Occupations for Local Guides

[StuartSimmons]

Discussion:

So I have been thinking about changing jobs lately and one thing that keeps coming up in my mind is how much I love being a Local Guide. So the point of my question/discussion is: What kinds of work is out there for Local Guides who want to do some Guiding or something similar for a living? What types of occupations involve the same types of activities as Guiding?

Thanks,

-Stuart

[JanVanHaver]

Well, @StuartSimmons, there are so many local business that are not claimed yet, that I think it is possible to make a living out of helping the ones that are not tech savvy. Quite a few of them might be willing to pay a small sum for someone experienced in this and offering services aimed at improving their web presence (with their presence on Maps being the ideal entry point).

I have published a blog post on that topic a while ago. 

[Threesixtography]

Stuart, my guess is your best bet as a local guide, as an occupation, would would be restricted to a few very specialized areas. What comes to mind are national and state parks. In these cases most of the guides are rangers, and often in those cases those individuals have degrees, and usually in some related field like agriculture, forestry, history, etc. Public and private museums often utilize guides but the venue will be restricted. Education requirements will likely vary in these as well. There are sporting guides like hunting and fishing, but these require a deep level of expertise that will support you through practical application. There are a few specialized services like in Hollywood, for instance, where you can guide around the entertainment industry.

My best guess is that if you want to be a paid local Google guide is that first, you would have to get Google's permission to use their name and trademark, depending on how you market your service. To work just as a local guide would just all come down to how you imagine and market your service. Much will depend on your local area and what attractions are available to draw crowds and how you can make an experience special. Perhaps if you couple guide service with concierge services you might make a real hit.

Good luck!

[Rezgar]

Hi @StuartSimmons
If you are interested in working at Google, please visit https://www.google.com/about/careers/