For most of us, traveling for work is a fun bonus. It doesn’t happen very often and when it does, it’s usually for a short period of time. However, there’s a group of people in the workforce who travel about 70-80 percent of the year for work. While these “road warriors” benefit from a lot of travel perks and well paying jobs, they also have to perform a balancing act with their home lives. Do you think you have what it takes? Get the inside scoop from two road warriors and decide for yourself.
Ron H. is an IT manager with 15 years of experience and Andrew W. is a regional channel manager (and prior service member) who is about to finish his first year on the road. They give the inside scoop on what it’s really like to take on a job with a significant amount of travel.
What are the perks to being a road warrior?
Andrew: I’ll eat at new restaurants, check out local sports and more. Plus, you build status with airlines and hotels which leads to cool travel perks, points and miles. Points and miles mean I can plan vacations for the year and not spend a dime on airfare or hotels. Last year, my coworker took his wife to Aruba for free.
What type of skills does someone need to be a successful road warrior?
Ron: Patience and a sense of humor with airport delays, crappy hotel rooms, etcetera. The ability to be alone often and can sleep anywhere. It’s often hard to sleep well in hotel rooms. Sometimes I still have trouble sleeping the first night I arrive. Also, driven or self-motivated since you won’t have your boss standing over you most of the time. And an iron stomach because you eat out a lot.
How did your military background prepare you for this type of work?
Andrew: I don’t think it prepares everyone for this type of work, especially with sales. However, it absolutely does for travel. Compared to hurrying and waiting, going to this range, that deployment, wait here and go there, travel as a civilian can always be put into perspective and keeps you patient and calm. After all, at the end of the day I choose what I eat, where I stay and when I sleep, so how can that be bad? On a more serious note, if you are the type of person who was used to driving hard to accomplish the mission, it will serve you well on the outside. I may not always be the most talented or smartest person, but I can work longer and more diligently than most people because of my experience and that gives me a big advantage.
Is it possible to network while you’re on the road?
Ron: I don’t typically network very often outside of conferences or user groups.
Andrew: On a professional level it’s the holy trinity of emails, phone calls and face-to-face meetings.
What are the downsides to being a road warrior?
Ron: Not spending enough time with family and friends. Especially your kids, and even more so when they are young.
Andrew: Missing events at home. Having to get up every week and travel to a new place, sleep in a new bed and deal with new people.
Is it difficult to reconnect with your family and friends at home?
Ron: Yes, very much so. It is hard to get in the rhythm of family life when you are gone more days than you are there so re-entry can be tough. They have their routines and you interrupt them when you are home for the weekend only. Add on top of that the fact that you are tired from traveling and it makes it difficult to meet their expectations of you. You want to make the most of the time you have at home, but you also want to sleep for 12 hours straight. It’s also difficult maintaining friendships because you can’t go to happy hour on Wednesday or play in the softball league since you are never around during the week.
What advice do you have for reconnecting with family and friends?
Ron: Try and schedule something fun to do with the kids at least one day you are home, as well as participate in bedtime routines or homework depending on their age. It is easier now to stay connected on the road with Skype or Google Hangouts as well. I tend to call and catch up with friends and extended family when I am at the hotel in the evenings so I can dedicate time to my family while I am home.
Andrew: The best thing to do with loved ones is to stay abreast of their current affairs and activities and try to interject yourself in the best way possible. For example, plan a surprise outing for a weekend paying special attention to them. The best thing for me is to reach out with a thoughtful, but random gesture. In other words, letting your loved ones know that even when you are gone, they are ever present on your mind.
What advice would you give someone considering this line of work?
Ron: It is fun and glamorous at first, but really consider if you can handle being gone that much before you take it on. The shiny wears off fast and it can really seem like you are leading two lives. If you are easily frustrated and can’t go with the flow, you will not make it long. The most important thing is to keep smiling and try to have a good time. Take advantage of the perks of travel. Try to go out and explore when you visit a new city. The worst thing you can do is just work and go back to the hotel every night and watch TV. That gets old real fast.
Is it worth it?
Andrew: It is, but it is not for everyone. Spending six to 10 hours a week on planes, plus the time to and from the airport, in the airports, and traveling to appointments in strange places, is a grind. You have to seek out ways to create personal space, even if it isn’t exactly clear how. However, the plus side is not being stuck in an office from 9-5 every day. There can be days I work 12-14 hours and then days where I work four hours or less. At the end of the day, the job is done when it is done. Also, if you are a person who excels at strategic thinking, networking and competition-driven work, then it can be fun.
