Nothing Worth Having is Easy.

3 SECRETS to reach your dream career in the mountains

Okay, so you dream of company-recognized powder days, or an endless array of camping spots to explore, or to escape the hustle and bustle of a congested city. You’re like us.

 

You dream of living and working in a lovely little mountain town like Vail, Colorado or Truckee, California or Jackson, Wyoming.

But when you start your research, you learn a common lesson: living in the mountains is a challenging feat to accomplish. Luckily, this is a ‘mountain’ we at Mountain Careers have helped thousands of people summit.

So, before getting frustrated, take a deep breath and focus on these 3 ways to finally take that next step towards your dream career in the mountains:

Ski the gaps, not the trees.

In other words, focus on the opportunities and not on the obstacles. Ski towns tend to get bad press every now and then, but there are thousands of outdoor dreamers, entrepreneurs, adventure chasers, and career professionals that are not letting these stories stop them from living their dreams. Mountain town professionals like Julie report feeling their best when in the mountains because “getting outside is the best happy pill you can be prescribed.”  Here at Mountain Careers, we are on a mission to share a message of hope for those ready to put in the time to create a unique life. It all starts with having an opportunistic mindset. 

Do your best work, every day! Do it for yourself.

Entry level jobs in the mountains can be tough, especially during a pandemic. Many of these jobs are guest facing, low paying and require long hours. Employees are burnt out, management is burnt out, and at times it appears there is no end in sight. Here is our tip – do your best every day. Do it for you, you are building your resume and your skills no matter the task. Even long-time mountain town professionals like Auden had to put in their sweat equity working a range of jobs before finding his home as a Senior Vice President at Aspen Skiing Company. It only hurts your motivation and career to act complacent at work. Hard workers are able to shine in the mountains and will get noticed. Make each and every day count. It’ll pay off in the long run.

Create Growth

Once you get your bearings in a town you want to grow in and within, it’ll be time to graduate from that entry-level lift operator gig into a position that offers real career potential. One challenge many people living in the mountains face at this point is a lack of knowledge about the types of jobs that exist or what they are actually capable of if they believed in themselves. Yet, in the last year we have seen more jobs offering 6-figure salaries, comprehensive benefits packages, and substantial housing assistance. Resources like our blog page outline what you need to know to land your dream job in the mountains with direction on who is hiring, what they’re looking for, and how to stand out. And when you’re ready to start submitting applications to grow your career, the Mountain Careers Job Board features dozens of openings at the best companies in places like Vail, Aspen, Truckee, Jackson, Big Sky, and so many more of the most coveted mountain communities across the country. The path to your future starts now!

It was Teddy Roosevelt who’s known for coining the phrase “nothing worth having comes easy.” We won’t beat around the bush: building a dream career in a renowned mountain town is not and will not be easy. And that’s what makes it such a tremendous, gratifying, and invigorating dream to pursue!

Despite the challenges standing in the way, we know firsthand that it CAN be done, and that’s  why we are custom-built to help as many passionate professionals realize this as possible. Use the 3 tips above to motivate you, and then keep refreshing our Job Board. Your dream job may be right around the corner!