UKC

I'm looking for advice for my son. He's 28 speaks French having lived and worked in Paris for 6 months including bar work. he is a beginner snowboarder but his main interest in a winter ski job is to get out of a bit of a rut in the UK, ie he will be happy working proper hours and not as inclined to skive off boarding - partying as some I've heard about.

I guess now is the time to start applying?

I would welcome any advice on how to go about getting a suitable job, contacts, companies etc, and any pitfalls to look out for.

Many thanks

In reply to kevin stephens:

Avoid Snowcoach. Unreliable employer.

In reply to kevin stephens:

My daughter did a season working for a uk ski holiday company in France. She just contacted about ten different ones and got several interviews and offers. She avoided the big mainstream tour operators like Crystal and went after the independents.....no special reason just her notion. The guide www.wheretoskiandboard.com lists pretty much all the ski holiday companies and also www.ski-jobs.co.uk worth a look.

In reply to kevin stephens:

My younger brother has just arranged a job for his second ski season in France. The first year he got a job as a kitchen porter/dogsbody with one of the big operaters and hated it.

He's now lined up a job at a bar which has much more reasonable hours (12-6pm one day 6pm-midnight the next 6 days a week) and much better pay.

All of the seasonnaires I know work in bars/as transfer drivers and are very disparaging about the jobs for thompson/crystal ski etc...

Hope this helps!

In reply to kevin stephens:

If I was him I would pick a resort and head out there in Mid/Late November and look around for work in a bar. Fluent French is a massive bonus and it will be much better than working for some shitty British Tour Operator (unless he applied for a resort manager level job or similar)

In reply to kevin stephens:

another vote for small independent company and not the big operators. Natives has a good recruitment site. If he wants to use his French he'd better off looking at some of the non Brit places such as resorts in the Maurienne valley, also La Clusaz, Grand Bornand, Valmorel.

Don't write off a chalet job as its a great way to get mountain time which is the awesome part of doing a winter season, you just need to be careful who you work for and with.

I'd saw he is a bit late applying for some jobs already so he should get researching!

In reply to kevin stephens:

I did three seasons from age 22 to 25, 2 as a barman, 1 as a rep.

Barman - Fun job, good hours - 2 days off a week, 3 2pm starts, 2 6pm starts skied most days, saved a load a couple of grand per season.

Rep - Easy job, less money but loads of free time to ski (my best season by far ski wise)

Tour operator jobs often rely on your not working with muppets to have a lot of free time. This is not always the case. As a fluent/good French speaker, assumming he's got enough nous, he'll be in demand. A barman who can serve the locals whilst also making the heavy spending Brit punters feel like heroes as they recount tales of daring do at the side of the piste is a rare commodity. Pick a resort and start phoning bars.

In reply to kevin stephens:

I worked for mark warner as a ski host. Skied with guests all day, ate great french food and great tips. Unfortunately this is now illegal

As a french speaker I would get a job as a hotel receptionist as thats a clean job, access to internet (very useful) and generally out of the hotel an hour or so after the guests. Failing that become a waiter/dish washer for maximum time on the slopes. Believe me when you have it on your doorstep you will want to get out there - everyone is out there to party/ski. They generally work hard but dont go out there as a 'career move'!

However, mark warner has terrible pay and staff accom. If you can put up with that its great (the people). O find a smaller opperator who will treat you like a human.

Its literally the best 6 months you can have, I cannot recommend it more whichever company you work with. Perfect for getting out of a rut!