What to do when the lucrative summer season finishes? Begin by making sure your hospitality skills for winter jobs are up to scratch and you could be spending the cold months at a luxurious ski resort.
If waking up to stunning scenery and mountain air sounds like your idea of heaven then now is the time to find your dream job at a winter resort.
Most professionals who work in winter resorts profess a profound love of snow sports, but that shouldn’t be your sole motivation. The winter sports season is short and intense, filled with long days and busy aprés-ski nights where your skills will be pushed to the limit. So make sure you have what it takes, then sign-up to Hosco to start searching for hospitality jobs for the winter season.
And to help you along, take note of these hospitality skills for winter jobs that will help convince potential employers you are a perfect fit.
The 7 Skills You Need To Land A Winter Hospitality Job
Competition for positions at winter resorts is fierce. Whichever platform you use, make sure your professional online portfolio is up to date and includes as many endorsements and recommendations as you can. Play up soft skills for hospitality such as communication, empathy and trustworthiness.
Bring something extra to the table
Ski resorts are worlds unto themselves, requiring a diverse range of winter hospitality skills to make them run smoothly. Think about an extra talent you can bring with you, such as a first-aid certificate, a license to drive a heavy vehicle, or even photography or massage therapy. Experience with children is highly valued, as kids can often have a hard time adjusting to cold mountain conditions, and aren’t afraid to show it!
Break down those language barriers
With people travelling long distances for a taste of the snow, winter resorts tend to be multilingual. Now is the time to accelerate your language learning, or if you already have proficiency in a foreign language, make sure you say so upfront on your CV.
Stay flexible and agile
All sorts of hospitality professions are needed for winter resorts, from ski-lift instructors and operators to restaurant and hotel staff, cleaners, marketers and entertainers. When an employee gets sick, it can sometimes take time to find a replacement for logistical reasons. Show a potential employee you have the ability, will and flexibility to step into other roles at short notice.
Be location-aware
Like any other hospitality work genre, operators of winter resorts and hotels are bound by national laws as to who they can hire. If you are eligible to work in the EU, USA, Australia or anywhere else where there is a winter holiday industry, make sure your paperwork is in order and that you are aware of visa requirements and processing times.
Demonstrate you are people-orientated
Despite chilly temperatures, winter resorts are cosy and close-knit places. With guests rarely venturing beyond the slopes and spending every night relaxing in the hotel’s après ski facilities, bonds will form quickly, During the interview process, demonstrate your stellar interpersonal skills and ability to connect with guests and gain their trust.
Worktime, not snowtime
It’s not necessary to be a lover of snow sports to apply for a hospitality job in a winter resort, but of course, it helps to demonstrate you are comfortable in extreme weather environments and can natter with guests about the quality of the snow. But never give the impression that you want a position for personal reasons.
Your hospitality job at a winter resort will be focused on making sure your guests have a memorable experience. And in all probability, you will too.
