Jobs for a Season, for Any Reason

The Ultimate Guide to Seasonal Jobs is a comprehensive introduction to the world of seasonal work.

These short-term adventures allow you to live, work, and play in some of the country’s most beautiful places — all while earning money and making lifelong friends.

Whether you want to work as a surfing instructor in Hawaii or as a ranch hand in Montana, this guide will teach you everything you need to know. It includes first-hand stories, interviews with other seasonal workers, and exclusive advice from CoolWorks.com, the mecca of seasonal job sites.

Its 90 pages are chock-full of resources and tips, including where to find seasonal jobs, what qualifications you need, how to crush your interview, and how to make friends once you’re there.

If you’re sick of the 9-to-5, trying to figure out what you “want to do with your life,” or are ready to retire with pizzazz, seasonal jobs just might be the answer.

Excerpt from the Book, Seasonal Jobs

Just like they sound, seasonal jobs are positions held for a set duration — usually for the summer or winter. Although working at a department store over the holidays is technically a seasonal job, we’re going to discuss seasonal adventure jobs in this guide.

A good rule of thumb is that seasonal jobs pop up wherever tourists do. Which is great for you, because it means you’ll be working in places where others pay to vacation.

Think back to your last trip: Did you go on a guided tour? Did you chat with your hotel bellman? Did you eat out at a beachside restaurant? If so, chances are you interacted with a seasonal worker.

Seasonal jobs run the gamut from snorkeling guide to housekeeper to a horse wrangler.

The majority involve some sort of guest services, but positions are also available in a wide variety of fields like maintenance, finance, and human resources.

The variety of options make seasonal jobs a reality for everyone, including entry-level folks looking for their first jobs, recent graduates ready to start a career in an awesome place, or retirees with lots of experience and a desire to continue working while traveling the world.

Seasonal workers come from all different backgrounds, but they generally have one thing in common: They love the adventure, travel, flexibility, and tribe of new friends that seasonal work provides.

Susan Shain is a writer who’s been traveling and eating her way around the world since 2008. She began her career in seasonal jobs at a ski shop in Colorado, before working for a kayaking company in Alaska and as an English teacher in South Korea.

She believes seasonal jobs are the best way to spend your 20s (or any decade, really), and is passionate about spreading this lifestyle to as many people as she can. She’s written about seasonal jobs in a variety of outlets, and has also been published in The Washington Post, CNN Travel, NPR, Cosmopolitan, Travel + Leisure, and more. Visit her website