In the doghouse/out of the doghouse

[ski_resort_observer]

So my 18yo son is supposed to go to college, according to his mother......he wants to go out west and work and ski first. His mother blames me as that's pretty much what I did but I did it under the guise of going to grad school.

So he takes a bus down to NYC early this morning, Breckinridge is having a job fair. Talk about being proactive on getting employees. Does the interview, gets a great job as a line cook with employee housing. He has several summers of cooking experience with glowing references.

The wife just picked him at the bus station, calls me and is really proud of how together he is and best of all, I'm out of the doghouse. Whew!

 

[L2RAFO]

Okay, I can't tell from your post if you're looking for a response, or just doing that "forum epiphany" thing, but if it's the former, I'd like to offer the following: great place to start, but, as you already know, he will have horrible hours, make lousey money, and get little time on the hill compared to a wait staff employee. Just tell him to keep his eye on Frisco, or even Copper specific dinner shifts down the road, and he'll max his ski hours, and make one hell of alot more cash.

p.s.- Surprising to hear about the job fair, because, to the best of my knowledge, that area usually pulls from Bolivia/Australia for its typical low end ( no offence to the kid what-so- ever ) work force.

p.s.s.- If you're looking for the answer to the kid's choice of taking a break before the education; I wish I had been as smart as he is. Asking a 17/18 year old what he wants to do with the rest of his life is like asking a Russian roulette player what chamber the slug is in. Big congrats for what it's worth.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Okay, I can't tell from your post if you're looking for a response, or just doing that "forum epiphany" thing, but if it's the former, I'd like to offer the following: great place to start, but, as you already know, he will have horrible hours, make lousey money, and get little time on the hill compared to a wait staff employee. Just tell him to keep his eye on Frisco, or even Copper specific dinner shifts down the road, and he'll max his ski hours, and make one hell of alot more cash.

p.s.- Surprising to hear about the job fair, because, to the best of my knowledge, that area usually pulls from Bolivia/Australia for its typical low end ( no offence to the kid what-so- ever ) work force.

p.s.s.- If you're looking for the answer to the kid's choice of taking a break before the education; I wish I had been as smart as he is. Asking a 17/18 year old what he wants to do with the rest of his life is like asking a Russian roulette player what chamber the slug is in. Big congrats for what it's worth.

He's a snowboard freak and the pay isn't too bad with a seasons pass and access to employee housing. He was initially interested in a tip job but apparently they don't get access to employee housing. Don't know what's up with that, I only spoke to him for a few minutes.

I too was shocked to hear that Breck was interviewing in NYC. BUT it seems like getting enough staff is getting harder and harder for mosr resorts I know of. They(INS) just tightned the numbers and therefore reduced access resorts had in the past to foreign workers so smart resorts are going to have to get creative..

 

[L2RAFO]

He's a snowboard freak and the pay isn't too bad with a seasons pass and access to employee housing. He was initially interested in a tip job but apparently they don't get access to employee housing. Don't know what's up with that, I only spoke to him for a few minutes.

I too was shocked to hear that Breck was interviewing in NYC. BUT it seems like getting enough staff is getting harder and harder for mosr resorts I know of. They(INS) just tightned the numbers and therefore reduced access resorts had in the past to foreign workers so smart resorts are going to have to get creative..

Believe me when I say, follow the path I directed.

He's already got a job, so what can it hurt.

He doesn't need to bail unless he decides a better option presents itself.

The people you meet, and the networking you can do on the front end of the rest-o-rant far exceeds the nightmare of the kitchen.

 

[snowman]

Believe me when I say, follow the path I directed.

He's already got a job, so what can it hurt.

He doesn't need to bail unless he decides a better option presents itself.

The people you meet, and the networking you can do on the front end of the rest-o-rant far exceeds the nightmare of the kitchen.

I'm with L2 all the way. Being excited about that job is like thinking you won the lottery when McDonalds said they'd hire you. You can pull down $500 a night in a tip job. The job he got probably doesn't even pay close to that a week....

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I think your missing the main point...he's not doing it for the money, neither did I. He has already spent 3 summers in the kitchen of a very busy place.

 

[snoseek]

p.m. line cook job= very good winter.

 

[snowman]

I think your missing the main point...he's not doing it for the money, neither did I. He has already spent 3 summers in the kitchen of a very busy place.

OK...I understand that I guess, However, I'm thinking working 5 evening hours for $500 serving and talking to people from around the world (some of whom own REAL restaurants...can you say contacts) beats working 8 to 12 hours a day shovelling out slop for $80 because they weren't allowed to import a mexican to do the job. Call me crazy...

 

[thebigo]

Well Im in my late 20's, good salary, traveled the world, a few credits away from my mba and I have one major regret in this life: I never had the chance to take a few months and care about nothing other than skiing. To this day it haunts me, I find myself dialing up monster and setting the location for butte, boise, reno etc.

Your kid is lucky to have parents that understand/share his passion. Hell be fine, it took a ton of ambition for him to hit that job fair and besides a local guide in CO cant hurt.

 

[RISkier]

I don't think it's a bad thing at all. I think a lot of kids really don't know what they want to do and aren't ready for college. Now is the time to take a year or two and explore the world. Wish I had. It becomes increasingly difficult to do things like this once folks get involved in careers and family.

 

[wintersyndrome]

One of my friends went out there 7 years ago, same area, he now lives in Silverthorne. I spent a season out there (shortened due to pick-up Ice hockey injury and came home) However, he has set roots out there, loves it finished his masters and now has a house with a view of keystone and the ten mile range. Your sons decision to be a line chef in that community will pay off in spades for life-experience, and when he eventually enters college, he will have that leg-up on persons his own age and new students.
for your son: Carpe Diem and good luck.

