One of the great things about ski resorts is the diversity of opportunities available. The opportunities to work for the anchor resort are fairly obvious, but don’t forget all of the small local businesses that need winter workers as well.
Here’s just a small sampling of the jobs available at a ski resort:
- Ski/Snowboarding Instructor: Of course, this is the job everyone thinks of first at a ski resort.The glamourous uniform, the perfect skiing style, these are the kings of the mountain. Hobnob with the rich and famous while tempering your disdain for all the noobs and their snowplowing. Get a job as a ski instructor, and assume your rightful place at the top of the local social scene.
- Ski School / Child Care: Just because you can’t ski like T.J. Burke, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a job skiing like Dexter Rutecki. Many ski school positions have a lower threshold for skiing ability, especially at the child care level. And child care itself is a huge need at destination resorts where weary parents just want a quiet day on the slopes or, better yet, a night out to themselves.
- Lift Attendant: Looking for something a little more chill? Lift attendants spend their days outdoors in the fresh air, with arguably the easiest jobs on the mountain. This is a great entry position into a resort.
- Guest Services: The perfect job if you love interacting with customers and solving problems. Be prepared to maintain a helpful and friendly attitude, and always keep a smile on. Listening skills are a must!
- Food & Beverage: F&B has so many options, it could require its own guide (coming soon!). From short order to five star, front-of-house to back-of-house, one resort could have hundreds of opportunities for servers, hosts, bartenders, line cooks, chefs, backservers, floor managers, expediters, bakers, supervisors, and maitred’s. Whatever your level of experience, food & beverage has a job for you.
- Housekeeping: Resorts are always looking for great housekeepers, making this a great opportunity for candidates who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. You’ll be on the front lines of providing top notch service, regularly interacting with guests and keeping the grounds in pristine shape.
- Mechanics & Engineers: If you know your way around electrical, plumbing, painting, or carpentry, there’s a ski resort out there for you. Resorts are highly complex environments- just think about all the vehicles, air conditioning, plumbing, pools, spas, boilers, and don’t forget the ski lifts!
- Shuttle Driver: Very few vacationers show up at a ski resort with a car. That means resorts have to provide all transportation. If you have a clean driving record, consider getting your commercial drivers license (CDL) and becoming a shuttle driver for a hotel or even a bus driver for the local township.
- Financial Analyst/Accountant: Want to move to a ski resort, but feel like you’re more of an office type? Not to worry, get a job as an accountant or a finance analyst at a hotel or local bank. These have the added benefit of being year-round positions so you never have to leave. Or, if you’re worried about lack of experience, check out the local branch bank and apply to be a teller.
- Retail: Retail jobs are a great place to hone your sales skills, and ski resorts have plenty of them. It’s not just the ski shops (where you can also be a ski rental technician), but also many high end retailers that cater to vacationers’ fancier tastes. Start out as a retail associate and quickly work your way up to store manager.