Oh man...
Here's some great advice I've gotten over the years and has helped me:
First, never assume there's a "position" or a "real job" out there. Berman once told me, "There's no such thing as a real job in the ski industry." What I mean is, create opportunities for yourself. Make yourself valuable. Find out what you're good at and enjoy doing, then apply it to skiing. Really, it's pretty simple. There's lots of insanely talented people in the industry that could easily be working elsewhere in the world (some of them do). They just happen to love skiing and applied their skills to fit an industry need.
Second, Make sure its for the right reasons and never forget why you wanted to work in the ski industry. Sure, the parties, athletes, and scene is cool but there's a few people that get way too caught up in it, myself included. Sometimes its important to take a step back and remember why you do what you do.
Third, and this is probably the most important lesson I ever learned, Don't confuse the sport of skiing with the industry of skiing. Business can be a dirty thing and skiing, for me at least, is the complete opposite. I like to think of the ski industry being somewhere in the middle. It's awesome stomping a line or a new trick and its also awesome signing a deal or getting a dope interview. However, skiing and business are alike in that sometimes you come up short, are forced to work harder, and even take a thrashing.
Fourth, be patient and work hard. I get along pretty well with everyone I've met the past few years but sometimes we have our differences, sometimes we have a beer, and sometimes we make a deal and sometimes we don't. That's the way life works.
Do I love my job? Yep. Is everyday filled with skiing? Not even close. Do I get to ski a bunch? You betchya. Could I be making more money elsewhere? I don't know and for now I don't care.
You're 15. You've got lots of time. I recommend getting out on the hill with your friends as much as you can. That's how I figured everything out.
Good luck.
