Career Advice on How to Become A Travel Clerk
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General Career Information
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| Travel clerks help guide and process travelers in our nations airports, train stations, bus stations and other transportation hubs. The travel clerk may sell tickets, check baggage or just provide exhausted and perplexed travelers with enough information to get them from Point A to Point B. While this job may not be glamorous, it certainly is necessary. The entire travel industry could simply not survive without the travel clerk. |
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Career Facts:
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The travel clerk must be able to work with the public. This is a job that is heavy on interacting with the public and providing them with a service. Much of the work of the travel clerk will center on processing travelers who have already purchased tickets, but the selling of tickets is extremely common as well. Many travel clerks at train stations and bus stations in particular, will spend a good percent of their day selling tickets to travelers on site.
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Career Opportunities and Job Outlook- Poor:
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The job growth for the travel clerk is only expected to be around one percent. Between now and 2016, few new jobs will be created. This is due, in part, to the introduction and implementation of automated systems for the taking of reservations. The “self-service kiosk” is becoming the dreaded enemy of any travel clerk looking to keep his or her job.
The self-service kiosk allows travelers to bypass the dealing with a human being altogether and handle the transaction on their own. The overall expected growth in air travel is playing a role in keeping this position from experiencing a dramatic contraction.
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A Day in The Life:
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Travel clerks, because they work with the public, can be faced with many of the same problems of anyone who has to deal with the public. One major and key difference is that travel clerk may have to deal with people who are already very stressed out from traveling and are usually far from being their best. This can make for difficult and unpleasant situations. Often it is the travel clerk, through no fault of his or her own, who may bear the fruit of this stress and frustration.
The work of a travel clerk can also be physically demanding as travel clerks can be required to lift heavy bags and stand on their feet for a good part of the day. In a word, this job can be a rough one.
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Average Salary:
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| The average salary for a travel clerk is about $28,500 with the top ten percent earning about $45,000 per year. |
$28k
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Career Training and Qualifications:
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| Travel clerks are usually trained on the job. Being able to stay calm under pressure and during stressful situations is definitely a must. Often travel clerks will have to deal with long lines of travelers who are often worried they will miss their plan or are already stressed by travel. It is necessary that a travel clerk is able to stay calm, especially during peak travel times. |
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