sf606508

hello guys, I am pretty much a serial traveller, can't stay in the same place doing the same routine for any extended period of time. I feel more at home in the hotel room than I do at home. So frequent travel is important for me in a career.

Which field has the most travel? investment banking, corporate law (I really don't have the stomach for criminal law or just about any litigational law), or management consulting?

thanks

tetrishead

Consulting. Not even close.

VectorWega

Consulting is generally 100% travel (exceptions being if your client is in the same city you are based out of). Consulting is generally characterized by flying to the client on Monday, and flying back home thursday night or friday

(depending on the firm/project, you generally shouldn't have to fly back home at all if you don't want..or you could fly somewhere else for the weekend).

sf606508

is there such a thing as say, int'l consulting field?

because i really wouldn't want to be shipped to like columbus, OH for a month. (as a friend of mine who graduated from Harvard and is working for McKinsey tells me)

melon390

im sure there is, i know IBM does

VectorWega

There are definitely opportunities to go international, but it's really based on business needs. Generally, most people would try to get in with a firm (that does business internationally) and then try to transition to an international project. Given that you won't have any work experience, that is probably your best option. (you can also give the firm your location preferences).

sf606508

what are the hours like btw?
i mean, like hours in the office (both home or client's), not counting the time on the plane and having hotel dinner et cetera.

Calcruzer

Well, actually consulting would be second behind working as a State Department diplomat (many of whom I've actually met and talk to on planes while travelling as a consultant--anyone know who Dennis Ross is? We had a very nice discussion on the middle east situaion on a plane a few years back).

But I digress.

You can end up in the office for 10 hours, or for 4 hours--depends on the assignment. I'm in the office here in Wales for 8 hours a day this week, but flew in early to spend the weekend in London (unseasonably warm--in the low 80s and muggy on Saturday, and just a few degrees cooler on Sunday).
You generally work depending upon what the client needs--and you bill your hours accordingly--and then work based upon completing the assignment.

It's not like your generally going to vary your hours to be less than the client's personnel, though--because that creates a lot of tension. Instead, if you do want a day or two off, you just tell them you have other clients to attend to, and then you treat the off days as unbillable hours. If your rate is sufficient, you can work about 80% of the time as still make a very nice living--or you can work your a-- off and make another 20-30% on top of this.

One last thing--be sure to keep the time changes in account if you end up working internationally--because if you are like me and travelling from SF to the UK for an assignment, that first day (when you are still operating on a 8 to 9-hour time difference) can really be a long one.

I'm speaking from experience--and a groggy head--since it's 7:04 AM in SF now, but 3:04 PM here in Cardiff.

sf606508

i find that i am very good with travel and jet lag and so forth and very bad at keeping my butt stuck to the desk and behind the monitor.

i also tend to have an uncommon fondness for nice hotels. much more than i do for my own home.

thats the reason i asked haha.

willpower102

Dude Calcruzer. I want your job! (especially if it's tech sector)

Do you have a bio somewhere explaining exactly what you do and how you got there?

nauru

Travel is probably the worst part of any job. I would recommend avoiding business travel. If you want to see the world, take a trip. Traveling on business is nothing like proper travel.