Operators/AgenciesPeople working in travel agencies and direct line reservation companies book holidays for customers face to face, by telephone or over the internet. Tour and coach operators organise holidays and tours in the UK and overseas. Travel representatives work for operators in holiday destinations. Travel agent Stuart Wales is a sales consultant for STA Travel, the world’s largest student and youth travel organisation. He works at their London School of Economics branch. How would you describe your role? Selling and encouraging worldwide travel, with special focus on younger people. I talk to customers about their travel ideas, search our databases for the best options and make bookings. Do you only deal with younger people? No. This branch is at the London School of Economics, so lots of our customers are students and staff. We are also open to the general public, so all age groups use us. I could be booking a round-the¬world student gap year flight ticket one minute and a weekend Eurostar break the next. It’s very varied. Do you have regular routines? I check that all the brochures are on display and well presented as soon as I open up. I check emails constantly. They could be updates or confirmations on bookings I’m making, or industry and news events that could affect us. I also make sure that I’m up to date with new fare information and promotions. What hours do you work? I work from 1 0.00am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday – occasionally later if I’m in the middle of a booking. Most branches are open on Saturday but, here, it’s just five days. I work with a good team – we’re all a similar age with similar attitudes. It’s always busy with customers, phone calls, emails and bookings. Did you need specific qualifications? No. Just a real interest in travel. I also did a geography test at my interview. You need to have had some experience working in sales and dealing with customers as well. I’ve always been attracted to travel, and have backpacked and worked for a voluntary organisation overseas before getting this job. Do you need any particular skills? You need to have good communication skills. Personal interaction with customers, business contacts and your team is most important. You also have to be well organised, as you’re working on lots of different bookings at once. Have you had any on-the-job training? I had a very thorough induction that involved three weeks’ training in my first three months. The rest of your knowledge is gained on the job. At first, you’re allocated someone to sit beside who can answer your questions. We also regularly have in-house update training sessions. If you’ve done well over a period of time, you are sometimes offered a familiarisation trip, usually a weekend in Europe first. It all helps your knowledge of what you are selling to others. What are the main challenges? Dealing with so many different requests and bookings at once. It’s a sales job, so there are targets to reach that affect how much you get paid. So you have to be focused on selling the right things, as well as giving your customers what they want. What do you enjoy most about the job? I enjoy working with the team, getting to know customers, and doing something positive for them. Some customers are regulars, others give positive feedback after their trip. Travel opportunities are great and worth working for. What about your future? I’m happy in this job at the moment. I wouldn’t mind staying with STA Travel if the right opportunity came up, a branch manager or head office job. The company is keen to encourage promotion and development. Stuart’s route
Stuart’s tips
Related jobs Holiday centre worker/manager ££ Salary information Salaries vary according to employer and geographical location, but new consultants usually earn around £12,000. With experience, this can rise to around £14,000. Senior consultants/supervisors with some companies can earn up to £16,000 or more. Consultants usually receive travel vouchers or discounts on their holidays. Getting in
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