When a friend already employed by Silver Star Ski Resort suggested to Monika Brenner that she might enjoy working there as well, Monika went onto the resort's website, applied for a ticket-checking position, and was promptly hired.
As the ski season progressed, she moved on to directing traffic at the bottom of the lift, helping people get on the chairs in sixes, and toward the end of the year she was helping people load the lift — which she quite enjoyed.
Monika is still in Grade 11, and her only prior training was "being out there in the social world and, yes, being social helps a lot," she says. "The friendlier you are toward the customers, the better." She enjoys meeting new people and being of assistance, although she finds it challenging "when people come down the runs and need help, but they don't speak English."
She would definitely recommend the job to a friend. "Silver Star helped me meet some great new people from all over the world, some of whom I still keep in contact with. It's a great experience to be working with the people up there, and be in such a fun atmosphere." Although she hasn't quite figured out what her career plans are, she hopes that she can work at Silver Star again next year, and in the long term she envisions a career in tourism.
As for advice about the job, "It's all about having as much fun as possible, and doing your job, of course," she says. "If you look like you're having a good time, it helps tourists relax and have a good time, too." A welcoming smile is always useful. "It just seems to make everyone's day that much brighter, especially working at the bottom of the lifts; they see us ticket checkers and lift operators more than anyone on the mountain. And if you're friendly to them, it makes their vacation time that much more of an enjoyable experience."
See the job description of a Lift Operator.
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