When scouring the Workamper.com database looking for an ideal job, be sure to read what other people have experienced while working for the company before you apply for the position.
by Greg Gerber
Well-written reviews give people a good idea what it was like to spend a season working for the company and doing a particular job.
Since 2007, Workamper News has been compiling reviews from people who have actually worked those jobs, and our website links to those reviews as part of a company’s help wanted ad in our Hotline system.
The ability to read reviews is a feature currently available to all Platinum and Diamond level members, and it’s called “Workamper Experiences.” If you’re a Gold or Intro member of Workamper News, it’s worth the cost to upgrade just to see those reviews. They can work to entice you to apply for a job or look for a different position.
Reviews should be an honest reflection of a Workamper’s own experience, which actually works to benefit everyone. You shouldn’t post a review of a company based on hearsay or rumors. We do our best to only publish reviews with real experiences by actual Workampers who worked for the company.
You’re not likely to find reviews saying things like, “I worked with someone who told me they worked with a couple who had a job with this company and they hated it.”
Workamper News keeps reviews honest by allowing employers to respond to any comments made by Workampers. Few employers will take time to respond to any review, whether good or bad, but it shows they care about their reputation as well as ensuring Workampers have an enjoyable experience.
How to Write an Effective Review
Writing a review is relatively easy. But, you shouldn’t just spout off in a way people won’t take you seriously. It might feel good to unload your feelings about a bad situation, but without context, it’s not really helpful.
In reality, most people do not read or give credence to one-star or very negative reviews. They view them as being written by someone with an axe to grind. Nor do people tend to trust short “everything was wonderful” reviews.
Workampers want to read honest reviews that weigh the good and the bad about working for an employer. After all, when you’re evaluating a prospective employer, wouldn’t you want to know that information, too? Having more detail helps a reader evaluate things from their perspective – what’s right/wrong for one person may not be right/wrong for another.
People can currently read reviews of more than 800 employers in the Workamper Experiences tool at Workamper.com. The majority of them are overall positive, and include a good mix of information about what Workampers liked and didn’t like about the job.
To be effective, reviews need to be objective and should encompass your experience through an entire season. Your impression of people and the company can change over time. The best time to write the review is a day or two after completing the job.
Start by mentioning when you worked for the company. Things change and people leave organizations, so it gives readers an idea as to current conditions.
The first thing to keep in mind is that the review must be written from your perspective, based on what you alone experienced. Situations change like seasons and what may have been a perk or policy when you worked for the company, may still not be true today.
So, don’t make promises in your review by saying things like, “You will get a free RV site with 50-amp power.” Instead, say something like, “We received a free RV site and it came with 50-amp power.”
Along the same lines, don’t make general statements, such as “Workampers only need to work 10 hours a week.” Instead, describe only your experience, such as, “My spouse and I each worked 10 hours a week.”
Don’t mention people by name, rather use their titles instead. Also avoid making accusations in your review. One person’s definition of “rude” may simply be seen as being direct to someone else. So, instead of saying, “The manager was really rude to Workampers,” try to be more diplomatic.
Perhaps you could write, “I heard the manager speak to other Workampers in ways I thought was rude.” Better yet, describe things that happened to you alone, such as, “I did not have a friendly relationship with the manager.”
Use descriptive words to really explain a situation. For example, saying, “My coworker was a jerk,” doesn’t give people enough information to formulate an opinion.
Writing something like, “I was often left feeling frustrated when my coworker would spend half his shift on his phone playing games instead of working. Then, he would snap at me if I asked him for help with a project. When I mentioned my frustration to the manager, she admitted the employee would do that, but she seemed reluctant to make changes.”
Please be sure to include positive examples of things you really liked on the job. For example, you might mention, “The owners listened to our input, provided us with the tools we needed to do our jobs effectively, did not micromanage, and got to know us on a personal level at appropriate times. That made me feel welcome and appreciated.”
A Template for an Ideal Review
Writing the ideal review of a Workamping situation often follows this framework. Try to give the answers to questions you would have when researching this employer.
1. Identify the employer by business name and location.
2. Indicate when you worked for company. Instead of noting it was 2024, explain it was from May through October of 2024.
3. Describe the job you worked. If possible, mention the job title so others applying for similar jobs will know it applies to them. There is a big difference to working inside at the front desk and working outside mowing lawns.
4. Start by mentioning what you liked about the employer and the job you held.
5. Mention things you thought could be improved and why.
6. If you were provided an RV site, give some input as to where it was located and how it did or did not accommodate your home-on-wheels setup.
7. Describe what you liked about the area that made it memorable. If you did something really fun or there was a particular restaurant you enjoyed, be sure to mention that.
8. End by indicating whether or not you would work for the company again. Many Workampers work for an employer one time and move on, which is fine and perfectly normal. Still, it is nice to know whether you would consider coming back.
In our Workamper Experiences tool, Workampers can post anonymously by just selecting to include their member number. But, if the member is willing to communicate with fellow Workampers about their experience, he/she can include their name and/or email address.
Challenges With Other Review Platforms
There are several review groups on a popular social media platform, but searching for information about a specific job or employer is often difficult because users are working against the platform’s algorithms. That software code changes frequently, yet it can limit who sees what posts, and it’s based on what the platform’s robots thinks a user wants to read.
Unfortunately, users often have to wade through a lot of typical social media tripe and work-wanted posts to find actual reviews. Even then, it’s hard to zero-in on reviews for specific companies without going through a list of ALL the reviews. Inconsistency with posts and vagueness creates challenges for finding what you are looking for.
Even then, you don’t know for sure whether the review describes a real situation or whether it was written by a bot or just someone with a personal vendetta against a business. One positive feature of the aforementioned social media groups is that you can click on the name of the poster to see what other posts he/she has made in the group, if any. You may be able to detect a pattern that denotes a common denominator.
Workamper News tries to ensure that only Workampers can leave a review of a job. That is one reason why only Diamond and Platinum members are able to submit reviews into our Workamper Experiences tool.
Chances are good you read reviews before making decisions about products to buy, places to visit or even jobs to accept. Show your appreciation for their effort by paying it forward by leaving honest reviews about things you use and jobs you’ve held.
Note – Workamper News (Workamper.com) does not offer, and does not plan to offer, the ability for an employer to write a review about an individual Workamper.
Thanks for reading the Gone Workamping blog from Workamper News. Join Workamper.com today to see all the new job opportunities for RVers, as well as the training and resources to confidently find the right Workamping job for you – easily and securely.
