Latest posts for the topic "Ski Jobs"

Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:30:33 GMT

Hey guys and girls! I haven't posted on here in a while...

I hope this year (Come September 2009) I can take up on the opportunity of working abroad for a season in a ski resort, of course..
I've been keeping an eye on the Ski Jobs section of J2Ski and have noticed that the start and finish dates are of last/this season's.
Does anyone know when these dates will be updated and when a good time to start applying is?
Anybody any experience or any knowledge of this?

Thanks guys! :)

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:39:45 GMT

i am doing the same, most people i have spoke to have said to keep an eye out around the end of april/ may time

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:40:42 GMT

Thanks for the info Amanda, very helpful!
All the best to you :)

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:44:29 GMT

forgot Mr W sent me a goodlink

season workers in google search try that some were immediate start for the end of the season higher up

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:34:27 GMT

Try registering on this site, and call in frequently FNO.....

http://www.natives.co.uk/

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:03:59 GMT

you might try somewhere bluedome or http://www.outdoorstaff.co.uk/ or http://www.adventuresportsholidays.com/jobs/index.php or http://www.traveljobs365.com/index.php but these are more for qualified people. Otherwise as Bandit suggested there's unskilledtoiletcleaners.co.uk or whatever it's called.

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:06:47 GMT

ISE thats not fair, i would happily clean toilets if it meant i could wakeup every morning and see the mountains, and just sit at the top of them once a week feeling glad to be alive.

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:08:02 GMT

I second that Amanda! But yeah, cheers for all the info guys! :)

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:09:38 GMT

ise wrote:you might try somewhere bluedome or http://www.outdoorstaff.co.uk/ or http://www.adventuresportsholidays.com/jobs/index.php or http://www.traveljobs365.com/index.php but these are more for qualified people. Otherwise as Bandit suggested there's unskilledtoiletcleaners.co.uk or whatever it's called.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:09:41 GMT

amanda n wrote:ISE thats not fair, i would happily clean toilets if it meant i could wakeup every morning and see the mountains, and just sit at the top of them once a week feeling glad to be alive.

I wouldn't, there's no need for it. Living in the mountains isn't a break from the real world, it is the real world and I'm not going to live like a student :lol:

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:20:54 GMT

It's a real change from living in the city, Ise. Some of us just wanna experience what it's like and have that opportunity :)

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:01:04 GMT

ise wrote:

amanda n wrote:ISE thats not fair, i would happily clean toilets if it meant i could wakeup every morning and see the mountains, and just sit at the top of them once a week feeling glad to be alive.

I wouldn't, there's no need for it. Living in the mountains isn't a break from the real world, it is the real world and I'm not going to live like a student :lol:

My life as a student is pretty damn sweet :lol:

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:09:59 GMT

i'm afraid that if it meant i had to go work as a cleaner or any unskilled hard working job to live the life i want then i am not proud i would do it.

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:25:23 GMT

Amanda,
I have a degree, but yet I do lots of unskilled manual work, as well as management type stuff. I reckon one feels happier, and more balanced as a person, doing a bit of each. Of course, it is a bit different with me, because I'm self-employed, but I still have to do lots of gross stuff when cleaning, worse than toilets, and I spent years shovelling cow muck etc.

I admire your determination. If you're prepared to do anything, I'm sure you'll get a job, and then you can work your way up to doing whatever it is that you decide you like best. And the mountains are SO beautiful, I reckon it will be worth all the hard work, to live there.

I decided to be a farmer because I like living in the country, although I was brought up in the city, and I like working outside and manual work.

Best of luck with getting a job in a ski resort,

Ally

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:38:03 GMT

thanks Ally,

I have some contacts and will be making calls next week.

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:13:33 GMT

amanda n wrote:i'm afraid that if it meant i had to go work as a cleaner or any unskilled hard working job to live the life i want then i am not proud i would do it.

Seasonal work is just that, seasonal. In most ski stations that means 3 or 4 months at best. Mostly those jobs involve long, antisocial hours for so little money that they're actually below the minimum wage of the county you're in. Someone working in the average seasonaire job will ski fewer days in the season than their counterpart down the valley doing a normal job. Most seasonaires will leave at the end of the first and last season they do in debt. Some people might choose to do that for a few months but nowadays a lot of people now realise it's easier to try and earn enough in the rest of the year and just ski for a couple of months.

