You’ve started your tour business(opens in a new tab), and everything seems to be running smoothly. You’ve set up social media profiles, perfected your website, and chosen a booking software that works for you. It’s time to start running your tours! The problem is, you’re only one person. Although you may be able to balance running a company with leading tours for now, you can’t be on top of it all.
Luckily, there’s lots of other fun and savvy locals who know their way around your area! With a bit of training, they’ll be well-suited tour guides for your company. But how do you find these people and invite them to work for you?
The internet continues to be a marvelous thing, in part because of its ability to simplify. You no longer have to rely on ads in the classified section of the newspaper. Now you can instantaneously post your ad on hundreds of job sites using tools like ZipRecruiter(opens in a new tab). But you don’t need hundreds of applicants: you just need a few great ones. So where to start?
I’ve compiled a list of a few places where you can hunt for guides. From sites specifically tailored to tour companies to general job boards, you’ve got plenty of options.
Posting on Your Own Website
One of the easiest ways to advertise that you’re looking for tour guides is by posting the job information on your website. It doesn’t need to be elaborate: some simple information about what the job entails, what kind of people you’re looking for, and certifications needed should be enough to pique a potential employee’s interest. One of our recently launched sites, Guideline Tours(opens in a new tab), has a page dedicated to hiring. It fits in nicely with the style of the rest of their site, and it’s available via the menu and footer. That way, someone trying to learn more about the company is likely to stumble upon it.
Devon and Cornwall Guides(opens in a new tab) is another one of our websites with a great example of how to incorporate job openings on your tour website. Their splash page includes a brief description of what they offer and who they’re looking for, as well as a nifty form that applicants can fill out to express their interest.
However you choose to do it, it doesn’t hurt to have the position listed on your website. If anything, it makes it easier for potential applicants to seek you out on Google.
Local Facebook Groups
Facebook is a great way to find locals in your area who are looking for work. There are groups created just for people living in a certain city or region, and you can post your job specifications there to see if there is any interest. Here in Chile, for example, there is a Facebook group where people from all over the world living in Chile can talk to each other in English. Many members (like myself) are expats looking for tips on making the most of their time here, and job postings are common. Tourism Tiger itself has posted job openings on groups like these — and it’s how we found our latest professionals!
If you’re not yet familiar with LinkedIn, we have a great blog post introducing you to this platform. The site can be boiled down to social media for professionals — you can connect with people in your network, create a resume-like page for yourself, and search for jobs. Although there is a fee for posting a job opening that is discoverable via the job search box, Firefish Software offers some suggestions(opens in a new tab) on where you can post for free, such as on your company profile.
Indeed
Ranked as the number one job site worldwide(opens in a new tab), Indeed(opens in a new tab) offers an easy way for companies to broadcast their position to thousands of applicants. Users can save and follow searches and receive a notification whenever a new posting appears that meets the criteria. Although the sheer size of the site can make it a bit intimidating for first-time job posters, it’s actually relatively simple. The search function just requires that a potential applicant put in keywords and a location where they’re looking to be hired. It then populates a list of jobs sorted by most relevant. Because it’s so large and so simple to navigate, it’s definitely worth posting your open position on here!
Hiring doesn’t have to be scary, especially for someone who took the plunge and opened their own tour company! Let the internet help you shoulder the burden, and then check out these tips on what to look for in a great tour guide(opens in a new tab).
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