If you are thinking about taking on a seasonal job or trying to figure out if seasonal work is worth it for you, there are a lot of different aspects of this type of work you need to consider. Personally, I love seasonal work, but it is not for everyone and that it okay! To help you figure out if seasonal work is the right fit, I am going to break down the pros and cons in every aspect of the job.
Photo Credits: Philipp Kämmerer
Perks of the Job
Pro: One of the main reasons people take on seasonal jobs is the cool things you get to do for free. Working on a ranch? Spend your free days riding horses through gorgeous green pastures. Working at a ski resort? Hit the slopes in your off time with your free ski pass. The list goes on and on. Most of the things you have access to cost people a lot of money and you not only get to do it for free, but multiple times over.
Con: Your experience is obviously not the same as the people who are paying to be there. If you are guiding in Alaska, you still get to be surrounded by the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness, but your focus is on creating a great experience for the people you are guiding. You need to be looking out for their safety, staying super positive in every situation, and sometimes deal with frustrating people. When you are on (and sometime off) the clock, it can feel a lot different than just going to do these things for yourself.
It’s Contract Work
Pro: Seasonal contracts range from 3-6 months. That means you get to experience the job, working in a specific industry, or living in a specific location without committing your life to it. Hate your current seasonal job? No problem! You only signed on for a couple of months, so at the end of the season you can successfully complete your contract without having to quit or worry about ever returning again.
Need a job fast? Seasonal businesses have naturally high turn over rates because their employees are usually only planning to work for one season at a time. This means that they are always hiring. If you need a last minute job you can usually find something for the season.
This type of work also provides you with ample free time between contracts. During the off season, you usually have a month or two between jobs. This means lots of free time to travel or spend yours days relaxing and recuperating from the previous season.
Con: Seasonal work is not stable work. You are not guaranteed a job year round or to be invited back for the next season. When the next season rolls around the company you work for may not need as much staff to run the operation, thus they need to let some people go. Or they may only be open one season out of the year and everyone needs to find a new job for the next few months. Because of this is can feel like you are always submitting resumes, having interviews, and consistently looking for your next possible job opportunity.
Photo Credits: Sam Dan Truong Pay & Saving Money
Pro: With seasonal work keeping you busy and a lot of jobs being in more remote locations, it means you are not spending money on a daily basis. So, more of your paycheck remains in your bank account, especially if housing and meals are provided. If you do it right, this can definitely add up. Also, if you are in a job where tips are common, that is a good chuck of change not previously accounted for that ends up in your pocket.
Con: Let’s be real, the majority of seasonal jobs do not pay a whole lot. Most pay minimum wage (which varies by state) and sometimes less depending on what else they are providing for you. If you want a really high paying seasonal job, like working in a fish canary in Alaska, then it will most likely be a lot of hours, with less perks, and in a much more rural location.
Hours
Pro: If you are someone who is looking to save a good chunk of change, there are many seasonal jobs that offer lots of overtime. Usually this happens during the holiday seasons, but there are a handful of businesses that stay consistently busy through the season and their employees are clocking in overtime on a weekly basis.
Con: Burn out is real. With most seasonal jobs you work long shifts and sometimes are working 6 days a week. You might find yourself clocking a lot of overtime or, if you are doing something like working at a summer camp, you may be working 24/7. By the end of the season you will probably find yourself absolutely exhausted and need a full month off to recover.
There are also seasonal jobs where overtime is a hard no and you are not always guaranteed to make 40 hours a week. It really depends on how much you are needed. If you are working a 24/7 job it is possible that your pay is not hourly but per month, and remains the same no matter how much or little you work.
Photo Credits: Eugene Zhyvchik
Holidays & Missing Family Events
Pro: It can be a lot of fun to work the holidays depending on your job. You may get to experience some amazing new parades and BBQs on the Fourth of July or witness fireworks on the ski slopes during New Years Eve. If you are someone who has never been able to celebrate the holidays the way you have wanted, then there are many co-workers/friends in the same situation that you can celebrate with. You also may get higher pay for the holidays.
Con: Usually seasonal jobs are in full swing during the holidays and this means all hands on deck. AKA: You do not get to take holidays off. Because you are expected to be at work during the full season, this also means missing out on weddings, birthdays, and other family gatherings. Not to mention that a lot of seasonal jobs take you across the country and away from your family and friends which creates a lack of connection between you and your loved ones.
The Actual Work
Pro: There are tons of different types of seasonal jobs out there; guide, housekeeper, camp counselor, front desk associate, wrangler, ect… Seasonal work allows you to try out different types of jobs with low commitment and little experience so that you can find out what you enjoy doing. You get to have new experiences and learn new skills to add to your resume. If you find yourself in a job you are not a fan of, then you can go for something else next season, or you can up and quit without many repercussions.
On the flip side, some people do not care too much about the job itself. It is all about what the job allows you to do. You do not need to love being a server or a housekeeper to work at a resort and reap the employee benefits. You just need to do the job.
Con: Seasonal work can be hard work. If you find yourself in a job that you end up hating then the employee perks may not be worth commitment. If you want to quit but have no means to get across the country to a different seasonal job, then you may be stuck there for the rest of the season. And if you hate the job then the season will drag on.
Many people who take on seasonal work also do not realize that a lot of the fun jobs have a lot of not so fun tasks associated with them. Fly fishing guides spend lots of time on the river, but arguably the same amount of time fixing fly rods or letting their clients do the fishing. Wranglers spend time taking people out horseback riding, but maybe even more time doing chores around the barn like cleaning tack or scooping poop.