If you want to actually make a life here it takes considerably harder work than just being prepared to do unskilled labour for below minimum wage. I'd also avoid taking advice from people who imagine how great it all must based on their holiday no matter how well intentioned it is or those that did that one season and then went to something else. I think there's a handful of people who post here who can give some realistic advice. Determination and a preparedness to do anything won't get you anywhere at all on their own, what you actually need is a realistic plan and to have considered the downsides. Any dream doesn't do, what it needs is a plan :lol:

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:29:29 GMT

An instructor I was talking to when we were in Bulgaria said that in the summer a lot of them go off to the Black Sea resorts and teach windsurfing etc.

I would have thought there'd be summer work as well in France etc. at the seaside resorts.

I live close to the sea here in Wales, and in the summer there's a great shortage of seasonal workers to work as cleaners, behind the bar, waitresses etc. because we have an enormous influx of tourists during the summer staying in hotels, campsites, self-catering holiday cottages, and B&B. And of course all these workers get paid at least the minimum wage, if not a great deal more.

I guess it all depends on how much money one needs to live on. I can live on very little - but then I am tea-total, and I don't like eating out, or buying clothes etc. etc. (pretty boring person generally). But I don't know if Amanda, or anyone else, :lol: could live like me.

I know someone who gave up an extremely well paid IT job to work in a ski resort for practically nothing, except his keep, and he's very happy doing it.

And my own sister was happy for years doing yacht deliveries for practically no money.

Amanda,
I think it all depends on your priorities, and where you are at the moment in life. And as Ise says, you must have a well thought out plan. Anyway, I hope whatever you decide to do works out for you,

Ally

Re:Ski Jobs

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:34:31 GMT

I am the antiAllyG, I think a good balance is important.

I would love to be able to ski every day but on the other hand I like being able to see something I like and buy it.. or at least have the option to think 'I can save for that without missing meals'.

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:18:04 GMT

AllyG wrote:An instructor I was talking to when we were in Bulgaria said that in the summer a lot of them go off to the Black Sea resorts and teach windsurfing etc.

I think you've missed the point of your own anecdote. So the instructor was someone who was qualified to tech skiing in the winter and qualified to teach wind surfing in the summer, they'll have earned more in both locations than someone doing unskilled work. Even then, you're talking about 4 or 5 months actual work at the very best.

AllyG wrote:I would have thought there'd be summer work as well in France etc. at the seaside resorts.

I live close to the sea here in Wales, and in the summer there's a great shortage of seasonal workers to work as cleaners, behind the bar, waitresses etc. because we have an enormous influx of tourists during the summer staying in hotels, campsites, self-catering holiday cottages, and B&B. And of course all these workers get paid at least the minimum wage, if not a great deal more.

They're pretty fortunate to be getting minimum wage, most UK staff in ski resorts don't when their actual working hours are taking into account. The ability of ski companies to behave like that in France particularly explains why so many companies are based there and so few in Switzerland where they're supposed to follow the actual law of the country.

AllyG wrote:I guess it all depends on how much money one needs to live on. I can live on very little - but then I am tea-total, and I don't like eating out, or buying clothes etc. etc. (pretty boring person generally). But I don't know if Amanda, or anyone else, :lol: could live like me.

I know someone who gave up an extremely well paid IT job to work in a ski resort for practically nothing, except his keep, and he's very happy doing it.

until he retires I presume :lol: there's no end of people living hand to mouth like that, you can't do it for long though.

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:26:38 GMT

Pablo Escobar wrote:I am the antiAllyG, I think a good balance is important.

I would love to be able to ski every day but on the other hand I like being able to see something I like and buy it.. or at least have the option to think 'I can save for that without missing meals'.

I think that's about right. You can certainly give up luxuries like new large screen TV's or flash cars, my car is now 4 years old and the TV about 10, and I don't intend to replace either soon :lol: But, I'm just about to buy another camera and I don't intend to give up luxuries like that or going out for dinner.

I'd also be be really wary of believing people who reckon they can live for very little, particularly they're telling you the real story. They might own their properties, not have debt and actually have enough financial security not to worry about making provision for old age and be able to live without burning any of their capital.

Being a chalet girl in Verbier and marrying a rich client after 10 years would work well :D that's a good plan

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:38:29 GMT

Ise,
How do ski companies get away without paying the minimum wage in France? I thought it was an EU law, and therefore should apply equally in Britain and France.

We used to employ an agricultural student, and I used to have to work out his hours each week, make sure I was paying him the correct wage for his age (determined by the Agricultural Wages Board), spend about 10 minutes working out his N.I. and tax contributions and making a record for the tax man, and then pay him.

