There’s a beautiful line in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring: “It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no telling where you’ll be swept off to.”
For ITMI students, the first step is often the hardest. You decide you don’t want to stay where you are, and you point your compass in a different direction. That step can feel like a leap of faith into the unknown, trusting that the ground will appear beneath you. Tour Guiding & Directing isn’t your typical career, and there are a lot of logistics to juggle and opportunities to pursue. But if you’re courageous enough to embark on the journey, there’s no limit to the places you could go!
With ITMI coursework as a solid foundation, they help prepare students to attend in-person and virtual hiring conferences. In our last post, we met three ITMI students who shared their experience with ITMI’s training in preparation for securing their first jobs as tour directors. Their journeys continue in this post, as we chat with them about the opportunities that came out of these recent conferences, and how they’ve made decisions. As first-timers at these conferences, our grads share advice for new students on how to create connections and set yourself up for success.
Landing Your First Gigs: How are you weighing your options? Did the conferences change your thoughts about the types of jobs you wanted?
Happily, all three ITMI grads received multiple offers from a variety of tour operators. Then came the hard part – in a sea of fantastic options, what do you choose?
“The decision-making process is hard!” Stephanie’s struggle revolved around different timelines Tour Operators have for making their offers, knowing “sometimes you’re turning down one option without knowing if another option will actually happen.” She’s selecting potential employers by getting to know their core values, how they support their staff and treat their guests. Of course, she admits, logistics and compensation factor in, but secondary to values that align with hers. And after her research is done, Stephanie is leaning on her faith to lead her to the path intended for her.
Similarly, Kim is making decisions from her own self-assuredness, while drawing on the divine. “At the conference, I was open to what the Universe wanted to put in my path,” she said. “I am trusting my intuition when it comes to saying yes to opportunities. Even though I was actively in discussions with my #1 pre-conference TO, I pressed pause on that opportunity and said yes to another. When this other opportunity presented itself, and I was offered the job, I literally jumped up and down. I’ve never in my life been so excited about being selected for a job. That right there told me everything I needed to know. Once all was said and done, the companies I’m going to work for next year weren’t really on my radar prior to attending the conference. But I couldn’t be more excited.”
Heidi got a head start into her tour directing career, landing a gig prior to attending, which can happen through ITMI’s job leads emails. She was interviewed by a former ITMI grad, and given her first opportunity. “The person I interviewed with was a 1981 graduate and believes so strongly in what ITMI does, he hired me on the spot! I was very impressed with the doors that opened simply from being connected to ITMI,” Heidi said.
Heidi, too, had to weigh her options without having total clarity. “You have to make decisions without having all the offers and information at the same time, which is quite nerve-wracking.” In the end, Heidi opted to turn down some offers she received immediately following the conference, in pursuit of another company that makes longer-lead decisions. “If I accepted a role with a company that didn’t feel right, I’d be forfeiting an opportunity with something else later. I’m looking for a company that aligns with my needs right now.”
And that’s the name of the game. Kim adds: “This is a starting point. If we wait for total clarity, it’ll never come. All we can do is make the best decisions we have with the information available to us at the time, and confidently move forward.”
Charting Your Path: As we enter 2025 and you embark on this exciting new career, what are you most looking forward to?
Stephanie: “What makes me most excited is the people I will meet on and through these tours. I’ll get to take middle schoolers to DC for the first time and share a special location or story that might change the course of a student’s life! I’ll get to lead a group of seniors on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Balloon Fiesta, helping them create lasting memories at an event that holds so many special memories for me. There’s lots of things that I love about traveling, but people are always the most important to me. I’ve met some of my best friends through travel and those friends and experiences have changed my life. I’m excited to create that for other people, providing opportunities where they can meet new best friends and have life changing experiences themselves. And I know along the way I’ll also meet more wonderful friends and make more lasting memories.”
Kim: “Travel has shaped my entire life – and changed its trajectory. Personally, I’ve visited 35 countries across 5 continents, and each time I explore a new place, I come back a little better for having gone. I love opening the world to others, showing them how much beauty and wonder await on the other side of fear. It’s scary to leave your comfort zone and go explore the world, but it’s incredibly empowering and life-changing in the best possible ways. When I think about leading groups of travelers, what excites me most is the opportunity to help people who want to better themselves. If they’ve signed up for a group tour, that means they’re ready to learn and grow—and I feel so fortunate that I’ll be able to take them by the hand and help them achieve their travel dreams, making the process as easy and personally fulfilling as possible. What a privilege.”
Heidi: “Travel is the best educator and the best way I know to feel alive and awake to all life has to offer. At the moment what makes me most excited is empowering, adventurous solo female travel—connecting with like-minded people to have enriching experiences. I love having new experiences, exploring with no agenda, seeing new things, meeting new people, learning about the world (cultures, food, customs, nature, geography, politics)—and learning about me. I’m endlessly enchanted by finding hidden gems and learning interesting facts to share with people who equally appreciate it. It really lights me up.”
Advice for New Students: What words of wisdom do you have for potential new ITMI students looking to get into this exciting new field of Tour Guiding & Directing?
Kim, on trusting the process + yourself: “Get to know yourself and trust where your heart pulls you. No matter your background, you bring something applicable—and desirable!—to the table. You will learn a LOT during your ITMI coursework, and it’s natural to feel some imposter syndrome about a few aspects of this unique TD gig. (I’m looking at you, public speaking! And yet one company hired me for my “understated nature.”) If you are drawn to this line of work, I encourage you to sign up for ITMI and embrace the journey. Even if you don’t think you fit the ‘mold,’ you will be amazed by the doors that open. Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”
Stephaine, on preparing for opportunities: “Do your research beforehand and be professional, but also just be yourself in interviews and throughout the conference. Two of my call back interviews after the conference (from companies I know are more limited in their hiring and usually don’t hire new TDs) came solely from casual interactions outside of formal interviews. I honestly didn’t think I had a chance with one of these companies so I just enjoyed getting to know them as individuals and friends, and those conversations turned into an interview and possible job! Don’t have your heart set so much on one company that you miss other opportunities, or are so stressed that you don’t enjoy your time.”
Heidi, on making the right connections: “I’ve learned that doors will open if you knock. At conferences, don’t pack your schedule with back-to-back interviews, but don’t be shy about reaching out to Tour Operators directly to set up a time to chat—even go up and introduce yourself at a social event. Small connections make a huge difference. Write down a list of things that are important to you, what you’re looking for, and what strengths you bring to the table. And develop a pitch that’s specific about why you’re drawn to a particular company. Know that you won’t be right for every company, and every company won’t be right for you—but be yourself and you’ll find the ones that fit.”
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Oh, the places you could go in 2025!
