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Crafting the Perfect Tour Director Resume: Your Roadmap to Success

The tour director’s resume is unique because it is not one size fits all. Whether your job title is a local tour guide, over-the-road tour director, student tour leader, adventure guide, travel manager, tour manager, chief experience officer and or more. You will most likely need a resume that meets the expectations of the tour operator you are applying to.

WHY ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

Making the right first impression is among the highest stressors for tour directors and guides. How do you know if you are getting unhired before the interview? Knowing what to include and remove from your resume to stand out from other tour directors, be relevant, and avoid getting dropped into the proverbial trash can.

So, let’s take a moment and look at what a resume is supposed to do for you.

YOUR RESUME: A Personal Storytelling

When you sit down to craft your resume, think about the story you want to tell. What makes you different? What experiences have shaped you? What skills have you developed that go beyond the typical job requirements? You may have language skills, volunteered in remote communities, or have a background in storytelling that would make you an exceptional tour director. These details will make a hiring manager want to speak with you.

An Invitation: Ultimately, your resume is an invitation—a chance to showcase your most interesting, dynamic version. The person behind the resume. It’;s about creating an authentic, compelling picture of who you are and what you can bring to the world of tour directing or tour guiding.

BEYOND FACTS: Creating a Conversation

At its core, the tour and travel industry is a people-first-oriented business. Whatever work
you do in this field, you are connecting with others. What that means is – think of your
resume as starting a conversation. Tour operators are looking for how you will help them
deliver their tour product. This means it needs to be more than a collection of facts; let it
tell your story from the moment they scan through it.

Today’s traveling public can choose from a variety of traditional and niche tours. The hiring
manager for that company will be looking to see if you have a unique quality or skill that fits
their guest’s profile. Therefore, where do they look first? Most likely, your hobbies and
interests. Why? It gives them something to talk to you about and tells them immediately if
you could fit in with their company. Maybe you have an unusual skill, play a particular
instrument, love mountain climbing or kayaking, are a historian of a specific time, are an
avid reader, or have unique life experiences. Make it enjoyable to read about you and bring in your personality. Oh, and by the way, please don’t use travel generically as a hobby; they already assume you want to travel. Why else would you be there?

Be clear and concise. Tour operators see an abundance of resumes and don’t have time to
read two or three pages. Keep it to a single page. Quality over quantity. Make it meaningful
and straightforward, and leave them wanting more. You might be saying, “I have never done
this work before – it doesn’t seem like enough experience.” Don’t worry. They are looking
for a personality that will take care of their guests.

YOUR UNIQUE PROFESSIONAL PERSONALITY

Traditional corporate resumes have categories that don’t apply here. Tour operators seek
leadership skills, public speaking, teamwork, organizational abilities, and customer service.
Remember, the travel industry is a people business.

The goal is to showcase your personality to meet the tour operator’s needs. For example, if
you are writing to a student tour operator, you will want to put anything in the resume that
speaks to experience with kids. PTA Mom, chaperone on your child’s student tour, think
outside the box beyond what would be required in a corporate resume. If you want to work
in a high-end luxury market company, gear your resume to them. If you have a specific
company in mind, you could create a different resume that fits the company’s niche.
Everything you have been a part of or done counts to the tour operator. Your previous roles
are essential, but how you describe them matters more.

Have fun with it. There is a variety of formats you can use. Change the headers that
highlight you; for example, Work Experience could be titled Leadership Experience, or use
Customer Service Highlights; determine what fits your background. Keep it professional, but
let your light shine.

MORE THAN STAMPS IN YOUR PASSPORT: Strategic Destination Presentation

Destination Knowledge: tour operators aren’t necessarily looking for an exhaustive list of every place you’ve ever visited. Be strategic. Where is that tour operator touring? What would they look for? You might be saying I haven’t traveled extensively, include where you have lived and what you know most about. Remember, they are looking at a snapshot of the entire picture of who you are.

VISUAL STORYTELLING: The Resume’s Secret Weapons

Picture this: A photo of yourself, not a corporate look but something that speaks to the hiring manager and captures your personality. Are you an adventure lover? Maybe a photo of you kayaking or hiking. The goal is to give a visual representation of who you are. Keep it professional so they can see you; don’t try to hide behind dark glasses. Let them see your smile.

The second essential piece is your introduction video. In today’s digital age, we capture everything through our phones. You don’t need to do anything high-tech; go to a studio, and your phone will do. ITMI’s training includes helping you craft the best version of yourself. What’s the ideal length? Well, be mindful that 30 seconds or 1 minute is usually best, but if it is longer, ensure it is interesting. Speak a language or several, and let them hear a sample of your skills. What’s the ideal background…anywhere that showcases what you want to tell them about you? Be careful that the background isn’t noisy on a busy street corner. Let your background lend to the story about yourself you started and your resume. It should capture you, and the sound quality should be clear.

THE COVER LETTER: Your Narrative Companion

Next, the cover letter. Some companies will tell you it is very important to them others will tell you they don’t bother with it. The cover letter and resume should work together as a cohesive team with all the other pieces. The cover letter should not be an attachment but in the body of your email. If you have created a video specifically for that tour company, place it in the body of the email as well. There are many ways to highlight yourself, and ITMI’s training will help you navigate the process. You may also want to tell them when you are available to work.

Whew…that was a lot of information…ITMI’s course will help you navigate the entire process included in the ITMI Tour Director Signature training.

A FINAL INVITATION

So, let’s review and remember that tour operators are looking for a personal connection with you. They want to get to know you digitally and determine your ability to solve problems, flexibility, and, more importantly, the potential to create memorable experiences for their company’s guests.

The resume should be a reflection of your personality, your experiences, and your potential. Consider it not as a list of qualifications but as a conversation starter that will make a hiring manager want to speak with you.

Ultimately, tour directing is more than leading a group through various destinations. It’s about creating connections, sharing stories, and helping travelers experience the world meaningfully. Your resume should capture that spirit of adventure and that passion for building bridges of understanding between cultures and traditions around the globe.

So, take a deep breath, embrace your uniqueness, and craft a resume representing the incredible tour director you are meant to be.

Are you ready to tell your personal story by becoming a tour guide or tour director?

For over five decades, ITMI has been transforming passion into a profession, able to help you get hired by telling your unique story in your resume. As a proud affiliate of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), ITMI continues to set the gold standard as the premier training institute in education for the travel industry. CONTACT US TODAY!

Webinar Replay

In this panel discussion, we will be asking Tour Operators questions like…

- What are the top mistakes that you see people make most often when sending in their resumes?
- What are the top mistakes that you see people make most often when interviewing?
- What are the turn-offs that get your resume or cover letter into the discard pile immediately?
- What stands out in a big pile of resumes or cover letters that makes you reach out?
- What are professional and respectful practices when a tour guide is following up after sending in a resume or after an interview so as to not pester the person hiring?
- And much more…

The tourism industry is poised to rebound and tours are will begin again. Are you ready to be hired? Find out directly from tour operators and what’s on their mind when they are evaluating potential candidates to hire.