How many jobs do I need to apply to? What’s a Workamping interview like? What happens after the interview? Is it possible to book a lineup of jobs for the whole year?
by Levi & Natalie Henley of Henley’s Happy Trails
My wife and I weren’t quite sure what to expect when we started reading through Workamping ads in Workamper News and planning our new life as full-time RVers. These questions and more were running through our minds as we made the leap to leave our regular 9 to 5 jobs for traveling and seasonal Workamping. After Workamping full-time for over six years, we have found the following answers.
How Many Jobs Do I Apply For?
One of our biggest fears before we started Workamping was that there wouldn’t be many jobs available. However, we quickly realized that it was pretty easy to schedule an entire year’s worth of 3 to 4 jobs.
We usually apply for seasonal jobs as far in advance as possible. To do that, we pick out two that we want to work at and apply to our favorite one. Then, if we don’t hear back in a couple of weeks, we send a follow-up and apply to the second just in case.
It honestly is rare that we don’t hear back within a week or so, though. We have had a couple of seasons where we had to apply to two or three places before hearing back, but usually, it just takes one application, and we have an interview or at least a response within a month.
So, to answer the question of how many jobs you have to apply to, the answer is not many. Not including the jobs that we returned to multiple times, we have worked for around 12 unique companies and have probably sent in a total of 18 or 19 resumes. Three of those were jobs offered to us but, for various reasons, decided to turn down.
Types of Applications
Depending on the Workamping job, we have experienced the whole gamut of the application process, from a simple phone call with no resume to multi-step hiring processes. The most common you will find are ads asking to email your resume or fill out their online application with the option to upload your resume. That being said, you can probably tell that a resume is important to have.
Creating a Resume
If the thought of creating a resume fills you with dread, you aren’t alone. There are tons of reasons for this. Many people don’t know how to format their resume or use software to format it even if they did. Others, like myself, simply think the task is excruciating and would rather do taxes at the DMV while getting a dental cleaning. Fortunately, there are online resume builders, and I have a traveling partner (my wife) who is less dramatic about it than I am.
Workamper News Resume Builder
As a member of Workamper News, you have access to an online resume builder. To create a resume, you just go tab by tab, fill in the info, and you can email the resume or save it as a PDF to print or send as well. Plus, having your resume on Workamper News means potential employers can find you too.
Email Application
Most job ads that end with something like “email your resume to [email protected]” is pretty straightforward. However, we like to use the email itself as our cover letter introducing ourselves, what position we are looking for, the months we are available to work, etc. We then attach our resume and wait for a response. This is the most common application process for small to medium-sized campgrounds and smaller companies.
Online Application
Larger companies like concessionaires, the sugar beet harvest, and corporate-owned campgrounds will have some form of online application to fill out. Some of them will allow you to upload your resume, and others are designed by web developers who have never seen the inside of an RV, let alone know what Workamping is.
If you are applying to the latter, you may have to painstakingly enter all of your previous Workamping jobs one by one until you have reached five years or more of work history. Regardless of the style of online application, the process remains the same. Keep filling out the info and clicking next until you have reached the “Submit” button.
The downside about online applications is there is not always a way to follow up with the job later to see if they received your application.
Phone Call Application
We have been hired over the phone with no resume needed. It happened when we applied to manage a Christmas tree lot and a Christmas decorating company. In both instances, we were referred to the company by fellow Workampers who worked with the company before.
Though it wasn’t needed, we sent our resume for their reference and requested a job offer letter or contract. It’s always good to have the basic terms of employment in writing. We have never experienced employers changing the terms of employment upon arrival, but we have heard of it happening to others.
Follow Up
Don’t assume you didn’t get the job if you don’t hear back after emailing your resume. Keep in mind that you may be applying for their next peak season, and they are still winding down from this peak season. Perhaps they are waiting to get a few applications in so they can schedule phone interviews in one day. Or they are busy for other reasons.
Our general rule has always been two weeks before a follow-up. If we don’t hear back from a potential job, we shoot them a kindly-worded email that simply asks if they got our resume and that we are looking forward to hearing back from them. They usually respond by saying they have received it and that we should hear from them soon, or something to that effect.
Interview
The word interview is a broad term in Workamping jobs. If you are going for the sugar beet harvest or a large corporation, there is no actual interview. Instead, there is usually an orientation video/webinar you must schedule for and attend. After attending the webinar, the company sends a job contract.
In the case of companies that schedule a phone interview, the “interview” is more of a get-to-know-you call and an informational call to give you enough details to decide whether to take the job or not. They are generally relatively stress-free and pleasant experiences compared to a regular job interview.
Know Before You Go: Have a list of questions ready during the interview, such as average weather during your stay and anything else that isn’t necessarily job-related but important.
I Got The Job. Now What?
Every company is different when it comes to its hiring process. However, in almost all cases, once you have made a verbal or email agreement that you want to take the job, the company will likely send you a job offer letter. The letter should outline what you agreed to over the phone regarding perks (site, laundry, propane, etc.), pay, hours, and employment time frame. Finally, this agreement should be signed and sent back to the employer.
Large companies will have more paperwork, and they will send you a link to fill it out digitally. Amazon Camperforce (when it was in operation), for example, was also different because they asked the Workamper to find an RV park from a list of parks in the area. They emailed the list over to the Workamper and stated that he should find a spot as soon as possible.
Some businesses, like a winery in South Dakota, had us complete a training course to obtain our alcohol serving license online before our arrival. But, of course, we were paid for the time. Corporate RV parks may send you an employee handbook via email to look over as well.
We always make it a point to email the company a month or two before we start and confirm our arrival dates and ask if they need anything further before our arrival. This helps us ensure accurate arrival details with them.
In A Nutshell
For those new to Workamping, applying for that first job can feel like a daunting task. As seasoned Workampers, we feel the process of securing a Workamping job takes only six steps and is much easier than we thought it would be.
- Find a job in Workamper News.
- Apply by email, online application, or give the company a call.
- Wait for a response.
- Schedule and participate in a phone, video chat, or webinar interview.
- Sign any paperwork emailed to you, and secure your RV spot if necessary.
- Show up on your scheduled date.
Looking For More Info?
Just learning about Workamping and don’t know where to look? The following are more resources to help get you hired and on the road.
- Natalie and I have written a book, Seasonal Workamping For A Living: How We Did It, available on Amazon.
- As a member of Workamper News, you have access to tons of information – from Workamper interviews, jobinars, Q&A sessions, and more.
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.
