All About Securing A Job At A Canadian Ski Resort

Have you always dreamt of working in a ski resort? The good news is that once it is winter season, operators would commence advertising for Ski Resort jobs, therefore, you need to make your CV available and start applying for these jobs even before the next season. 

In this article, you will find below an extensive guide on all that you need to know concerning the various roles you can apply for, including the recruitment process, and tips on how to successfully navigate the interview process.

In other words, be ready to secure the juiciest job opportunity in the ski resort.

These are the jobs you can apply for;

Chalet Host

A  chalet host is a mixture of both an important and difficult type of job to do. This is where you have to bring forth your cooking skills because your job description entails cooking a delicious three-course dinner for about 10-20 guests. 

Advantage

If you love cooking then you will enjoy your job. It will avail you the opportunity to cater to a large number of people and if you are a great cook, you can earn a reputation for that and connect more with people. The interesting part of the job is the ‘tips’ that you can get from the guests as a token of appreciation though this does not happen all the time.

Disadvantage

The job can be best described as a stressful one which is suitable for only hard-working people. No matter what happens, your day begins at 7 am, therefore you cannot expect to relax. Moreover, there are days when you have some kind of guests who may not appreciate your services at all such as the rude or irrational ones to contend with.

A Nanny

Another job you can do at a ski resort is being a nanny/childcare. But, a job of this sort requires some kind of childcare qualification because a lot of parents would want to leave their kids with a trained nanny before proceeding to the mountains to have fun. 

Advantage

If you are a nanny, you have the privilege of having fun in the mountains when you want to entertain the kids.

Bartender

The job of a bartender is best described as one of the most wanted job profiles in a ski resort. In as much as you get to enjoy the advantage of free drinks, nevertheless, you need to have experience in working in bars before you can be hired to work as a bartender during the seasons.

Advantage

When we speak of the most sought-after and attention-grabbing job profile in the ski resort, then it is the job of a bartender. Besides, who would not want to be friends with the bartender just to get some free booze.

Disadvantage

No matter what happens, you must be ready to work at night which means that aside from working late at night, you will experience more anti-social working hours. 

Plongeur

The job description of a Plongeur requires you to do all the menial jobs or what we call small acts in the resort kitchen such as washing and arranging the cutlery for the chef. 

Advantage

If you are someone that loves to work behind the scene then this is the most suitable job for you. Moreover, you have more of the free time to enjoy yourself in the mountains. 

Disadvantage

Your salary may not be attractive.

How Can I Secure A Job At A Ski Resort?

As stated earlier, this article is for people who have decided to work in a ski resort, and the next step is to start the important planning, this is why we are here to let you know how to go about it. Now, here are important steps you should take if you desire to work in a ski resort.

• Firstly, start researching for the jobs available, your accommodation and the money you are likely to spend. Job advertisements for resorts in the northern hemisphere usually come up around July to begin in November / December while for jobs in the southern hemisphere resorts, they advertise around February to commence in June / July.
• Secondly, you should secure a visa because every country has its requirements for working visas. And most importantly, you have to do that early enough because the visa process can be long and cumbersome. These are countries where you can easily obtain a working visa for ski jobs, they are New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. 
• Thirdly, after you must have selected your ski resort and gotten your work visa, you have to proceed to apply for the job you want to do throughout the season. 

Applying online

One of the ways you can commence your application is by doing it online and it is much easier and does not require a lot of time. Moreover, most of these resort companies advertise their jobs through an online channel which begins in July and August. Also, while applying online, you should prepare for online interviews because most resort companies prefer to conduct online interviews via skype especially for people who are currently not Canadian residents. However, some other resort companies prefer to pursue applications from people who are already in Canada.

Furthermore, we advise that you apply for a work permit if you are in Canada already. You should do this for you to be on the safe side because employers are skeptical about giving job offers up-front to people who do not have work permits yet. Their plight is well understood because they are not certain if you will get a work permit on arrival and sometimes, some people even cancel their trip at the last minute. 

Job fairs

Attending a job fair is an opportunity for employees searching for ski resort jobs because, during the fair, they will be presented with numerous job opportunities and interestingly, you can land a job offer on the spot from employers. Hence, not having to go through the stress of job-hunting, therefore, be willing to search for work in person by attending ski resort job fairs.

In Canada, most Canadian ski resorts host job fairs in October and November which usually take place at the resort, and of course, you wouldn’t want to miss being in the same location with hiring managers from several departments in the same location.

Applying in person

This is yet another way you can apply for ski resort jobs in person. We advise you to apply in the first week because some people that were employed may not show up on the first day of the resort opening, therefore, you have a chance of securing yourself a job.

Furthermore, there are situations when some members of staff do not show up on the first day, so, if you are on the ground, you can take their position. Another time that could be termed as a hiring season is the period after Christmas because there is usually a high dropout rate when the holidays are over. After Christmas, a lot of employees don’t return, therefore, this is another opportunity for you to apply. 

What Are The Aspects Employers Look Out For?

There are three major things all recruitment companies employing for these ski resorts look out for in a prospective candidate:

• A professional attitude,
• Show enthusiasm for the job,
• And lastly, confidence.

Aside from the aforementioned qualities, other requirements are being punctual, courteous, having some fundamental understanding about the job you are applying for. Do not forget to continuously update your CV to easily show off your skills to employers.

The Interview Process

Generally, all companies have their specific recruitment process. Moreover, certain employers go for group assessment days, and on such days, applicants are required to perform various group and individual tasks. The essence of these tasks is to judge their skills in the areas of teamwork, communication, and public speaking.

Joining Internships for Ski instructor in Canada

Joining a ski or snowboard instructor internship scheme is one of the best ways to obtain ski season employment in Canadian resorts and this allows you to learn more about skiing.

Furthermore, an internship program permits qualified skiers and snowboarders to leverage an instructor training program and this can land you automatic employment within a snowsports academy.

Although the programs may  vary from one snowsports school to another, whichever way, you should expect the following;

• Opportunity to train from competent instructors
• Obtain a certificate of being an international Instructor 
• You will have access to a resort or staff accommodation
• You will have access to a season-long lift pass
• You have the opportunity of being a paid instructor or interview

For you to be qualified for a ski/snowboard instructor internship in Canada, you should be approved already for the IEC working holiday program and have a minimum of 3 weeks of on-snow experience.

Canadian ski resort accommodation for foreigners

As a foreigner, one of the first things that come to your mind as a skier is how to find accommodations. Most times, getting accommodation at a ski resort is a bigger task than getting a job itself which means that you are likely going to get a guide on how to obtain nice accommodation at a ski resort

Finding a ski resort accommodation

The problem associated with securing accommodation in the resort is that they are normally expensive, $400-#700 per person, limited in number, and situated on the hill, sometimes, at isolated spots. about Staff staff at the larger resorts are always limited in number due to a large number of skiers available. While there is available staff accommodation, getting one can be very competitive. 

Private accommodation

Over time, a lot of ski resort workers settle for private accommodations in town because, sometimes, the accommodation provided in the resort is not good enough or when it seems impossible to find one. Such rented accommodation could be provided by an employer who is not from the resort, or an apartment owned by a private landlord.

Aside from renting an apartment from private landlords, you can still do that by renting accommodation from private companies who offer accommodations, particularly to ski season workers.

When searching for accommodation, you should try as much as possible to start searching on time. We even advise that you come in September if the demand is so high to organize and get accommodation then relax until the season starts.

Finally, with this article, you already know everything about jobs in ski resorts ranging from what kind of jobs you can find there, their pros and cons, different means of securing these jobs and finally, discussions about accommodation.