For you: now you have a place to stay in breck this winter...things could be worse.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Sounds like he might enjoy culinary school when he's done with his fun.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I did the skibum thing after college. I wasn't ready for the real world yet so when I was 23..I drove to Montana with a couple grand..and worked odd jobs for $7-10 bucks an hour. It was nice and I skied more powder than I ever skied in my life up to that point..but after the 2nd ski season..I was sick of living with a bunch of smelly roommates and wanted to start making real money, have my own place, and have the money to travel..so I moved back east. I'll never forget the cold smoke powder and partying almost every night and the lack of responsibilities...it was great..but the next time I move out west...It's going to be just during ski season when I have enough money that I don't have to work. I actually skied less days per year in Montana than here in PA because of the lack of night skiing...since some days I had to work..anyway most parents want their kids to go directly to college..then directly to a serious career. I think spending a year or two as a skibum is a great thing..and some people enjoy the dirtbag lifestyle and make a life of it..

 

[snoseek]

Sounds like he might enjoy culinary school when he's done with his fun.

i agree. he could easily turn this into a way of life. it is possible to make a living as a chef if your driven. odds are you will work at night. better yet work for a country club, summer resort, beach club, place thats only open evenings ect... . there are so many different angles to it.

 

[deadheadskier]

I took a similar path, so I have a lot of input on this.

First, I'm guessing that the reason they don't offer employee housing with 'tipped' positions is that the resort does payroll deduction to cover housing costs. I spent a summer down the road at Keystone between my Junior and Senior years of high school living in employee housing and that is what they did anyhow.

After one year of college and not knowing what I wanted to do with myself, I took two years off to be a ski bum. At the time my parents were PISSED as I had somehow got excepted to a college I had no business getting accepted at (Skidmore).

Timing on my part couldn't have been better as my winters were 95-96-97 in Stowe, which were great seasons. (97 I did start back at school part time at UVM). I fell in love with the business and decided to get a degree in the field, so I could make 'real' money and be a 'professional' ski bum. Following school, I didn't take a job in management at first, I wanted one last winter of being a partying ski bum. I bartended in Stowe and again luck was on my side and it was the season of 00-01, perhaps the best winter ever.

After that season, I made the classic mistake of taking the first good management job that came my way, feeling compelled to put my degree to work for me. Of all places it was in Athens, Ohio - doh no skiing nearby. I thought I would be making enough money to take trips skiing instead, but I was very wrong in that estimation. I lasted a year and took a management job at a ski area, Snowshoe, WV to be specific.

This is where I learned and if I could type it any louder I would, 'IF YOU WANT TO SKI A LOT, DO NOT WORK IN MANAGEMENT AT A SKI AREA'. Ski areas are perpetually under staffed and they grab salaried management by the balls and you essentially have no choice but to work 80 hours a week leaving very little time for skiing. This was the case for me at Snowshoe, so I went to try it at another ski area after and it was the same thing.

From there I went to take management jobs at hotels in small cities, Burlington, VT and Portland, ME and though I wasn't at the resort, I skied a lot more as I actually could find enough employees to make things run well enough to have two days off a week or go skiing in the morning and work nights.

As for the person who said he's making a mistake cooking, I couldn't disagree more. I think if I had gone the back of the house route instead of front of the house, I'd still be in the business. Eventually I got bored working front of the house management jobs and left the business. Cooking is far more of an art and creative outlet that can keep someone better engaged for a life time. Now I sell high end meats to the finest chef's in the area, so I get to help them with their creativity and get to experience that side of the business, though in a different way. It's still a ton of fun helping chefs plan menus.

Either side though, it's a tough business to last in. I eventually grew tired of working nights, weekends and holidays. Sure it was great having days off mid week to go skiing, but it wears on you and is extremely difficult to keep at and maintain a good family life. It put a lot of strain on my relationships with girlfriends and family in general having to work every holiday and weekend. I will probably ski less this winter than in years past, but for example, I won't for a second miss working until 3 AM on NYE and then coming back in at 8 AM to work a New Years day brunch. I never thought I'd say this, but I love now working 8 to 6 and having weekends and holidays off. I'll miss all my midweek ski days with the mountains empty, but overall its a far healthier lifestyle.

So, that's my 2 cents (or 80) as I made similar choices to your son when I was his age. Just some things for him/you to ponder as he heads down that path.

 

[bobbutts]

Right on.. going to college right now against his wishes is not likely to work out (speaking from experience)

 

[JD]

PM linecook job and employee housing=tons of booze, weed, and waitresses....and snow.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

PM linecook job and employee housing=tons of booze, weed, and waitresses....and snow.

I'm sure the parent wants that for their son but that's reality...

 

[snoseek]

PM linecook job and employee housing=tons of booze, weed, and waitresses....and snow.

like i said he will have a good winter.8)

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

I did a year off after HS in Tahoe, had HS buds who said I'd never go back to school, blah blah blah...I went to tahoe, skied over 80 days, partied and had a blast...the naysayers went off to college, partied and one of them flunked out by the second semester, the other was on academic probation...both eventually ended leaving the state college for the local jr college before they could get their shit together enough to get back on track. I came back from tahoe...still skied plenty but also hit the deans list my first semester. Kept skiing, took a couple more years off after graduating cum laude, then went to grad school. Along the way I've managed to carve out a pretty decent career in the ski industry, turn my parents into proud grandparents and ski no less than 40 days a year. It didn't happen overnight...but give your kid the space and if you've done a good job for the first 18 years he may end up the food and bev manager at Snowbasin or the VP of F&B for Intrawest...or with his own skiing chef show on the food network. Tell mom to relax and start planning on a trip to Breck this winter!