I agree one can't live hand to mouth, in a ski resort or anywhere else, for long, but it is a fun thing to do at certain stages in one life - either when you're young or semi-retired. And I also agree I'm unusual. I'm a very difficult person to buy presents for, because as one of my friends said, I'm not actually interested in material possessions. The kids used to give me presents like 'be good' vouchers, which I was allowed to produce whenever they were behaving badly, or tea making vouchers etc.

Ally

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:46:43 GMT

AllyG wrote:Ise,
How do ski companies get away without paying the minimum wage in France? I thought it was an EU law, and therefore should apply equally in Britain and France.

with the greatest of ease, the numbers of hours worked isn't what's stated and they include accommodation or lift passes or tips to make the money up. Mostly by just be being off the radar. The effects on the local economy are dreadful obviously, it's a scam that relies on a steady stream of staff prepared to be exploited and customers to accept poor service, unlike other countries the UK is able to provide both.

AllyG wrote: agree one can't live hand to mouth, in a ski resort or anywhere else, for long, but it is a fun thing to do at certain stages in one life - either when you're young or semi-retired.

So now this isn't a life choice but an extended holiday. Personally I'd find the idea of cleaning toilets for a couple of months to ski a couple of half days each week then go back to the UK pretty unsatisfactory.

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:53:33 GMT

Ise,
I was thinking more of a time period of up to 5 years. My sister was doing yacht delivery for about this length of time. The real problems start when you have kids. Children are very expensive to keep. It begins with nappies and cots, and moves on to shoes and school uniform, and then progresses to computers, holidays, and trendy new clothes and ipods etc.

I think it's totally disgraceful that the ski companies get away with treating their British employees like that. I had no idea - you are quite right, I seem to be a total ignoramus on this issue. Thanks for enlightening me.

Ally

Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:19:31 GMT

baillie353 wrote:Hey guys and girls! I haven't posted on here in a while...

I hope this year (Come September 2009) I can take up on the opportunity of working abroad for a season in a ski resort, of course..
I've been keeping an eye on the Ski Jobs section of J2Ski and have noticed that the start and finish dates are of last/this season's.
Does anyone know when these dates will be updated and when a good time to start applying is?
Anybody any experience or any knowledge of this?

Thanks guys! :)

This is right up my alley.

The Downside_
I worked at a ski resort south of Cleveland Ohio. I was a lift operator for two seasons (this and last, and I was also trained on maintenance) From my perspective. It's one of the most dangerous jobs on the resort. The lifts that I worked needed some serious welding and the resort walked a VERY fine line between saving the resort a few pennies and seriously injuring employees. I can go on for about a day on this. PM me if you wish. I'm a mountain of info.

The Upside (because there really is one) Skiing, skiing, skiing. I met alot of people, whom I dear fully miss. I miss my guests. I wasn't just a worker. I got to be their friends. The comradeship I needed to share with other as coworkers was a necessary part of the job. I wasn't just a piece of meat to my co-workers. I was a sister and I felt like I was needed. When you see one of your guests take a hard fall, you help them and they appreciate it. Usually every resort worker is privy to free skiing. My ski patrol guys were fricken' awesome that's always a bonus. You also get to deal with happy people.

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:22:26 GMT

:shock:

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:37:24 GMT

I spent several years doing winters in the mountains as a chalet girl earning a pitance. I was there for the skiing but I also worked hard and got a bonus at the end of it. This then funded my travel to the south of France where I pitched a tent until I got a job on a yacht as a stewardess earning stupid money and outrageous tips from some of the richest people I've ever met.

It's hard work but worth it for a few months of travelling around the Mediterranean and putting all your hard earned tax free money under your mattress.

Chalet Girl = cleaning loos and waitressing @ GBP100 a week
Stewardess = cleaning loos and waitressing @ GBP300-400 + tips a week, tax free

Good luck to those that plan on doing it. :D

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:52:19 GMT

NellyPS wrote:
Chalet Girl = cleaning loos and waitressing @ GBP100 a week
Stewardess = cleaning loos and waitressing @ GBP300-400 + tips a week, tax free

useful info but more so if you gave an idea of the number of weeks

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:58:59 GMT

Thanks NellyPS,
It sounds like you had a really good time,

Ally

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:17:15 GMT

NellyPS wrote:I spent several years doing winters in the mountains as a chalet girl earning a pitance. I was there for the skiing but I also worked hard and got a bonus at the end of it. This then funded my travel to the south of France where I pitched a tent until I got a job on a yacht as a stewardess earning stupid money and outrageous tips from some of the richest people I've ever met.

