Maybe you’re a millennial, and you’ve just reached a point in your career where you’re being asked to travel for work.
You might also be someone who’s just started a new job, and it’s going to involve a lot of traveling.
Regardless of the specifics, when you’re young, and you’re about to go on your first business trip, there’s a lot of think about.
You might feel some anxiety, but the following are some tips that can help you prepare.
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Keeping Up With Your Expenses
If your budget is tight, you might not want to hear this, but you may have to cover the expenses of your trip until you can be reimbursed. Plan for this ahead of time, so you’re not stuck in a difficult spot.
Most businesses use some kind of expense report app so you can track all your expenses and be reimbursed more quickly, however.
In this way, you’re better off than the business travelers before you who had to keep up with all their receipts throughout their trip and then wait long periods of time for their reimbursements.
Just make sure you know what your employer expects, and what your responsibilities are in terms of managing expenses before you leave.
Other things to think about before you leave include knowing what you’ll need for your expense reports, and what spending expectations or requirements are. Don’t head out on the road until you know these things.
Clarify What Level of Communication is Expected
When you’re on the road, your boss and home office may still expect to hear from you consistently. See how often you’re expected to check in, and how quickly you should be responding if people are emailing you.
Also, should you be keeping up with all emails before the end of the day, or can you put on an out-of-office message and deal with them when your trip is over?
Every workplace is going to have different expectations and a different culture, so make sure you’re clear.
Be Smart with Your Scheduling
Millennials tend to be a demographic that loves traveling for work, contrary to older generations. They see it as a time to mix work and pleasure, but on your first trip, you’re likely to hit some unexpected bumps along the way.
When you’re scheduling your first trip, it’s probably best not to plan any sightseeing or visits with friends that live where you’re going.
Business travel rarely goes as expected, so you’re probably going to be delayed by everything from your flight to traffic.
Finally, if you’re going to a great city, it can be tempting to want to have late dinners or enjoy the nightlife, but skip it. It’s your first business trip, and you need to be thinking about impressing your boss.
Even if you’re one of those people can stay out late and still perform well the next day, it’s just never a great idea.
If your coworkers or clients invite you out for drinks, you may need to skip that as well because you don’t want to end up putting yourself in an awkward situation after a few drinks.
Keep it simple and professional, especially as you’re just getting the hang of business travel.
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