Do's
1) Relax! We have all worked several winter seasons, been in the same position as you and really aren’t trying to scare you.
2) Come fully clued up with research about which resorts you think might suit you. If you have a favourite then make sure you can justify your enthusiasm by showing why you would be a good fit for the team there. However, come with an open mind and remember that the recruitment team know our resorts better than anyone and may have more of an idea than you as to where you’d fit in.
3) If you are particularly interested in a certain type of food, emphasise this. Vegan, dairy free and vegetarian guests are more common than you might expect – we can guarantee that you will encounter several variations over the winter season - and if you have experience in cooking for them this may give you an edge over other applicants.
4) Draw parallels from prior experiences, even if they are not directly linked to a ski season job. If you have held responsibility at school, university or through your travels then we want to hear about it!
5) Make sure you are as organised as possible. Bring exactly what we ask for - clearly presented – and double check your travel arrangements. If you’re coming from outside London then give yourself extra time in case of delays or confusion over travel. A flustered interviewee does not make that all-important good first impression.
Don'ts
1) Send a cover letter which references all the other companies you have applied to. We know that in all likelihood you will be playing the field and applying for a variety of ski jobs, but we can afford to be picky and will immediately discount anyone who hasn’t spent some time on tailoring their application to our values.
2) Play it too cool. It might work in other situations, but we are looking for people who brim with enthusiasm and personality. If your passion for yodelling comes up in conversation with guests we want to know that you can hold court with poise and confidence – the interview is the first chance for us to test this.
3) Feel like you need to hide any bad experiences from us. We can usually tell if people are dodging a subject and are more interested in what you have learnt from a challenging situation, and how you will apply this knowledge to your winter job, than in what actually happened. Honesty is always the best policy.
4) Let yourself be talked into something you aren’t comfortable with. For example, if you’re not confident around crowds then let us know. We aim to place people where they will be happiest and find that this outlook tends to mean that we assemble complementary teams in our resorts. Treat it as discussion and ask as many questions as you need.
What now?
Now you’ve taken these tips onboard the next thing to do is get your application to us; schedule an interview; knock our socks off with a killer combination of charm, wit and personality; and spend the next five months counting down the days until you’re in the mountains. Simple as that!
We offer a great employment package which reflects the high quality of our staff, including:
Travel to and from resortAccommodation (and food for Chalet & Hotel Staff)Medical Travel Insurance and Winter Sports InsuranceUniformExtensive TrainingSki EquipmentFull Area Ski PassCompetitive salary, paid monthly to a UK bank accountFind out more about the variety of ski jobs we have on offer on our Work for Us webpage, or email recruit@vip-chalets.com.
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