Recreation Activities Jobs – Are you afraid of the cube and want to have a career in nature? We’ve all been there. You’re out in the mountains enjoying a weekend of hiking and camping when you realize that Monday morning is coming and you’ll soon have to go back to the office.
More than six years ago, I found myself in exactly this position. I was working in Washington DC as a lobbyist for a large NGO. I lived in a suit and heels and spent my days either behind my computer or talking to people in Congress. Then one day, I went for a bike ride and KNEW I had to make a change. I wanted a career where I could be active at work, being part of my daily routine. A few months later, I quit my job, learned how to build a website, and transitioned into life as a full-time travel blogger.
Recreation Activities Jobs
Over half of Americans describe themselves as unhappy at work. You don’t have to be one of these people. If you’re itching for a change and want more time outdoors in your everyday life, there are a number of jobs in the outdoor industry that could fit the bill.
Outdoor Careers & Where To Find Outdoor Industry Jobs
In this post, learn about the best outdoor careers where you can connect with nature and other outdoor enthusiasts as part of your 9-5.
Park rangers come from a variety of backgrounds and serve the Parks in a variety of roles, including law enforcement, interpretation, science or other fields. Many park rangers start out as summer interns or seasonal science technicians, and most positions require a college degree or specialized training. One benefit of being a ranger is that housing is often offered, meaning you can spend your summer working and living in places most people can only dream of. Government park jobs also come with good benefits like health insurance and paid vacation.
You will need to decide what type of park you want to work at (State, National, County, etc.). If you want to work for the National Park Service (NPS), you can search for positions at USAJOBS.gov. Landing a career in the outdoors with the National Park Service takes a lot of persistence and patience. The application process is daunting and will require you to dig deep into your work and educational background. Also keep in mind that National Park Ranger positions are often seasonal, so you’ll need to find other off-season work.
Most states also maintain Division of Parks and Recreation websites where you can find current job listings for state and local park ranger positions and other related roles.
About Us / Work With Us
If you’re an avid gear person, then working for an outdoor gear company might be a good option for you. Keep in mind, you don’t have to be a designer or product engineer to work for a hardware company. Companies like Patagonia, REI, The North Face and Smartwool all need graphic designers, HR staff, sales representatives and social media gurus in their offices.
While you may have an “office job” that involves being indoors for long periods of time, outdoor equipment companies are known to offer healthy work-life balance incentives, offering more time to get outside outside of traditional office environments.
Pick a location you’re interested in living and working in and look at outdoor companies headquartered there. Then narrow it down by the type of outdoor gear company you want to work for (apparel, ski gear, bikes, etc.).
If you want to be your own boss, pursuing an outdoor career in freelance writing or blogging can offer a lot of flexibility. However, to be a successful blogger, you will need more than just writing skills. You’ll also need to learn basic camera skills, have a knack for social media and websites, and have an unparalleled drive. I started this blog 6 years ago and now I’m making more than double what I made at my last job. So, it is definitely possible to make a good living as a blogger, but you have to be ready to hustle and it won’t happen overnight.
Recreation Assistant Job Description
How do you make money as a blogger? There are several main streams of income that I rely on. These include, but are not limited to, affiliate partnerships, sponsored content, banner ads, destination campaigns, YouTube revenue, and freelance writing.
Being an outdoor photographer seems to be one of the most fascinating outdoor careers, but like blogging, it can be a struggle. With Instagram and the ability to see your work alongside free photography sites, it’s an extremely competitive job space. To stand out as an outdoor photographer, you’ll need superior photography and editing skills.
You will also have to be creative and work on your pictures. Don’t take the same photo in the same place that has already been taken thousands of times on Instagram. You’ll need to get up early and stay up late to get the best light. Then you’ll need to build a social media presence and have a killer looking website that you can use to showcase the outdoor brands and destinations you want to shoot for. You should also learn some basic video skills.
If you need to develop your skills, consider a photography course or workshop. A few years ago, I attended the Adventure Photography Summit in Jackson Hole, which challenged me to take pictures very different from what I was used to.
Current Job Opportunities
Want to pass on your love of the outdoors to the next generation? Working in outdoor education is a challenging and rewarding position that has the potential to create an entire generation of vocal environmental advocates. Wilderness therapy programs for troubled teens are also popping up around the country, and these types of instructors can make a big difference in kids’ lives.
However, working in outdoor education does not necessarily mean working with children. There are many companies that offer outdoor education classes for adults, so don’t rule this job out if working with children isn’t up your alley.
Colleges now offer outdoor education degrees for those of you who decide early that this is the path you want. But what about adults who move on to a new career? There are many different programs where you can build the leadership skills you need to be an outdoor educator. Some to look at are:
If you are a people person, have a passion for the outdoors and have skills that you want to share with others, driving is a great job in the outdoor industry that will take you to places that most people pay a lot of money for to experience it. Similar to park rangers, there are all kinds of tour guides, from extreme adventure guides (think mountaineering) to nature travel guides (think hiking holidays).
Part Time Jobs
Start by thinking about where you would be interested in being guided and what type of guide you would like to be, then research companies that offer those types of tours in the areas that interest you.
If you are passionate about making a difference by protecting our public lands, wildlife, or natural resources, then nonprofit work is a rewarding outdoor career to pursue. Check out our post on the top environmental groups you need to know for some ideas.
All of these websites link to “About Us” pages, where you can often find a “Careers” or “Employment Opportunities” section. While not all nonprofit jobs will have a large field-based component, some types of nonprofits offer the opportunity to get outside—like volunteer trail organizations.
Landing a job as a National Park ranger can be difficult, especially in some of the more popular parks. If you do not qualify for a ranger position, you can get a job working for one of the National Park concessionaires. These are the companies that run the hotels, restaurants and other services within the park boundaries.
Park And Recreation Summer Camps, Activities & Jobs
Xanterra, one of the largest dealerships, always has full-time and part-time job postings on their careers page. There are also smaller, park-specific concessionaires, with employment options ranging from mountain bike guides to sea cave kayak guides.
Generally, on each NPS website, there is a list of park concessionaires that operate within the park. Be aware that each dealership’s reputation (as an employer) varies, so do your homework before committing.
If you’re a self-proclaimed ski freak, why not make it a job? My boyfriend Ryan spent years working at Alta Ski Area and he and everyone else who works there are some of the happiest people I know. How can you not be when this is your office? Whether you want to work on the lifts, with ski patrol, as a ski school instructor, or in hospitality, there are tens of thousands of seasonal positions open each winter both here in the US and abroad.
Sometimes room and board is included with the job (although the salary level generally reflects this), but that means all the money you earn goes into your pocket when summer rolls around.
Work Life Balance 101: How To Support Your Employees Better
If you are nervous that your skiing skills are not strong enough, you don’t have to worry about it. Finding a job at a ski resort is one of the fastest ways to improve as a beginner skier and
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