Photo Credits: Bimo Luki
The Food
Pro: A lot of seasonal jobs provide their employees with three meals a day, regardless if you are on the clock or not. This means you can skip the grocery shopping and not need to worry about cooking. In many cases, you are eating the same food that the people paying to come to your business do and this means amazing meals! Moving around the USA to work different seasonal jobs also means ample time to try new foods and restaurants in the towns and cities that you are working in.
Con: Not all jobs provide food, or some will provide it at a set fee no matter if you eat their food or not. If you need to make your own meals you need to worry about budgeting for it, getting to the grocery store, and having a place to cook. Not all seasonal jobs have a kitchen for their employees if you are in employee housing. This may mean living off cold or microwave meals. If you do get to eat the food that the costumers do it is easy to get sick of the same food so often. For them it is new but for you it is the same thing every week. It can also mean eating less healthy and that you have less control over the type of food you eat.
Housing
Pro: Another seasonal job perk is that most businesses offer employee housing for free, or at a reduced rate. Rent can seriously add up so this this pro is a no brainer. Some locations offer really cool employee housing and the location you are in usually can not be beat.
Con: The free housing offered by many seasonal jobs can be a bit rough and sometimes run down. Usually you will have one or two roommates (maybe more) and not a ton of space as your own. You share the living space and bathrooms so it can feel like a college dorm situation. For some people this is no problem at all, for others who need their own space and downtime, it can be very difficult. If you have to pay rent to your employer, even at a reduced rate, you may find that the price you are paying is not worth it.
Another thing to think about is that, if employee housing is filled up (namely at various ski resorts) then you will need to find your own housing. This can mean a difficult and expensive apartment search in a busy resort town that may be an hour drive away from work.
Photo Credits: Mick Haupt
Access to Amazing Locations
Pro: The locations you get to live in and have unlimited access to is hard to beat. Maybe you are out in the Colorado mountains, in the middle of a national park, or on a glacier in Alaska... the possibilities are vast. You get the chance to really get to know and enjoy these beautiful places for several month, whereas many people only get to go for a week or two. You can explore the wilderness or find some favorite spots in town to call your own without being on a time crunch or paying a ton of money to be there.
Con: With most of these locations being rural, it can be easy to go stir crazy. If you are not an outdoors person or are having trouble getting involved in activities outside of work, you may find yourself feeling bored out of your mind. If you do not have a car it can also be hard to get around the area or go into town in order to get off the property of the location you are working in.
Connections, Community, & Stability
Pro: It is a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by like-minded people. While doing seasonal work you are bound to meet people just like you; living the nomadic lifestyle, trying to figure life out, or looking for a new adventure. On another note, as long as you make a good impression and complete your contract, you can usually return to that seasonal job season after season, or skip a year or two and return when you need a job. Having a safe place you can go back to when needed can be helpful when in a pinch.
Con: Unless you have a specific seasonal jobs you return to each season, it is really easy to feel a lack of community and true connection. Every time you go to a new seasonal job you have to reintroduce yourself, make new friends, create new habits and hobbies... just to pack it up and do it all again several months later. Rebuilding your community time and again can be really taxing and the lack of a stable support system can be lonely.
Photo Credits: Helena Lopes
The People
Pro: You meet people from around the world. You get to learn about different walks of life, beliefs, and cultures. You can learn about many different jobs and travel opportunities from your coworkers and maybe even run into them again at another seasonal job. You will get the chance to form great friendships and share experiences that can’t easily be repeated. No matter where your friends return to at the end of the season, when you are in their neighborhood/country or they are in yours it is a lot of fun to stop by and catch up or reminisce about the season you shared.
Con: You won't always be at the same point in life as those you are working with. Seasonal workers tend to mainly be made up of the college students in-between school years, the nomadic folks that consistently hop around from job to job, the returners who come back year after year, and the handful of people/retirees who stay year round. Everyone tends to be at a different stage in life and wants something a bit different out of the job. Don’t get me wrong, you can find your people, but it can take some time to do so depending on who is working that season. And, of course, at the end of every season you have to say goodbye to the people you have gotten to know so well and repeat this process again and again.
Discounts & Gear
Pro: As an employee you may get pro deals from various companies in order to buy the gear needed for your job. Personally, I use pro deals to get discounts off new Chacos and I know many people who use them to get great ski gear. Other than pro deals you will probably get some sort of employee discount for food or merchandise and even free passes to activities your work provides (such as a free ski pass) or in the surrounding community.
Con: When it comes to pro deals, unless you are a super outdoorsy person, you may never actual use them so this does not mean anything to you. Something else to think about is that every time you take a new seasonal position, the job always comes with rules and regulations surrounding uniform. If you are jumping between different types of seasonal work you will need to buy new clothing fitting the job, the season, and the location. This can mean shelling out money for a new wardrobe every season.
Conclusion
If you ask me, the pros of seasonal work outweigh the cons. However, not everyone feels the same. It really depends on what is worth it to you. I say, if you are still on the fence then just try it! Find a seasonal job that sounds fun and sign on for just one season. This way you can decide if this is a lifestyle that you may love or an experience you were happy to have just once in your life.
Credits
The photos in this post are not mine. Thank you to the photographers who uploaded their photos for free use on Unsplash. They have been credited under their respective photographs.