Every winter season, ski resorts hire hundreds of seasonal workers to operate their resorts. There are tons of entry level jobs you can do at a ski resort in hospitality, food & beverage, maintenance, retail, and more. You can find these jobs on ski resort job boards, seasonal work websites, or by applying directly to a resort via their career page. This post will explain how you can find a job at a ski resort, how to apply, and provide information about working a ski season.
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About the Ski Season
The Ski Season
In the USA, the ski season is November through April. January through March is considered the high/peak season.
However, ski resort opening and closing dates can fluctuate depending on the resort’s location. If a resort is located in a place that gets snow earlier in the year, a resort could open as early as late-October.
Resort Locations
In the USA there are over 500 ski resorts across 37 states. New York has the most ski resorts but Colorado is home to the most visited. The largest ski resorts are Powder Mountain and Park City, both in Utah. Every resort has it’s own claim to fame but what makes it the best is subjective and it’s important to do your own research before choosing one to visit or apply to work at.
Most Popular Ski Resorts to Work at in the USA
The best ski resort to work at depends on who you ask and what you want to get out of your ski season. Based on what past and current employees have said, the following are resorts that are considered great to work at; Big Sky (MT), Taos Ski Valley (NM), Aspen (CO), Park City (UT), Jackson Hole (WY), Mammoth (CA), Breckenridge (CO), and Mt. Baker (WA).
Summer at a Ski Resort
Some ski resorts are open during the summer months and offer food, lodging, and summer activities (i.e. ski lift rides, mountain biking, or hiking) to visitors and guests. This means they need summer seasonal workers, but many hire a much smaller staff.
Working at a Ski Resort
Jobs at a Ski Resort
Ski resorts need both entry level and experienced seasonal workers to help run their resorts in the winter. They hire many different types of jobs in various categories, such as; ski school, tickets & activities, snow removal, food & beverage, front of house hospitality, housekeeping, valet, youth staff, equipment rental, maintenance, retail and so much more.
Requirements to Work at a Ski Resort
The majority of ski resorts will require you to be 18 years of age or older. Other requirements will be based on the specific job you are looking to apply for.
For example, if you are looking to be a ski instructor you will need to have a specific teaching certificate. If you want to be a housekeeper then past experience is helpful but generally not required.
Working at a Ski Resort Abroad
While this post focuses on ski resort work in the USA, you can work at a ski resort abroad. It’s especially popular for Americans to work at ski resorts in Japan, Canada, France, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria.
To work at a ski resort abroad you will need to obtain the appropriate work visa in the country you want to work in.
Perks of Working at a Ski Resort
The biggest perk of working at a ski resort is a free season pass. This allows you ski access for the full ski season so you can hit the slopes whenever you want.
You get employee discounts on rentals, food, lodging, and gear. If you need a certification for the job, such as a ski instructor certification, a lot of resorts will offer training or have a system to reimburse you for that certification once you have completed your contract.
Personally, my favorite thing was the location. You get to live in beautiful locations surrounded by snow capped mountains and like-minded people looking for the same lifestyle. You are able to join a built in community and make friends and connections with people from all over the world.
Challenges of Working at a Ski Resort
One of the biggest challenges is the low pay. Most resorts pay their employees minimum wage but living in a resort town is expensive. After paying your rent and buying groceries, it’s hard to justify spending money on entertainment if you are also trying to save.
If you are living in staff housing, it probably won’t feel like it’s worth the price. When I lived in employee housing we had no access to a kitchen, the bathroom was the size of a tiny closest, and things fell apart really easily. Yet, the cost deducted from my biweekly paycheck was much higher than it should have been.
Personally, I felt the the biggest challenge was the cliental. Unfortunately, the majority of guests I interacted with were people use to getting their way and would get upset with me for things beyond my control, such as; ticket prices, runs being closed, or not having enough snow on the mountain.
How to Find a Job at a Ski Resort
How to Find a Job at a Ski Resort
You can find a job at a ski resort a few different ways. The first option is to search for openings on ski job board websites or seasonal work websites. Or, you can apply to resort companies who own and operate multiple ski resorts. You can also go to the career page of a specific ski resort and apply to them directly.
Ski Resort Job Boards
The websites below specifically advertise job openings at ski resorts. They are free to use and work like a job bulletin board. It is up to you to do your research on the jobs that interest you and apply on your own.
- Ski-Jobs
- Mountain Jobs
- Mountain Careers
- Ski Area Management (classifieds page)
- CoolWorks (ski resort page)
- Best Ski Jobs
- Snow Season Central
Seasonal Work Websites
You can find ski resort jobs on seasonal work websites. I personally reccommend using CoolWorks because you will find the most ski resort job openings that are up to date. However, there are also 19 websites to find seasonal jobs.
Apply to Resort Companies
A ski resort company is a business that owns and operates various ski resort in multiple locations. You can find job openings at different resorts by applying to work for these companies.
- Vail Resorts Careers
- Vail Resorts is the largest mountain company in the world and operates over 40 resorts across the USA, Europe, and Australia.
- Boyne Resorts
- Boyne Resorts is a collective of about 14 ski resorts in Washington, Montana, Utah, Michigan, Tennessee, Maine, and New Hampshire.
- Alterra Mountain Company
- The Alterra Mountain Company is a family owned collective of about 17 ski resorts across the USA & Canada.
- POWDR
- POWDR owns 7 mountain resorts in the USA.
- Mountain Capitol Partners
- MCP manages 12 ski areas and bike parks in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, and Chile.
Apply Directly to a Ski Resort
If there is a specific ski resort you want to work at you can directly apply to that resort. Or, you can search for ski resorts in a specific state/location you want to work in and make a list of the resorts you want to apply to.
To apply directly, go to the resort’s website and find their career/jobs page (usually found in the menu bar or linked at the footer of the page). They will have a list of jobs that are currently open. There will either be a link to apply or directions on how to do so.
How to Apply for a Job at a Ski Resort
When to Apply to Work at a Ski Resort
Ski resorts begin hiring for the winter season in August. It’s best to apply early, especially if you want a more popular job such as a ski instructor. Around October is when ski resorts tend to wrap up thier hiring. However, with seasonal businesses having a naturally high turnover rate, job openings will randomly popup throughout the season, so keep checking back for openings.
What to Add to Your Resume
A ski resort, first and foremost, is a hospitality business. They want their workers to have some sort of experience in the hospitality field and/or working with people. While this is not a deal breaker it can boost your resume.
As always, you should tailor your resume to to the job you want. For example, if you are applying to work as a server, then you should put any serving or customer experience on your resume.
Applying as an International Worker
Many ski resorts hire international workers, but not all will. If they do, then they will mention it in their job posting or on their website. If you are not sure you will need to reach out to them. The process of working at a ski resort in the USA will depend on your visa sponsor(s) and requirements. You should do you research to see what options are available to you depending on the country you are from.
Finding Housing
Some ski resort will offer employee housing at a reduced rate. If employee housing is not available, is full, or you just don’t want to live there, then you will need to find your own housing. Finding affordable housing can be challenging due to the fact that most ski resorts are located in more rural and/or and expensive locations.
Many people use Facebook groups or local classified adds to find roommates or rooms/apartments for rent. You can also use property management or accommodation rental agencies in the area. If you have an RV you will need to make sure your resort has a place for you to park or you will need to find a nearby RV park/campground.
Conclusion
If you want to work at a ski resort this winter, there are many different job options. Applying to work at a ski resort is easy and you can find job openings several ways. Have you worked at a ski resort? Where did you work and what was your experience like? Please let me know in the comments below!
