Tour Guides and Escorts
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Escort individuals or groups on sightseeing tours or through places of interest, such as industrial establishments, public buildings, and art galleries.
Demand
Core Tasks
Describe tour points of interest to group members, and respond to questions.
Escort individuals or groups on cruises, sightseeing tours, or through places of interest, such as industrial establishments, public buildings, or art galleries.
Monitor visitors' activities to ensure compliance with establishment or tour regulations and safety practices.
Conduct educational activities for school children.
Provide for physical safety of groups, performing such activities as providing first aid or directing emergency evacuations.
Research various topics, including site history, environmental conditions, and clients' skills and abilities to plan appropriate expeditions, instruction, and commentary.
Assemble and check the required supplies and equipment prior to departure.
Distribute brochures, show audiovisual presentations, and explain establishment processes and operations at tour sites.
Greet and register visitors, and issue any required identification badges or safety devices.
Provide directions and other pertinent information to visitors.
Drive motor vehicles to transport visitors to establishments and tour site locations.
Provide information about wildlife varieties and habitats, as well as any relevant regulations, such as those pertaining to hunting and fishing.
Train other guides and volunteers.
Teach skills, such as proper climbing methods, and demonstrate and advise on the use of equipment.
Collect fees and tickets from group members.
Select travel routes and sites to be visited based on knowledge of specific areas.
Perform clerical duties, such as filing, typing, operating switchboards, or routing mail and messages.
Solicit tour patronage and sell souvenirs.
Speak foreign languages to communicate with foreign visitors.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
89%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
83%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
History and Archeology
73%
Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Communications and Media
65%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Education and Training
64%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Geography
58%
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Fine Arts
57%
Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Public Safety and Security
56%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Transportation
55%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Psychology
53%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
65%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness
65%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation
63%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination
60%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring
60%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
60%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Time Management
60%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking
58%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making
55%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity
78%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Far Vision
63%
The ability to see details at a distance.
Speech Recognition
63%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension
63%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Near Vision
60%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
60%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
58%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
58%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Top 10 Work Activities
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
86%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Getting Information
85%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
80%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
80%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
79%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
73%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
66%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
66%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
63%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Training and Teaching Others
63%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Detailed Work Activities
Provide attraction or event information to patrons.
Respond to customer inquiries.
Guide patrons on tours.
Monitor patron activities to identify problems or potential problems.
Teach daily living skills or behaviors.
Gather information in order to provide services to clients.
Provide patrons with directions to locales or attractions.
Organize recreational activities or events.
Administer first aid.
Monitor availability of equipment or supplies.
Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
Distribute resources to patrons or employees.
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
Drive vehicles to transport patrons.
Train service staff.
Demonstrate activity techniques or equipment use.
Collect fares or payment from customers.
Perform administrative or clerical tasks.
Sell products or services.
Promote products, services, or programs.
Work Context
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Public Speaking
How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Education
Interests
Social
96%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Enterprising
67%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
39%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Realistic
34%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
19%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative
19%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Top 10 Work Styles
Adaptability/Flexibility
87%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Self Control
87%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Concern for Others
86%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
86%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
85%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
82%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Achievement/Effort
81%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Social Orientation
81%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Independence
79%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Integrity
79%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Work Values
Relationships
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
39%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
36%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
34%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Achievement
29%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
