There are lots of pros and cons of seasonal work that most people do not know about. After working 5 different seasonal jobs in 4 different states, I have experienced a lot of ups and downs that come with the seasonal work lifestyle. If you are thinking about working a seasonal job there are many different aspects you should know about to properly prepare. To help you figure out if seasonal work is worth it for you, I am going to break down the 10 best and worst things about seasonal work.
Table of Contents
The Pros of Seasonal Work
The Experiences You Get (for free)
One of the main reasons people take on seasonal jobs is because of the cool things you get to do for free.
If you work on a guest ranch, you can spend your free days riding horses through gorgeous green pastures. If you work at a ski resort you can hit the slopes on your days off because you get a 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 during the season.
Free Room & Board
Another seasonal job perk is that tons of businesses offer employee housing for free or at a reduced rate. Rent adds up, so this is a huge perk. Some locations offer really cool employee housing and you live on property, so you don’t need to spend time or gas money commuting to work.
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 some cases, you get to eat same food that the guests (who are paying to vacation at your work location) do and this means amazing meals!
Short Contracts & Low Commitment
Seasonal contracts can range from 3-6 months. That means you get to experience the job, work in a specific industry, or live in a specific location without committing even a full year of your life.
If you end up hating your seasonal job, you can get through your contract without worrying about ever returning or you can quit and find a new job with little repercussion.
This type of work also provides you with ample free time between contracts. During the off season, you could have a full month or two between jobs. This means lots of free time to travel.
Living in & Having Access to Amazing Locations
The locations seasonal jobs are in are usually beautiful. You could be in the Colorado mountains, the middle of a national park, or on a glacier in Alaska.
Living in these places gives you the chance to really get to know and enjoy these locations that a lot of people only get explore for a weekend or two. The best part is, you are not on a time crunch or paying a ton of money to be there.
Finding High Paying Work & Saving Money
If you are looking to make and save money, you can find seasonal work that pays really well, like fishing cannery jobs in Alaska or guiding and serving jobs that include tips.
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 throughout the entire season and their employees are clocking overtime every week.
Because you are staying busy at work, it also means you are not spending money. If you do it right, more of your paycheck remains in your bank account, especially if housing and meals are provided.
Working Really Cool Jobs
There are some amazing jobs out there that seasonal work allows you to experience at least once in your life. You can work as a whale watching guide in Alaska, a wrangler on a ranch in Wyoming, an Ice Castle Builder in New Hampshire… the list goes on and on.
The fact that you get paid to do these things on a daily basis is amazing.
On the flip side, some people do not care 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.
Working with People from Around the World
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 just looking for a new adventure.
You will meet people from every state across the USA and from multiple countries around the world. You will get to learn about different walks of life, beliefs, and cultures. You will get the chance to form friendships and share experiences that can’t easily be replicated.
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.
Having a Fall Back Plan or Finding Last Minute Work
If you do a good job and make a good impression, you can usually return to the same seasonal job season after season, or skip a year or two and return when you need a job. Having a familiar place you can return to work at, if you need it, can be helpful.
Or, if you need a new, last minute job you can find a job opening at any point throughout the year. Seasonal businesses have naturally high turn over rates for various reasons. This means that they are always hiring.
No Experience Needed
Seasonal businesses can’t promise year-round work and therefore need to hire new applicants each year. Since they always need to train new staff members, the majority of jobs require little to no experience. I have friends who have been hired as glacier hiking guides and only have experience hiking in their personal time or have had no experience with dogsledding but were hired as a dog musher.
It is easy to find a job, get into a field/industry you want to work in, or to gain the experience you need for your resume. It’s a great stepping stone and resume builder.
Always on a New Adventure
Working seasonal jobs means you are consistently moving from one place to another, exploring new locations, and experiencing new adventures. It provides opportunities for people who are free spirited and don’t want to settle down or who want to try new things while still getting a paycheck.
