Age and Salary?????

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Permalink Reply by Jackie P on January 30, 2009 at 9:10pm

Thanks for your reply, Jim. Why did I assume that the meals would be provided....that is.....cooked for me!! I am in CA so I appreciated hearing about Yosemite. The pay shocked me tho. But at this point in my life....I could tolerate it to enjoy the the beauty of my surroundings. Thanks again. Jackie

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Permalink Reply by Jim on January 31, 2009 at 9:02am

Jackie, Some places, like Old Faithful with DNC in Yellowstone do cook your meals--but don't serve them to you! lol They have no cooking facilities in the dorm so you're stuck with the basic, stick-to-your-ribs-food and stuck eating with the people you work and live with. I didn't like it at all, but this may suit you. If you have an RV you can live in that, which would be nice, but you have to roll out of there at the end of the season when the snows come and the everything shuts down.

Since you live in California, I'd try a season at Yosemite with DNC and then stay on if you like it, which you should. They have year 'round employee housing (not shared with NPS) and you'll have a decent kitchen so you can eat what and when you like. It's also a little less isolated that some other National Park jobs. Amtrak/Yarts has buses several times a day into Mariposa and Merced so you can get supplies or see the doc pretty easily.

Yes, the pay is dismal, but some can actually save a little. Of course it all comes down to being in nature and away from helicopters, traffic and barking dogs! I can't wait for June :o

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Permalink Reply by CHRISTINA on January 31, 2009 at 5:55am

Jackie - a good deal of seasonal jobs do provide meals (at a cost - you pay room and board). Year-round would be a little different. The food is usually very good but the rooms are very limited (because they are all owned by the National Park Service which after all is all about nature, and not all the amenities we are used to in our modern day life). And most you do share with someone else unless you can work your way to management. If its you and your sister you have your roommate situation already worked out, unless you choose to have different roommates. Living and working in the parks or other similar areas is about the adventure, and the people you meet and the scenery you see, not the pay. Its not for someone who HAS to have a good paycheck every week. I recommend Yellowstone, specifically Lake Hotel, Jackson Lake Lodge in the Tetons, and Glacier Park Lodge, in Glacier (its in East Glacier). They accommodate older people well. Xanterra, no matter where you go that they manage, is very in tune with older people's needs. All places love the reliability of older/bolder folks. But you have to work a 40 hour week and the work is sometimes not easy. Its well worth it though. Some of the most amazing experiences you will ever encounter. Good luck. Tina

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Permalink Reply by Carol on January 31, 2009 at 7:00am

Great information, Tina, ie, what to expect, who values the older worker etc. Also, the reassurance that my age can be a selling point, instead of a detraction, is encouraging. We older-bolder folks do have tons of life experience to bring in addition to the reliability. :)

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Permalink Reply by Carol J Stahl on February 4, 2009 at 7:27pm

I needed the information you posted to Jackie on 1/31/09. I am going to work at Mt Rushmore for Xanterra. I have already signed contract for security. I am glad to know they are in tune with older people's needs. Carol

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Permalink Reply by Esther J DeTray on September 15, 2009 at 2:19pm

Christina, I had heard that room and board is provided for in some places. If not I don't know how you could make enough to pay for room and board and have anything left over to make it home on. I don't need a good paycheck, but I need enough to get home on.

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Permalink Reply by Dias on January 31, 2009 at 10:53am

Search for work on integer summer as seller,teller or waiter.

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Permalink Reply by Jim on January 31, 2009 at 6:15pm

Dias, Is "integer" a web site? Jim

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Permalink Reply by janice ball on September 7, 2009 at 1:51pm

hi , just entered site recently and 52 yrs young, but have the same questions as jackie. lot of good advice here.. if and when we are able to get our first job, how do you go about secureing a job before the first one is over, about the only concern of mine.. i know you all have great advice.. and thanks

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Permalink Reply by Keith Larson on September 7, 2009 at 2:21pm

You get the next job like you did the first. There is about a 4-5 month lead into the job market. For example most of the summer jobs start looking in Jan/Feb for starts in May/June. Some earlier, some later. Then around July/August the winter season begins looking for Nov/Dec. starts. There are some odd-balls...Sept/Oct starts looking in May, for example

If you go to one of the larger companies, there will be job fairs for the next season, too.

Many of the places you go to will have internet access available. Not all...so you have to be somewhat resourceful. I usually have the next job lined up at the half-way point of the current season. The longest I've had between jobs so far is 2.5 weeks, the shortest is 5 days.

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Permalink Reply by janice ball on September 7, 2009 at 2:32pm

thanks keith, the more info the better. i was thinking on starting the app's within the next month. i would really like to start out in west, yellowstone seems a good starting point, from most people's commits . sounds like the thing for me.... thanks again to all

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Permalink Reply by Keith Larson on September 7, 2009 at 7:08pm

Hmmm...I think most of the comments here about Yellowstone were about the summer season there. Now they are open all year, but the winter might not have as many openings. It's somewhat slower and they do a lot of winter recruiting from their summer staff. I don't want to discourage you from applying there though...give it a try.

I'm assuming since you're applying within the next month you're looking to start before next spring. It might be a good idea to have a back-up. If winter, the sooner the better...most places have been looking for more than a month already. Positions will be filling.

Maybe you've already decided...but it's usually easier to decide what you want to do before where you want go. Retail, food and beverage, front desk, housekeeping...?

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