Career in skiing?

MatRich

MatRich

Active member
heres the thing I am not good enough at skiing to turn pro and I know that. I figure i will do competitions for a while and probably be sponsored as an amature for a few years but I dont think i have a chance at going very far. As a comitted skier I want to continue my path in skiing though and keep giving to the comunity. This is why I want to chose a career that revolves around skiing. The problem is I dont know what career to persue: i need ideas..... this is where NS comes in. give me suggestions or examples of ski careers. thanks
 
do you have a college degree or not?

these are some ideas that a degree would help with but not necessarily be absolutely needed

1. become a sales rep and eventually sales manager for any ski brand. you get to travel and meet people and use your already made connections to translate to sales which translates to money.

2. become an event planner and coordinate competitions. deal with skiiers and make sure they have what they need when they get there. work with venders to figure out what to sell and where. talk to media outlets and try to get the names of these athletes and competitions out in the public which once again translates to money

just a couple ideas and for all i know they suck
 
o yeah one more thing.

if you really really want to work and make a living in the ski industry. you can. u just have to set your priorities
 
if you live in CO I can offer you a spot as a filmer for Shadow Puppet Productions....... it won't pay yet, but as the company grows it eventually will

let me know
 
smart > average skier

as far as money is concerned. stay focused in school (are you still in school?) and you'll be able to be CEO of a company or something, rather than being bitched, you'll be bitching people around and hiring and firing.

 
If you LOVE the backcountry you could work toward becoming some sort of guide. Maybe you could work yourself into a film guide position with msp or tgr or something.
 
Im most probably going to be a journo when i leave for some snow related mag, i hope atleast. Think about trying to get into that.
 
You could be the best filmer, the best photographer, the best skier, the best business man, you won't go anywhere in the ski industry without connections, period.
 
Thats only half true, if you get that good people will notice you and you will make connections. You cant be discouraged about starting out in the ski industry because you dont know anyone. As you get into it more and more you'll meet people and make connections through the industry. The right ski towns are just crawling with people in high places ski wise, and they are normally pretty friendly.

There is no money in this industry though, unless you are very very smart/lucky. Even then it pales in comparison to what you could be making in other industries.
 
Backcountry guide, park manager, sales rep, film producer, ski design, clothing design, sales rep, ski instructor, event coordinator. Really, the jobs are almost endless. Being a ski instructor may not be a career, but it will get you started.
 
Talk to nomensteven I know he went to school in canada somewhere for ski resort managment which sounds pretty dopesauce
 
get schooled and get into the corporate side of resorts...

marketing and HR are very big...

you wont be rich, but youll get to ride a shitload and earn enough not be a bum...

...or you could just bum it for the next 10-20 years
 
lol if by epic you mean boring and back country you mean the cross country ski path then hell yah it is !!
 
when i am workin at deer valley over the winters, rumor has it that most of the top ski instructors(ones that only get privates and huges corporate groups) are making triple digits just during the winter season. I was makin over $20+ per hour after tips without any certification just teachin 3 years olds. Not sure if all resorts are like this tho.
 
your best bet is a ski instructor, guide, or sales rep. Or even if you wanna become an engineer you could make your way into the industry. But the fact is, if you wanna make your way into the industry in a way that will SUPPORT you fully, you have to have super fat knee pads....its all about connections that are usually brought about by luck or you are super super good at skiing.
 
Start out teaching. I know it kinda sounds like a joke, and believe me it is in many ways. The thing is you'll be able to live in nearly any ski town and make tons of connections along the way. That or apply for a job at a shop in a ski town. Since you are Canadian like me I'd suggest Banff, Whistler, Kelowna or Revy after a couple more seasons.
 
You can be a lawyer for the ski company or you could just become a partner at a law firm and retire at 40 or become an investment banker and retire around the same time.
 
Alright, here's the thing.

Ok, so you established that you might get sponsored by a few small companies with your skiing and you are looking for a career in the ski industry.

Most people who have careers in the ski industry, really don't ski that much. Unless you get hooked up with a bomber job, you're looking at 30 days of skiing. Give or take 10.

Here comes the tricky part, what specific area do you want to get into? As ski areas want to attract more and more people, they need a lot of marketing people (and customer service). Park crews are always looking for labor, but it's rare for a you to have a career in that unless you know your way around a cat "like whoa". Most ski areas require 5 years of grooming experience before they let you tackle a terrain park. You have to know your math too, geometry emphasis!

Some ski companies have links at the bottom of their pages entitled "Jobs". Search those, if you don't mind crappy pay (unless you have a college degree)...go with that. Oh, you won't be working anywhere near snow unless you are working in Ogden, UT. (ogden is an expensive place btw)

Photography, good luck.

Videography, good luck.

Designing top sheets, unless you are have a BFA...unlikely

I have exhausted my fingers, I wish you luck....also, if you want to stay in the ski industry....you probably gotta know how to party hard. That's why pros like Chris Hawkes never become huge, he didn't like to party as much as some others. That guy could throw a switch 7 before Cusson

 
you could be a

1. gear dealer

2. company owner

3. company rep

4. mountain employee

5. if your good at art ski graphic designer

6. product development

7. event coordinater

fuck it I could take all night doing this.

you don't have to be good at skiing to be involved in the ski industry.
 
Ok time for some real advice from someone who actually owns a house -

Ask yourself what is most important to you - Being part of the community or enjoying the sport?

Most of the top guys I know in tahoe, with the exceptions of the very top tier dogs (shane, darron and???) ALL work outside the industry as much as possible. Many work trades such as construction...Krietler and Anderson both worked for Jim Morrisson - and they ski/film more than any of us ever will.

Some guys eek it out on a bare budget, but if you aspire to own anything and afford gas, your gonna need to think adjunct industry...

A close friend of mine leased an articulated snow blower a few winters ago...him and his girlfriend hd it paid of in two storm cycles and were able to ride/sled every day they wanted.

Be creative....

But if you are still wanting to suffer and be poor....good luck

The ski industry is going down the shitter and mountains are gonna be closing left and right the next few years

 
how about get a baller non-ski industry job that will give you lots of free time to ski?

do they exist?
 
yah thats something iv always wanted to do but if i take off before going to cejep then i wont want to come back and continue my studies so i will be left with no education if i come back. kuz i wanted initialy to go to banf or whiss. for a year to just live and ski. probably get a job as an instructor or something to substain my living needs but when i come back i wont want to study. so i have to concentrate for now
 
yah thats my second possibility but if i go for that its probably gonna be a crap ass job at part time and im gonna make barely enough to live and ski so i will basicaly be a ski bum
 
i've thought it'd be cool to be to work in the financial sector of a company like Amer Sports, or even just like for the Salomon quarters out in Utah. Being a staff accountant or analyst is what im prolly gonna end up doing, and doing it for a skiing-related company would be sick.
 
if you run out of ideas, try to do somethin that directly relates to ski mountains or resorts...

if you think about it, both basically put holes in skiers' wallets every year. i got nothing against

either im just making a point that there is a lot of money involved around those particular parts of the ski

industry and if you happen to own, control a big part you will DEFINETLY make mucho cashola...
 
You know thats Wayne Wong, right?

If you are wanting to give any advice on the ski industry, you should probably know something about the ski industry.
 
I like the way you think. I agree totally, I plan on trying to make it somehow in the ski industry because its the only thing I'll enjoy. Sure I'll make half what some of my highschool buddies will , but I'll tell way better stories, and have way more fun along the way.
 
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