mobile washing services – With some equipment and a few business cards, you can be mobile in a few days. Market your services via social media and campgrounds.
Use Your Skills as Salesperson to Promote the Camping Industry as a Marketing Consultant for Campground Guest Guides
You can earn money and travel where you want with Southeast Publications, the Industry Leader in providing Guest Guides, Site Maps & Directories for Travel, Recreational and Hospitality Industries. Receive a (2) two-week complimentary site for the purpose of selling advertising to the local community to appear in the Guest Guides as well as a 65% commission of all monies collected above print cost. The Guest Guides are provided at no cost to the establishment and is fully paid by advertising from local businesses in the community. You get the reward of providing a much needed service to the campgrounds for free, as well as helping passing RVers connect with the local businesses and services that they need in the area. This can be a very lucrative position as you return each year to the same campgrounds and the publication and your profits grow.
These are just some of the ideas for working on the road without workamping. If you’re willing to be creative and spread your time out among more than one job, you can make a good living while remaining mobile.
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