Because most of the positions covered in this section do not require special training or previous experience, competition is really the only thing standing in the way of getting hired.

Often the successful job hunt boils down to simply being in the right place at the right time.

As we've said, attending a resort's annual employment fair is the most direct way of getting a job. If the company you're applying to doesn't hold a job fair, or if you're planning to just hit the road in search of employment, contact the resort's personnel department as soon as you roll into town. And don't forget to consider employers that are independent from the resort itself, such as restaurants, bars, ski shops, and hotels.

One old hand who spent the winter working at a restaurant explains his recommended job-hunting strategy:

"Go to the job fair. It's the best way. But if you come to the resort after the job fair, then you'll want to go to the personnel department, which most of the ski resorts have. It's also a good idea to hit the pavement in town to look for a job that's not directly with the mountain. Some of the jobs have different hours and different benefits. It's good to get a feeling for what your options are."

Because many jobs stress dealing with people rather than dealing with skiing or snowboarding, customer service skills are more important than athletic skills. Previous experience dealing with the public - whether in retail sales, at a restaurant, or in customer service - will be a big advantage when applying for a ski resort support job.

In the words of one hiring officer:

"All our jobs involve dealing with the skiing guest, so if anybody has had any sort of guest exposure in the past that's definitely going to be helpful. We need people who really enjoy working with the public because that's generally 99.9 percent of the job."

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