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My 24 year old son is thinking of moving out to Vail Co. He is in need of a change in his life from here in Florida. He lost his job here so there is nothing holding him back. He has a friend that just moved out there this week so he will only know him. He loves the outdoors but has Never been in snow. Is there any suggestions on 1, what clothing he will need for the winter, 2,Approx. how much in housing he will be paying. ( right now his friend is in a efficiency on the resort). 3, approx what kind of pay for a entry level position out there ( he needs to figure how to pay rent and other bills?), 4, how easy will it be to get a job? Should he try to get one while in Fl or bite the bullet and go out there and try? I would try to research on the threads here but frankly just don't have the time since he needs to move quick on this. thanks for any help on this subject.
I moved out to Vail at the same age and it was a great experience for me. It took me a few weeks to adjust, even with my familiarity with Colorado, but I did fine.
1. Clothing? It depends on how much he works outside or what he plans on doing. Personally I would not purchase a lot of heavy winter clothes for now, but he should purchase what he needs out in Colorado. Wal Mart in Avon can provide basic needs for cheap to keep you warm. For starters I would have at least some grippy water resistant shoes, wool socks, long johns, gloves, hat, sweaters or sweat shirts and a good sturdy jacket. I would get a basic set of that stuff and then he should buy what he feel he needs to add to that later.
2. If you get a room in a shared apartment, you are looking at $400 to $700 a month. Almost certainly he will have to share an apartment with someone or rent an apartment and get a roommate. You can live on your own but to rent your own place you are looking at a minimum of a $1000 a month and realistically more. Some employers offer employee housing, which varies in quality.
3. Most jobs starting out are going to offer $8 to $12 an hour. Personally I would do what I did and get a job in a guest service position where you can earn tips. A lot of wealthier people come to Vail and it is a great place to earn gratuities. Waitstaff at a restaurant, bell hop or front door man, shuttle driver, etc. A lot of people in these jobs on a busy day can earn $200-$300 a day in tips on top of their wages.
If your son wants a job for winter, send me a personal message on this forum and I can give you contact information for my old company. They hire around 150 people a year on a seasonal winter basis and they offer ski passes, decent wages, the chance to earn tips, end of season bonus, etc. and in addition they usually have a few full time positions open after winter with full benefits or you can work for them on a part time basis in summer with the chance of full time hours depending on business volume. They will start recruiting next month and into September.
4. Most large employers in the valley will telephone interview applicants, wherever they are, even in foreign countries. If you have no criminal background, a solid job history, can pass a drug test and have a clean driving record, you'll be able to get any entry level job you want. My job interview consisted of a phone call that started like this "Any questions?", "OK see you on such and such date".
If you have been in trouble with the law in recent years, like to smoke cannabis, have a sketchy job history, have a DUI, etc. then it's a bigger mountain to climb.
August, Sept. and Oct are the main recruiting months for winter, so before moving I would try to line up a job.
If he moves now, just keep in mind that there is one month of summer to go and then there is a lull in business in the fall, so he'll need to make sure he has savings to make it through to winter. I would consult the Vail Daily for jobs.
I would research other threads as there is a wealth of info in other threads.
If he has never seen snow, then he is in for a shock. Snow can fall as early as Labor Day. Winter starts to settle in by late October and snow doesn't totally melt until into May.
The previous poster hit it on the head. Vail is a ski area, and the income potential in that area revolves around ski season. Most people around here don't make much money in "mud season" (the period between the end of ski season and the beginning of next ski season). The potential to make any money lies in the service industry here. Other than that, I'd suggest he land a job before he comes. Moving to Colorado is a life-changer, as I just moved here about two years ago. You either like it or you don't, just like many other places. As mentioned, Walmart in Avon is your best bet for basics. As in any ski-resort town, prices are a bit higher than most places. Service industry is where you'll make the most money up here, but again, it dwindles during "mud season". I have a friend that works at an eatery near the resort and makes good money during ski season, but supplements that with another job year round in Avon. Housing is absurd. He pays $1400 for a 2 bedroom apartment. He doesn't have any roomies so that's killer for him, hence the second job. Vail is beautiful (from Frisco down through Avon) is gorgeous. The winter driving is an experience in itself, and if he drives, make sure that he has supplies and an emergency kit in his vehicle. It is common in the winter to get stuck on Vail pass from the gridlock that has developed due to semi rollovers and slide-offs. It can dump snow and ice up there on that pass during the winter, so if your son is not used to that (coming from Florida more than likely you dont experience that ) he should read up on some winter driving tips. It's a completely interesting experience. I would suggest lining up a job before he comes, I know I mentioned that before, but if I hadn't had a promotion already lined up coming here, the economy is not the greatest and he'll be fighting over jobs. There are a lot of immigrants in that area that work dirt-cheap, so the pay reflects that. I'm not trying to scare him from heading this direction, but be smart about it. It's a romantic idea to think of just packing up and starting a new life somewhere, but I'm not sure in this economy it's going to be the wisest choice. Prepare, plan, read up, and he'll be fine. I almost had to turn down the promotion I had simply due to the fact that I couldn't find decent housing, and I know Vail is going to be that much arder to find a affordable place to live. Just research it, be smart about it.
