How to Be a New York City Personal Tour Guide
- 1
A solid understanding of landmarks and their significance is required to pass the license exam.statue of liberty image by Bionic Media from Fotolia.com
Obtain as much general information about New York City as you can. City tour guides must pass a 150-point professional license examination with a score of 97 or higher. Topics covered by the test include basic travel information like using public transportation, New York City history, art and culture, ethnic history, park information and landmark recognition. Residents of New York have a distinct advantage regarding this information, so you should consider living in the city before attempting this exam. - 2). Contact the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to schedule a sightseeing professional license examination.
- 3). Research prospective tour companies in the city to determine the right group for you. For example, food aficionados may enjoy conducting tours with a group like Nosh Walks. The official New York City website suggests the Guides Association of New York City for exploring tour guide opportunities.
- 4). Compile and update your resume before contacting your selected tour group. The group will want to see prior work history and activities in which you participated before conducting an interview.
- 5). Call or email the tour group that interests you to set up an interview.
Source...