So what exactly can you do in a ski resort..for money..that's legal?! Quite a few things actually. Here are a few of the main jobs out there where it's snowy:

 

Chef:
You’ll be responsible for running the kitchen in a large chalet or chalet hotel. Duties are likely to include menu planning, stock, budget and hygiene control. You may also be responsible for all other staff in the chalet.
Catering qualifications and/or extensive experience of providing cuisine to a high standard in a commercial environment will be essential. All chalet staff are usually expected hold a valid food hygiene certificate. You’ll probably get one day off per week, plus most afternoons once morning duties are over.

 

Catering Chalet Host:
Many companies employ catering hosts in smaller chalets. You won’t be expected to have as much experience as a fully fledged chef but will have many of the same responsibilities. You may be working alone and be responsible for all aspects of your guests’ holiday. 
You’ll need to be a competent cook capable of producing breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea – generally for up to a dozen people, six days a week. Chalet Hosts are usually required to clean and are on hand to assist guests whenever they are on duty.  You’ll probably get one day off per week, plus most afternoons once morning duties are over.

 

Non-Catering Chalet Host:
As above, but you will work alongside a chef who will largely be responsible for the cooking. You’ll be more “front of house” with the guests and are likely to have a lot of cleaning and housekeeping duties. You may need to help with the preparation and serving of meals so a good understanding of food and how to present it is likely to be a bonus.

 

Plongeur / Kitchen Porter:
The classic seasonal role! Not much glamour but you may get more time on the mountain than most as you’ll typically be working at the start and end of the day. Working in a hotel or restaurant you’ll be expected to work efficiently and hard, with duties encompassing cleaning, food prep and, of course, pot washing.

 

Childcare Staff:
Many ski companies now provide some kind of childcare. In childcare roles you’ll be responsible for looking after children while their parents ski. Times vary from company to company but it’s likely that you will be on duty from around 9am-5pm, five (or sometimes six) days a week. You may also be expected to baby sit in the evenings.
Most companies look for staff who have childcare, teaching or nursing qualifications but there are sometimes roles for applicants who have extensive experience of working with children but no qualifications. In our experience all childcare staff will be expected to hold a valid first aid certificate and should expect to be CRB and reference checked.

 

Resort Assistant / Maintenance Man / Driver:
These are the people who do all the jobs no-one else wants to do! You’re likely to be responsible for a wide range of duties, such as driving and general maintenance but you may also be required to help out in chalets or do airport transfers. Typically you can expect one full day off per week, plus additional time on the slopes on a few afternoons. These are diverse roles and can be great fun for the right people.

 

Ski Guide:
This is one of the most sought after winter jobs, but there aren’t as many roles available now as in past due to legislation and pressure from insurers. If you do find a ski guide job you’ll typically be out on the mountain with clients three to four days a week and then have duties along the lines of a resort assistant on other days.

 

Ski Technician:
There are ski tech roles with larger tour operators – but typically you’d be working for a ski hire shop. Experience is usually essential and you may require a formal qualification. You’ll spend your days sitting skis, boards and boots and be expected to service kit too. There’s likely to be a degree of admin too. Working hours and days vary but you should get a reasonable amount of time on the mountain.

 

Ski Instructor:
You will need a qualification to be a ski instructor, however, the level required will vary from one country to another – with France widely acknowledged as having the highest barrier to entry. Working hours and rates of pay vary hugely depending on where you teach and to what standard.

 

Resort Reps and Management Roles:
Most ski companies, however big or small, will have some kind of overseas management team. In small firms this may mean a lone resort Rep, in larger firms there may be a large team of managers covering areas of the business such as staffing, catering, transport and accounts.
Resort Reps and Managers will usually need to have proven experience in seasonal role and language skills. Hours are likely to be long and stress levels can occasionally be high – theses roles can be very rewarding though.