The previous poster hit it on the head. Vail is a ski area, and the income potential in that area revolves around ski season. Most people around here don't make much money in "mud season" (the period between the end of ski season and the beginning of next ski season). The potential to make any money lies in the service industry here. Other than that, I'd suggest he land a job before he comes. Moving to Colorado is a life-changer, as I just moved here about two years ago. You either like it or you don't, just like many other places. As mentioned, Walmart in Avon is your best bet for basics. As in any ski-resort town, prices are a bit higher than most places. Service industry is where you'll make the most money up here, but again, it dwindles during "mud season". I have a friend that works at an eatery near the resort and makes good money during ski season, but supplements that with another job year round in Avon. Housing is absurd. He pays $1400 for a 2 bedroom apartment. He doesn't have any roomies so that's killer for him, hence the second job. Vail is beautiful (from Frisco down through Avon) is gorgeous. The winter driving is an experience in itself, and if he drives, make sure that he has supplies and an emergency kit in his vehicle. It is common in the winter to get stuck on Vail pass from the gridlock that has developed due to semi rollovers and slide-offs. It can dump snow and ice up there on that pass during the winter, so if your son is not used to that (coming from Florida more than likely you dont experience that ) he should read up on some winter driving tips. It's a completely interesting experience. I would suggest lining up a job before he comes, I know I mentioned that before, but if I hadn't had a promotion already lined up coming here, the economy is not the greatest and he'll be fighting over jobs. There are a lot of immigrants in that area that work dirt-cheap, so the pay reflects that. I'm not trying to scare him from heading this direction, but be smart about it. It's a romantic idea to think of just packing up and starting a new life somewhere, but I'm not sure in this economy it's going to be the wisest choice. Prepare, plan, read up, and he'll be fine. I almost had to turn down the promotion I had simply due to the fact that I couldn't find decent housing, and I know Vail is going to be that much arder to find a affordable place to live. Just research it, be smart about it.
I think the first 3 years I lived there, I earned 2/3rds of my yearly income in winter, so you have to plan ahead and have other jobs lined up you can do or be a good saver and spender. Many get sucked into the party lifestyle and end up at the end of the season with $100 in their pocket and wondering what in the world they are going to do now.
In my experience with people in their 20's in that town is you come and work for a year or two and enjoy yourself. Then the real world starts to kick in and you have to start thinking about a serious career where you can earn consistent money or a permanent place to live you can invest in and to do that in Vail, it's pretty dang hard. So that's why most people either go back to where they came from or move to a city like Denver where they can have a decent job and a house.
I lived in Vail in the go go days last decade with the billion dollar property boom and plenty of business and left as the global financial crisis was kicking in. Everyone I know in the valley suffered financially in the aftermath and there is not a person I know who's incomes have not gone down and continued to stay down. There is still business and people coming, but the earning possibilities are not what they were.
Thank you so much for your replies. It will definitely help with the decision making. I personally am at a loss because I have never been to Co. so to steer him in the right direction is not easy. With your answers I can now start to help him with his search. Thank you again.
If I were you, I'd encourage your kid to move to Denver or Colorado Springs, somewhere where he has a chance of making decent income year round and finding reasonable housing. It's really tough for anyone to survive near a ski resort, unless you've got piles of cash just lying around.
shadowlp06 wrote:It can dump snow and ice up there on that pass during the winter, so if your son is not used to that (coming from Florida more than likely you dont experience that ) he should read up on some winter driving tips.
BAD ADVICE! Just what we don't need....... another driver on I-70 who obtains their winter driving skills from reading up on it. I strongly suggest a hands-on, get-behind-the-wheel, winter driving training instead of reading up on it.
Last edited by CosmicWizard; 07-29-2012 at 08:37 PM..
What I meant by reading up on it, was that he just get some general idea about it. It's not like he is going to get winter driving experience in Florida. Granted, like you said, he'll best learn by experiencing it, but I don't think reading up on it would hurt.
shadowlp06 wrote:It can dump snow and ice up there on that pass during the winter, so if your son is not used to that (coming from Florida more than likely you dont experience that ) he should read up on some winter driving tips.
BAD ADVICE! Just what we don't need....... another driver on I-70 who obtains their winter driving skills from reading up on it. I strongly suggest a hands-on, get-behind-the-wheel, winter driving training instead of reading up on it.
The Bridgestone Winter Driving School is in Steamboat Springs and their Second Gear 1 day course at $480 is a steal. I can personally recommend it to any driver, even if you don't drive in winter weather much.
I think if you have lived in a warm humid climate like Florida your whole life, Vail is going to be a change at at 8000 ft, drier air, tons of snow and long, long winters.
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) he should read up on some winter driving tips. It's a completely interesting experience. I would suggest lining up a job before he comes, I know I mentioned that before, but if I hadn't had a promotion already lined up coming here, the economy is not the greatest and he'll be fighting over jobs. There are a lot of immigrants in that area that work dirt-cheap, so the pay reflects that. I'm not trying to scare him from heading this direction, but be smart about it. It's a romantic idea to think of just packing up and starting a new life somewhere, but I'm not sure in this economy it's going to be the wisest choice. Prepare, plan, read up, and he'll be fine. I almost had to turn down the promotion I had simply due to the fact that I couldn't find decent housing, and I know Vail is going to be that much arder to find a affordable place to live. Just research it, be smart about it.