It offers opportunities that you may not get while living in your home town or working your average 9-5. Every week brings the possibility of adventures. You never get bored while working seasonally.
The Cons of Seasonal Work
It’s Hard to Eat Healthy
If you work a job where you eat the same food that the cliental do, then you will have little control over the food you get to eat. It may start off great, but you will get tired of eating the same thing every week. The food could be very rich and hearty and start to weigh you down or might lack a lot of nutrients that your body needs.
If you need to make your own meals then you need to worry about getting to the grocery store, spending money on (probably) expensive groceries, finding a time and place to cook, etc…
Also, not all seasonal jobs have a kitchen for their employees. This may mean living off cold or microwave meals if you are trying to cook for yourself. (I did this during a ski season and it was less than ideal.)
The Living Situation can be a Hit or Miss
Some of the staff housing offered by seasonal businesses can be interesting to say the least. You could be living in a tent, a bunk house with 5 bunkbeds and no privacy curtains, a run down lodge with no air con, etc… 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.
Usually you will have at least one roommate (maybe more) and not a ton of space as your own. You share the living space, bathrooms, and laundry room so it can feel like a college dorm situation.
If employee housing is full (namely at various ski resorts) then you will need to find your own housing. This means an expensive apartment search in a busy resort town that may be an hour drive away from work.
Constantly Searching for Your Next Job
Seasonal work is not stable work because not many seasonal businesses offer work 12 months of the year. Thus, you are not guaranteed a job year round or even for the next season.
Therefor, you are always searching for a new job or trying to figure out what you are going to do next season. This means constantly submitting resumes, editing cover letters, having interviews, and figuring out what’s next.
Inconsistent Community
Unless you have a specific seasonal job 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 job you have to make new friends, create new habits and hobbies, etc… 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.
You also 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.
Low Pay
Let’s be real, the majority of seasonal jobs do not pay a lot. Most pay minimum wage (which varies by state) and sometimes less depending on what else they are providing for you. There are high paying seasonal jobs, but it usually means working lot of hours, with less free time, and in a more rural location.
There are also seasonal jobs where you are not allowed overtime and you are not guaranteed to work a full 40 hours a week. 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 you work.
It can be Expensive
If you are jumping between different types of seasonal work you will need to buy new clothing to fit the job, the season, and the location you are working in.
A lot of seasonal work is in remote locations or high tourist areas. This means if you want to go into town to go shopping, spend money on entertainment, or even go grocery shopping, the cost will add up.
It’s Hard Work
A lot of people expect to show up to a seasonal job and reap the amazing benefits without realizing we work hard.
If you work as a dishwasher you may be in the dish pit washing dishes from 2:00pm till 12:00am. If you work as a housekeeper, you will find yourself cleaning the same rooms and cabins every single day. It can be physically demanding and mentally exhausting.
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 arguabley 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.
Long Hours & Burn Out
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 burned out and need time to recover from the long season.
Working the Holidays
The holidays are usually the high season in the seasonal world and this means all hands on deck. During the summer you will be working during the 4th of July and during the winter you will be working Thanksgiving, Christmas, and/or New Years Eve.
If you have never spent the holidays away from home this can be difficult. Even if you have spent the holidays away, it’s always hard not being able to celebrate how you are used to because you are on the clock making magic for someone else.
Being Away from Family and Friends
Seasonal jobs can take you across the country and away from your family and friends. Naturally, this creates a lack of consistent connection between you and your loved ones.
Working the full season means missing out on weddings, birthdays, and other family gatherings. It’s easy and natural to feel like you are missing out, and get homesick.
Conclusion
Every seasonal job comes with its own ups and downs, but there are pros and cons that go along with the seasonal work lifestyle. If you ask me, the pros of seasonal work outweigh the cons, but it’s up to you to make that decision for yourself. Have you worked a seasonal job? Please share your experience and what you think the pros and cons are in the comments below.
