Ski - Ski Resort Job Descriptions
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 WHICH JOB IS BEST FOR ME?
The following is a short summary of the different types of jobs available to you. This is the first thing you need to decide on when applying for work. What do I want to do in resort? Never mind which resort or what country, what job will you be happy doing when away for around 5 months and working 6 days a week and long hours.
Well you are lucky in that you have a lot of choice thanks to the numerous companies and businesses who advertise with us.
The basic rules for your decision making should be:
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If you love catering and looking after people and either working on your own, as a couple or as part of a small team with your own responsibilities then think about working in a chalet
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If you enjoy catering & hospitality but want to be part of a bigger team working in a bigger unit with less responsibilities then look at hotels
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If you just want a general job then look at an assistant in a chalet or a night porter or a plongeur (KP) in a hotel.
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If you are experienced in sales, problem solving and can work using your own initiative then look at a repping role
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If you have management experience then look at a resort manager, area manager or chalet or hotel management role although they will require catering experience if dealing with chalets or hotels.
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Bar work is available as an option as is DJing, musicians, nannying, kiddies repping, rental or local shop jobs, ski instructors, ski guides, masseurs, nurses, therapists and maintenance or ski technicians.
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Some companies have hotels who have their own accountants so this could be an option as well as IT, sales, customer services, marketing and other office roles.
If you would like a menu plan template click here and if you would like help/advice with creating your menu plan click here.
CHALET STAFF
Chalet Hosts/Cooks 
Responsibilities include delivering a varied and mouth-watering menu for your guests,
cleaning the chalet and basic accounting and admin. You must enjoy looking after people, have a sense of humour, love food, and be hardworking. A catering qualification or relevant experience is essential. (It's worth investing in a cookery course to help you get a job!)
Assistant Chalet Hosts/Extra Pair of Hands
You will assist the chalet host with the running of the chalet and will concentrate more on the cleaning and service functions. You must be hardworking and have a good sense of humour and enjoy looking after people. Experience in service and hospitality industry is important as you will be laying tables, serving food, cleaning rooms and having a lot of contact with the guests.
A TYPICAL CHALET DAY -
Up bright and early, ready to begin at 0730am.
Put porridge on to heat through (soak it the night before and refrigerate)
Put pan of water/kettle on to boil.
Clear remaining crockery from dinner and wash up any that you may need.
Set table for breakfast, use a check list to ensure that nothing is forgotten.
Make a start on the cake.
Porridge can be served to guests while you are cooking their hot breakfast (if applicable).
You can attend to your cake while the guests are eating breakfast and pop it in to cook as soon as it is ready, so it can cool in time to be decorated.
Clear away dishes as the guests finish and get them washed up as you go along.
Any prep for dinner can be done in any spare moments you have.
Clear away breakfast and then clean rooms, bathrooms, communal areas and set out afternoon tea.
Clean kitchen, mop floor and cover food and refrigerate where appropriate.
Check you have left the chalet spick and span. Collect rubbish and go skiing from 11am.
Clear away tea and start on dinner at 530pm.
Wash up and set up the table using a checklist to help you.
Serve dinner at 8.00pm.
Eat dinner and socialize with the guests, wash up and clear away as much as possible.
Soak porridge, empty bins, leave kitchen spotless and chat with the guests.
Flop into bed and relax…or party if you've still got the energy!
HOTEL STAFF
Hotel Managers
Responsible for the efficient running of a hotel. This includes managing, organising and motivating a team of staff, menu planning (with your head chef) and food quality control, budgeting, stock control and ordering, accounting and general administration and liasing with local suppliers and guests. A local language skill would be invaluable.
Head Chefs
Responsible for running the kitchen of a hotel. Duties include menu planning, stock, budget and hygiene control. You will also be responsible for your team and will report to the Hotel Manager. Catering qualifications and experience of providing cuisine to a high standard are essential. You need to be a team player willing to adopt a hands on approach to the running of your kitchen.
Assistant Chefs
Reporting to the Head Chef and assisting with food preparation and all other duties associated with providing quality meals. Catering qualifications and/or experience are essential. You must be a team player as well and be able to work with the minimum of supervision.