It's hard work but worth it for a few months of travelling around the Mediterranean and putting all your hard earned tax free money under your mattress.

Chalet Girl = cleaning loos and waitressing @ GBP100 a week
Stewardess = cleaning loos and waitressing @ GBP300-400 + tips a week, tax free

Good luck to those that plan on doing it. :D

Any dirt to dish?

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:31:52 GMT

ise wrote:[I think that's about right. You can certainly give up luxuries like new large screen TV's or flash cars, my car is now 4 years old and the TV about 10, and I don't intend to replace either soon :lol:

I would consider a 4 year old car very flash!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:33:29 GMT

Brucie wrote:

ise wrote:[I think that's about right. You can certainly give up luxuries like new large screen TV's or flash cars, my car is now 4 years old and the TV about 10, and I don't intend to replace either soon :lol:

I would consider a 4 year old car very flash!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:

:lol: What do you drive brucie?

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:36:44 GMT

Pablo Escobar wrote:

Brucie wrote:

ise wrote:[I think that's about right. You can certainly give up luxuries like new large screen TV's or flash cars, my car is now 4 years old and the TV about 10, and I don't intend to replace either soon :lol:

I would consider a 4 year old car very flash!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:

:lol: What do you drive brucie?

He just told you a car :!: :!: :!: :!: :mrgreen:

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:36:55 GMT

Vauxhall Cavalier TD 1995, 138000miles and still going strong!!!!!!!

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:37:02 GMT

Brucie wrote:

ise wrote:[I think that's about right. You can certainly give up luxuries like new large screen TV's or flash cars, my car is now 4 years old and the TV about 10, and I don't intend to replace either soon :lol:

I would consider a 4 year old car very flash!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:

my point was I'll not be trading up anytime soon, in fact, I'd rather like to get by without a car if I could. And I'm pretty certain it's the last (but one) brand new one we'll have for a while.

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:39:26 GMT

Regarding the chalet girl in Verbier hypothesis, I suppose they would always run the risk of being traded in for a newer model!!!!!!!! :lol:

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:40:03 GMT

Re:Ski Jobs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:26:05 GMT

ise wrote:

Brucie wrote:

ise wrote:[I think that's about right. You can certainly give up luxuries like new large screen TV's or flash cars, my car is now 4 years old and the TV about 10, and I don't intend to replace either soon :lol:

I would consider a 4 year old car very flash!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:

my point was I'll not be trading up anytime soon, in fact, I'd rather like to get by without a car if I could. And I'm pretty certain it's the last (but one) brand new one we'll have for a while.

It will still be a flash car when it's 10 years old :lol:

No mention of the fact that your pc screen is big enough to warrant selling tickets and having an ice cream lady stood nearby during the interval )

Re:Ski Jobs

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:19:26 GMT

Ultimately it depends on what you want. If moving permanently is your dream, then being a seasoner probably isn't the answer - it's not a career working for someone else for your board, lodging, ski hire, lift pass, travel and board plus a bit of cash. Running your own chalet operation or bar can however be a career move if you make it a success.

However if you just want to do something different, to gain some great experiences, and get a decent amount of skiing in , then working for a tour operator can be great fun.

My suggestion if you want to do a couple of seasons is:
1. Decide which resorts you'd like to work in
2. Find out which small operators go there
3. Get their brochures now
4. Call them to ask what jobs they offer
5. Ask what their staff to guest ratio is
6. Ask them when you should apply
7. Decide what job(s) you want to do
8. Apply

The Tarantaise resorts with small operators will generally mean being in the alps from the start of December until the end of April, about 20 weeks.

If you get yourself sorted, running a chalet to a high standard and efficiently can mean skiing from 10 am until 4 pm on 5 days a week.

Be inefficient and you'll be lucky to get 2 hours a day for those 5 days.

Doing a couple of seasons can open the door to a more permanent move if you integrate a little, without the need to get married!!!!

Re:Ski Jobs

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 13:30:00 GMT

I'm sure I've said this before, but I never got a choice when I first started out, it takes time to get established with a TO before you can start demanding where you want to go.

I was obviously very efficient, I got to ski 6 days a week between around 10.30am and 4pm :D

Re:Ski Jobs

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 16:10:02 GMT

NellyPS wrote:I'm sure I've said this before, but I never got a choice when I first started out, it takes time to get established with a TO before you can start demanding where you want to go.

I was obviously very efficient, I got to ski 6 days a week between around 10.30am and 4pm :D

Can't believe that :mrgreen: