The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures: Internships, Extraordinary Experiences, Seasonal Jobs, Volunteering, Working Abroad (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Remember when you thought about "what I want to be when I grow up"?..." (more)
Key Phrases: call for application materials, email for more information, environmental education instructors, New York, Outward Bound, Costa Rica (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"soup-to-nuts information on how to select the volunteer vacation that'¬?s right for you"-Rotarian "This is the kind of guidebook that makes you want to run away from home to do things like study the rainforest in Costa Rica or do grunt work in exchange for yoga classes."-Atlanta Journal Constitution"Back Door is absolutely stuffed with sage advice, wonderful recommendations, and great tips. You will meet many inspirational figures in these pages, risk-takers who dared to make detours along life'¬?s journey and open themselves up to new adventures."-Chicago Tribune"I always liked this book-but now I like it even more. Michael Landes has updated it in interesting ways and places. I think this is one of the most fascinating books in the whole career field."-Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?"If you don'¬?t want to spend your golden years wondering what might have been, this book is a must-read." -Alison Doyle, Job Search Expert, About.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures 3rd Edition by Michael Landes Tempted to chuck your 9-to-5 job to be a white-water rafting guide in Alaska? Always wanted to spend your summer restoring a medieval castle in the south of France? This one-of-a-kind guide contains more than 1,000 opportunities to work, play, learn, help, create, experience, and grow. This comprehensive resource for off-the-beaten-path work-and-learn adventures will introduce you to options you didn’t even know existed. In this third edition, Michael Landes has extensively updated the listings to provide the most current information, and added new listings for internships, seasonal work, volunteer opportunities, and overseas jobs. Seize your life and your career path in both hands and step through the Back Door—the world awaits you.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; 3rd edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580084494
• ISBN-13: 978-1580084499
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #548,462 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life's too short for a book this comprehensive!, December 7, 2002

By	"mattythecobra" (Pembroke, NH United States) - See all my reviews

I've seen dozens of volunteer books, adventure-job books, online databases, etc., but this is still my favorite. While some other places may contain more addresses, and yet others more information on each contact, this achieves the perfect balance. Hundreds of exciting jobs await, many well-paying and many volunteer. I've spent countless hours browsing this book dreaming and have used it for one job so far (at an out-of-the-way resort in Olympic National Park).

The chapters are divided usefully into sections on artistic pursuits, overseas jobs, environmental jobs, adventure jobs, farming jobs, etc., and are peppered with helpful anecdotes from people who've been there. The only drawback, as others have noted, is that the vast majority of listings are US-based. So if you wish to find more non-American jobs, try somewhere else, otherwise this is the best place to start dreaming AND doing!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It got me here!, May 11, 2002

By	"twingonaut" (Gunma Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures : Internships, Extraordinary Experiences, Seasonal Jobs, Volunteering, Work Abroad (Paperback)

When I first glanced through the book I didn't think it had a lot to offer. Many of the jobs were volunteer and I needed income. There were not tons of choices in that respect, but some nice ones. It is really good for people who have the desire to try something different, money and luxuries notwithstanding. The writing is whimsical and holistic, yet it doesn't romanticize the type of jobs. People who want to find a future of stability and high income should look elsewhere, anyone who wants to walk on the other side for a bit may want to pick it up. I'm currently happily teaching English in Japan thanks to this book.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book showed me many possobilities that I didn't know ex, October 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures (Paperback)

Not only did this book help me to choose my next step, but several of my friends went out and bought the book. It took one to Olympia, Washington to work for AmeriCorps, one to Moab, Utah to teach at an outdoor school, and many others are looking through the pages now to try and give themselves a better grasp on all the possibilities that are out there.