Kitchen Assistants/Plongeurs
Reporting to the head chef and responsible for washing up, assisting with food preparation and any other duties that ensure the smooth running of the kitchen and hotel, eg. assisting guests with luggage, snow clearing and basic maintenance. You will be able to work with the minimum of supervison and ideally will have worked in a kitchen before. If not then be keen to work hard and learn quickly!
Bar Managers
Responsible for all aspects of running a bar, including cash and stock control, staff management and bar service.
Bar Persons
Responsible for serving drinks and food. You must have an outgoing personality and some relevant bar and service experience.
Hotel Restaurant & Housekeeping Staff
Responsible for cleaning rooms, serving and hosting all meals. Ideally you will have had some service/housekeeping experience and be hardworking with an outgoing personality.
RESORT STAFF
 Resort Management
You must have a flair for organising, as you will be responsible for guest welfare, dealing with local suppliers and local sales, as well as managing a team of staff in resort. Excellent communication skills, self-motivation and enthusiasm are essential. A working knowledge of a local language would be useful.
Resort Office Jobs
Various positions exist in accounting, systems, reservations and general administration. Ideally you will have the relevant experience but some companies will provide training. A working knowledge of a local language would be useful.
This then gives you an option to work a ski season and not to interupt your CV as it will be in a role relevant to your career.
Resort Representatives
Responsibilities include setting up a resort at the beginning of the season, carrying out health and safety checks and reports, local sales of ski packs and aprés-ski activities, company accounts and paperwork, handling company money, customer care and welfare issues and dealing with local suppliers and agents. You must be organised, energetic and able to work on your own initiative. A working knowledge of a local language would be useful. (For details of a recommended Reps training course click here)
Maintenance
You must have trade skills as either a plumber, carpenter, electrician or builder. Positions vary but you must be flexible and be prepared to work in any situation and environment. A clean driving licence is essential.
Transfer Reps
To work on transfer day seeing off and accompanying guests to the airport or train station and then greeting and accompanying new arrivals to resort, selling ski passes, etc
Ski Guides/Rangers
You must be an expert skier and be able to organise and lead a comprehensive and varied program of skiing for guests. The position could involve acting as a representative responsible for guest welfare and local sales. Ski qualifications are advantageous to your application.
 Ski Instructors
You must have the relevant ski qualifications and ideally possess local language skills.
If you are thinking of embarking on training for this position then we are pleased to recommend these courses.
Nannies/Au Pairs/Kids Reps
The job usually involves organising a varied programme of daytime and evening activities for children. You should ideally possess an NNEB, BTEC, Nursing, Infant teaching or Childcare qualification or an NVQ in Childcare and have practical experience in caring for children and good references.
Example: WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH BEING A NANNY/KIDS REP
A typical day begins around 0830 when you either meet the children at the chalet or at a chosen rendezvous point, which may be a kids club or a ski school. The numbers of children and their ages depends very much on each company and the responsibilities they place on their staff.
Be prepared for plenty of hard work as some companies have a low nanny to baby ratio whilst others may expect you to have more than two pairs of hands! It is at the interview stage when you need to question these points as they will have an effect on how your season goes.
The day would then consist of possibly dropping off some of the kids at ski school, meeting them for lunch and then dropping them back off at ski school later, organising games and activities for the others, taking into account the weather conditions and what is practical to organise. Sometimes the company may ask that you prepare and cook the kids meals at lunch time.
Nannies tend to look after the kids at the guests' chalets or hotels, so you will need to get on with the chalet or hotel staff who work there. On this note, it is worth mentioning the well known fact that ski resort night life and staff love lifes can get complicated. So be warned, that what you get up to when out on the town and mixing with other staff will always be around the resort before you know it!
Some companies may require you to do baby sitting in the evening, sometimes paid, sometimes not. Once again this should be discussed at the interview stage and as part of your contract of employment. Most companies however would pay you for any extra work undertaken.
It is not unusual for nannies and kids reps to be asked to help on changeover day in the chalets or even airport transfers. Make sure you are aware of this at the interview again.
Overall, the benefits far outweigh the hardships and your package should include a well-earned day off, ski pass, accom and food, ski equipment. One last point is that quite often your day off may end up being the changeover day when all the other staff are working and not able to ski as it is the day when their old guests leave and their new ones arrive. It is therefore worth getting to know the other nannies in resort!
