Travel Jobs -- Working In Club Med, A Playland For Adults

Can you imagine a better life than that of a Club Med GO?

GOs - the French term gentils organisateurs or "congenial hosts" - are the Club Med happy faces, the camp counselors who look after guests at Club Med villages and on Club Med ships. About 20,000 of these good-looking young people work in villages worldwide, spending their days and nights in some of the world's most beautiful places, frolicking on beaches, eating gourmet food, meeting happy people on vacation. It's party, party, party.

"I love it. It's like a drug. I can't leave it," says 26-year-old Canadian Vanessa Read, who has been a GO for nearly seven years.

"I love not receiving bills in the mail, not looking for a parking space, not having to cook a meal or clean up after a meal. It's incredible," says Stuart Emery, a 34-year-old American and six-year veteran.

Where do you sign up?

Slow down, potentially happy camper. Are you sure you're GO material?

Mehdi Serrour, 34, a chef de village (village manager) who has been with Club Med for 14 years, looks for people who sincerely like people.

"We don't need stars," he says. "We need people who need to make stars of the guests."

Mehdi calls this being "generous with the people." GOs are expected to keep guests busy and happy, eat all meals with them, solve any problems and generally be their friends. And, by the way, romance between GOs and with guests is not against the rules. Stuart met his Brazilian wife Sofia, also a GO, at a Club Med.

There are 114 (and counting) Club Med villages in four zones: Europe/Africa, South America, Asia, North America. Club Med is a French company, and about 35 different languages are spoken by GOs worldwide, says Sylvio de Bortoli, Club Med's director of human resources.

Fluency in more than one language can help get you a Club Med job, but, Mehdi says, "I prefer one who speaks one language and is very appreciated by guests than one who speaks six languages and speaks to no one."

Vanessa learned French while working at Club Med. Stuart gets by on English only, though this is rare outside the American villages.

GOs change locations with each new contract. Each has specific jobs within the company, but Club Med likes to shuffle those jobs around from time to time to keep people fresh.

Sounds perfect, doesn't it?

Is anything?

Reality check:

GOs work seven days a week, usually six months at a stretch. While they have off-duty hours, "When you come out of your room - even though you may not be on duty - if a guest needs something, you have to help them," says Vanessa.

And you do it cheerfully.

"It's normal to have a bad day. You're allowed," says Vanessa. "But don't take it out on the guests. It's not their fault."

If a guest is unpleasant, says Mehdi, "We have to see why they are unpleasant. Most of the time it's our fault."

Expect the unexpected

Vanessa says the crucial GO trait is adaptability.

How adaptable? After a second interview with Club Med, Vanessa was told she would hear back soon. The company called that night and wanted her in a couple of days. Vanessa had a job, a boyfriend, a brand-new car and was house-sitting.

She took care of her business and took the job.

There are few guarantees in the GO life. There's little advance word on where your next assignment will be. The better a GO you are, the more likely you'll be able to choose your location - but no guarantees. The amount of unpaid time between assignments can be as little as a few days, as much as a few months.

And you can't be motivated by money.

"When I started, $450 was my salary," says Stuart. "I didn't think anything of it. Then I realized it was per month."

That $450 per month is the base salary for Americans, and there is no tipping at Club Med. Salaries climb as high as $1,200 a month, says Sylvio.

Of course, GOs do get room and board as well. Club Med meals are fabulous spreads, although GO accommodations are not always up to the standard of guests'. Some share rooms and/or baths. GOs also have access to all village facilities. With virtually no living expenses, GOs can save much of their salaries.

On her application, Vanessa wrote that she was a cheerleader, did gymnastics, enjoyed hiking, canoeing and horseback riding. She taught aerobics and choreographed shows for Club Med before moving to reception.

Both Stuart and Vanessa would like to make careers of Club Med, but aren't sure how to move up in the company.

That there is room for promotion is clear: Sylvio, with the company 26 years, started as a water- and snow-skiing GO. And, he says, the chief executive officer for the U.S. sector started as a GO in the villages. (All Club Med employees actually are called GOs.)

Evaluation forms filled out by supervisors at the end of each season address GOs' leadership potential, Sylvio says. Promotion decisions are made on the basis of those.

Getting the job

Still want the job?

Here's one way to get it: Sometimes a guest on vacation wants to stay forever. If the chef de village sees GO potential, a short-term au-pair - no salary - position might be offered. Do an outstanding job as an au pair and you might be offered a contract for the next season. (No guarantees.)

Or, you can call the Club Med recruitment hot line, (407) 337-6660, for information about applying for a job in the usual way. You must be at least 19 years old.

Vanessa and Stuart have had unusually long GO careers; the average is two years.

"When you are 22 years old, you can work six months, have fun learning and making some money," says Mehdi.

But at 34 and with no promotion in sight, Stuart is becoming concerned for his future and is exploring other jobs.

What will it take to woo him away from Club Med?

"A salary I feel will allow my lifestyle to continue," he says.

Let's see: He lives in two exotic locations each year, has lived all over the world, had all his meals prepared for him by French chefs, and meets new people every day. He has new co-workers every six months, and his life is spent helping people have fun.

Reality check, please.