SKI AND SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR EMPLOYMENT

Every year, some 23,000 full- and part-time certified ski instructors within the nine divisions of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) pack their gear and head for the hills. For most instructors, teaching snowboarding or skiing is a welcome respite from college classes and an excellent way to earn a season's ski pass or a little extra income on the weekends. For many others, it's a professional calling that lasts a lifetime.

Becoming a ski or snowboard instructor is one of the best ways to enjoy the mountains and develop your ability while giving something back to the sport by helping others develop their skills.

When considering whether to teach skiing as a career, first imagine yourself nattily attired in a spiffy uniform with a certification pin, weaving fluidly through a mogul field or kicking up plumes of snow as you blast through three feet of new powder; your sun-bronzed face sporting a pair of mirrored sunglasses while envious amateurs admire your style from the lift overhead. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, imagine yourself hefting a pudgy kid, who is standing on your new skis, onto the beginner chair before it clobbers him; your rain-soaked ski pants sticking clammily to your butt.

If you instruct for any length of time, you'll have plenty of both kinds of experiences. If you're any good at your job, you'll revel in the good days but—equally important—still smile through the bad, regardless of the situation.

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