OTHER STAFF
 Bar/Nightclub/Restaurant Staff
Positions vary. You should have had previous experience working in the hospitality industry. A working knowledge of a local language would be useful. This is one of the most popular jobs to do so you will need to really sell yourself to set your skills apart from hundreds of applicants who will be applying for these sought after jobs. We are pleased to be working with Jacks Evolution and Crowded House Bars, the leading bar and nightclub operator who have bars, nightclubs, restaurants and hotels around the French Alps. Visit our job listings to apply for their jobs or why not visit their website for more info. We also recommend the Pacific Bar in Val d'Isere who are one of the busiest and liveliest bars in the Alps.
Ski Technicians
Boot fitting, ski servicing and guest liaison either for ski companies or local employees.
Focuss on retail/rental jobs. The following is a selection of the types of jobs available and the skills the employer would look for in each job:
Retail Personnel: Technical clothing, Casual clothing and Accessories
Technical clothing: You will be expected to sell high level technical ski and board clothing with the importance being placed on ensuring that the client is made aware of all of the technical qualities of the clothing as well as the suitability of colour and style.
Casual clothing and Accessories: You will be expected to sell high quality casual clothing and accessories (gloves, goggles, hats etc.) with the emphasis on offering advice on suitability of cut, shape, size, colour, style and product attributes.
Retail Personnel: Ski, Board and Technical Accessories
You will be expected to proactively sell high quality technical equipment to our clients using a combination of advice and information. In-House training will usually be given but they tend to look for candidates who either have previous retail experience in this area or who can demonstrate a keen interest in this market and in the current technology and innovations.
Rental Staff (Boot fitting and Skis/Snowboard)
You will be expected to rotate between the rental boot fitting department and the ski department. The boot fitting roles involves offering information and advice to ensure the client is fitted with a boot that delivers the optimum balance between comfort and performance and is the appropriate level for their ability. Basic training will be provided in Foot and Lower Limb Anatomy and Physiology, Human Biomechanics and Podiatry.
The rental ski and board are responsible for offering information and advice to our rental clients to ensure they are provided with a level of ski or board which matches their ability and allows them to maximise enjoyment of their holiday. You will be expected to familiarise yourself with the DIN system to allow you to set the client's ski bindings to a level which is suitable for them and also to set up snowboards.
Cashiers/Accessory Salespeople
You will be expected to ensure all items of equipment have been booked out at the beginning of the client's holiday, that any changes are registered during the week, and that the equipment is returned and paid for in full at the end of the week. You are also responsible for dealing with any queries or disputes over payment in a friendly and efficient manner. Cashiers will usually be given full training in all aspects of the computer system, the insurance options and ski and boot grades, and will also be expected to sell accessories during the quieter periods (see accessory sales above).
Workshop Technicians
This role involves servicing, repairing and waxing of all skies and snowboards using workshop machinery. No experience is necessary as full training will be usually be given.
Drivers
During the week you will be responsible for the movement of stock from various locations within the resort. Additionally, during the weekend, you will be responsible for collecting clients from their chalets, bringing them to the store and returning the clients to their chalet once they have rented their equipment. The specific requirements for this position are usually that you are over 23 years old, are well presented and have a clean driving licence, which you have held for 2 years.
Technical Boot fitters
This position is similar to Rental boot fitter however, as the clients are purchasing the boots, customising the fit is crucial. You must be prepared to spend time familiarising yourself with all of the boots in our sales range so that you can select the boot that matches the client's foot. Some experience of Foot and Lower Limb Anatomy and Physiology and Biomechanics would be advantageous but full training will be given.
General Retail Shop Assistants
Positions vary. Ideally you should have had some sales/customer-based experience. A working knowledge of a local language would be useful.
Musicians/Bands
Proven experience working at home or abroad is essential. Bars and clubs are looking for lively individuals or bands for the season!
Other Resort Jobs
Doormen, snow clearers etc.
Physios/Nurses
These are few and far between but jobs do come up in more of the 'English' resorts for physios and nurses to work the season.
UK - Based Jobs
Jobs based in the Head Offices of Ski Companies or any other employers. Useful when you have completed a season and want to return to the UK.
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