Yesterday, The New York Times posted a job listing for a travel writer. By this morning, according to Refinery29, over 2,400 people had applied for it.
To be fair, it isn’t your typical travel job. The listing is for a correspondent for The Times’ 52 Places to Go feature. The writer would not only get to travel for work, he or she would get to go to some of the most fascinating places on earth — and do so for an entire year.
Per the listing:
This year, we want at least one ambitious traveler to turn our wish list into an itinerary.
We are seeking a correspondent who will go to every destination on our list and tell us the story of each place and the story of life on the road. The ideal candidate is a permanent student of life and astute documentarian of the world. This person should have a well-worn passport, the ability to parachute into a place and distill its essence and to render a compelling tale with words and images.
“We’re looking for the unicorn who has it all,” travel editor Monica Drake told Refinery29. Drake says that applicants aren’t necessarily experienced journalists, but dedicated travelers and writers.
“There are teachers…I think, at least, one bartender — people who know a lot about life but didn’t all get a Master’s in journalism and intern at progressively larger publications,” she said.
The Details and How to Apply
The ad outlines several qualifications:
Has traveled to several destinations.
Have documented travel in writing, social media or elsewhere. Is active on social media.
Has prior experience at a magazine, publishing company, newspaper, digital publication, film or other media organization.
Can commit to a full year.
The job also requires media experience, fluency in English and social media skills. While not required, ability to speak more than one language is a plus, according to the ad.
Interested? You can still apply at The New York Times’ jobs page. Who knows? You might be just the unicorn they’re looking for.
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