By: Alison Ray, CMP - Executive Director, International Network of Travel Directors
At International Network of Travel Directors (INTD), a common question we are asked is "How do I find the right Travel Staff for my meetings?" As the hospitality industry’s only association dedicated to freelance travel professionals and the only online resource that connects meeting planners directly with TD’s, we take this question very seriously.
To assist planners with contracting and qualifying the right on-staff for meetings, events or incentive programs, INTD has integrated a four-step screening process. In most situations, meeting a candidate face to face is not an option and planners rely heavily on referrals, email communication and phone interviews. Regardless of which contracting style is selected, planners should always follow these guidelines before hiring a travel director to represent their company or their client’s organization.
Step One: Review a travel director’s online profile thoroughly
In just one click, meeting planners can access a travel director’s resume, home city location via a Google map, downloadable resume, years experience, photo, education, certifications and areas of on-site expertise.
Step Two: Conduct a phone interview
Once a candidate confirms his/her availability it is extremely important to conduct a phone interview before offering the available job no matter what the required responsibilities may be. Sample interview questions can be found at INTDONLINE.
Step Three: Check at least three references (also listed directly on the travel director profiles)
Request a minimum of three meeting planner references who have hired the candidate in the capacity of a freelance Travel Director or Tour Guide. It is imperative you call each reference. Suggested questions for checking references can be found at INTDONLINE.
Step Four: Provide a Service Agreement
Providing a service agreement detailing compensation, per diem guidelines and corporate policies is imperative upon offering a project to a freelance contractor. A sample travel director service agreement is available at INTDONLINE.
To make the contracting and hiring experience even easier, INTD has developed a comprehensive collection of tips and articles for meeting planners, which include sample interview questions, how to conduct reference calls and what to ask, on-site checklists and more! Visit International Network of Travel Directors, Your passport to meeting and career success!
About INTD
International Network of Travel Directors is a membership based association dedicated to freelance travel professionals for the purpose of career development, networking and freelance opportunities. As the hospitality industry’s largest and most trusted online resource, INTD has a network of over 800 travel director profiles worldwide and helps meeting planners connect directly with travel directors and tour guides. Our Preferred Vendor Program now includes Hertz, TruBlue Worldwide, Hinton & Grusich, ZipSetGo and HealthPlanOne. For more information, visit INTD’s website at http://www.intdonline.org.
