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"It's Not Just An Adventure, It's a Job!"
River Guides| Sales Staff We are a small (about 50 employees) very tightly knit organization whose company philosophy is for our employees to have as much fun as the paying guests. That does not mean, however, that this is an easy job. The hours are long, the work load is often strenuous and, at last count, no one ever got rich being a rafting guide. But when you consider the fact that your job is to provide people with the fun, excitement and possible thrill of a lifetime and that you get to do all of that outside, amidst the Rocky Mountains, it's not a bad way to spend a summer. Special note for the 2004 Season Sorry, but we have already filled all of our available spots for the 2004 raft guide training clinic. If you currently have 2 or more years of experience you should call and ask for Rich or Hillary. Happy Boating!
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE GUIDES "Do I need any previous experience to get a job as a guide?" No, we provide all of the training that you will need in order to become a certified rafting guide in the State of Colorado. In some respects we prefer candidates that don't have any prior experience because that way we can train them from scratch the way that things run in our company. The only qualifications that we would like you to have but are not mandatory prior to the Clinic are valid CPR and First Aid course certifications. "How many guides will you hire at the May Hiring Clinic?" We will most likely hire between 10-15 new guides for the 2003 season out of the 20-25 people that show up for the Hiring Clinic. The reason that number varies is it will all depend on whether the people we hire are looking for full time or part time positions. Obviously, we will need to hire more people if the majority of candidates are looking for part-time work only. "What happens after the Hiring Clinic?" If you are hired, you will be expected to be ready for training Tuesday the 20th of May. The senior guides in charge of the training will give you a schedule of events for the next 4 weeks of the training period. This training will include on-river instruction, shore training and even some fun (e.g. an overnight camping trip on the Arkansas with all of the other rookie candidates). "What do you consider Full-time and what do you consider Part time?" Very simply, full time is as many hours as you are willing to work and part time is 20-30 hours a week. We encourage people to work full time because it helps keep you proficient on the river but we also understand if people get 2nd jobs to help make ends meet. "How much can I expect to work my first year?" This is a very difficult question to answer because of all of the variables but if you are a hard working, diligent employee you can get as much work as you can handle. Please keep in mind that senior guides get priority when it comes to scheduling but after that guides are selected on their willingness to work (on/off river projects), punctuality, work ethic, ability to follow instructions from supervisors and overall attitude. We are all in this business to have fun summers but there is also a lot of hard work involved. "How much does your training program cost?" We are one of the few companies in the state that does NOT charge for the training to become a guide. In Vail it costs $750-$1,000, in Glenwood springs $350-400 and most companies on the Arkansas charge around $500. You are not paid during the training program (which is the same for programs that charge fees) but as soon as you finish the requirements and are checked out by a senior guide you can start earning money. Keep in mind that even if you pay another company for their training program you are not guaranteed a job. You could very easily fork up $850 and never see the river again. "Do you provide employee housing?" Unfortunately, none of the outfitters in this area have any employee housing. This, quite frankly, is one of the few downsides to living in the Roaring Fork Valley. Aspen literally has the most expensive real estate in the country so housing is expensive. What most 1st year guides do is come to town, go through the hiring clinic and, if hired, get together with other rookie guides and get a shared apartment. I can promise you that it will be small and expensive but I can also promise you that you won't be spending much time there. Unlike winter employees that have to spend a lot of time indoors, you will be outside most of the time. It usually stays light until 9:30p.m. so there are plenty of after work activities not including Aspen's nightlife. It will be costly but you will soon find out why so many people are willing to pay a little more to live in such a special place. "Do you offer any help in finding housing?" Since people's tastes and budgets vary so much we have gotten out of the apartment referral business. If you are determined to arrange housing prior to your arrival I would recommend going to the Aspen.com web-site and contacting the local papers (Aspen Times and Aspen Daily News) or go through their classified ads on-line. Since this is a resort town that is used to having a lot of seasonal turn over finding a place is generally not that hard once you get here. "Is it possible to camp out for the summer?" It is possible but not recommended. The only campgrounds around are run by the Forest Service and have 2 week maximum stays so you have to continually move from campground to campground. The other problem is that we will need to communicate with you (and vice versa) and unless you want to pay for a cell phone it is very difficult to work out. "What can I expect as far as salary and benefits are concerned?" The 2003 payroll has not been finalized but you can expect to make about $9.50 an hour as a rookie guide. Depending on the financial success of the company at the end of the season, there is also a bonus program where you can earn up to $1.00 an hour for every hour that you worked in the summer. Also, keep in mind that this is a service industry and if you hustle and take care of people you can make a substantial amount of money in tips. Unfortunately, we do not offer any health care or other benefits (no rafting companies do) "How do your wages compare with the rest of the area?" Our wages are substantial higher then Glenwood Springs or Buena Vista based companies and competitive with the other Aspen/Snowmass based company. In all honesty, though, so is our cost of living. "Will I need a car in Aspen ?" Owning a car in Aspen has its advantages and disadvantages. Yes, its nice to have a car to be able to live outside of town and to be able to explore around the area easier. However, as in all small resort towns, it is often hard to find a place to park it at work and ,especially, overnight. (Gas is running about $2.00 a gallon now) The bus system here is remarkably good and can get you to any destination in the valley, including hiking and biking trail heads. "Is it still possible to get hired if I can't make the hiring Clinic because of school/ Is it possible to get hired even if I can't stay on until Labor Day?" Fortunately, we are a very small company with very few hard-fast rules and if you seem like a good candidate/employee we will be willing to work with you on any types of special arrangements. Please keep in mind though that our season is very short and that we need people to be available for work from the middle of June to the middle of August without any vacations.
Guiding rafts through whitewater may not be for everyone, but that doesn't mean that you can't get a fun summer job with an outdoor adventure company. We will be hiring 12-15 full and part-time sales people to work in one of our 3 locations (1 location is outside for you sun worshippers). The pay is competitive, the hours flexible and the potential for fun unlimited.
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