Ski school or Liftie fo dis season

Find a coaching job with a ski team if you can. You get to ski park, all mtn etc with kids that can mostly shred.

Do what makes you happier. Maybe it’s worth the slight pay cut to enjoy your job. Plus you can get tips from rich moms who just give you their kid for a day

Work at a bar or restaurant at night, ski all day, make way more money.

Don’t waste ur own time doing something you don’t enjoy if it’s not really benefiting you.

Ski school is a good in for this. I know as an instructor at Northstar, they gave us the option to volunteer to work teams on weekends. Some people made the jump full time.

jompcockFind a coaching job with a ski team if you can. You get to ski park, all mtn etc with kids that can mostly shred.

Ski instructor life is full of countless little life perks. Its a little different everywhere.

Mount Bohemia

Ski school is fun. sometimes you can get students who want to learn to ski park, those days are fun
plus tips

Another for ski school. If you get stuck with first time little kids a lot it can get draining but once you build a client base that asks for you or you start coaching teams it gets real fun.

unless the pay difference is super large, I would pick the coaching option.

Coaching vote here. While some days can be super long with some of the younger kids, its also awesome seeing it "click" for the first time and watching the kids turn into little rippers. Spent a couple days in a row with the same 2 kids, went from never having stepped on snow to ripping blue squares with confidence. Coaching is by far one of the most rewarding things I've done so far.

My one tip is that you will probably start with the younger kids/ beginners depending on the mountain due to senority of other coaches. Just make sure to always have a positive attitude and to have as much fun as possible. If you do that and try to make the kids have fun, you'll probably move to better lessons in no time. Remember you could be stuck behind a desk someplace rather than on snow.

If you have any other questions feel free to dm and ask me, I'm usually crusing through here every couple of days.

Ski school. Unless the pay is absolutely awful..you will become a better skier while you're teaching others.
I was told to consider this ( part time because I have a full time job that pays better) because of this.

100% ski school. I work with kids and get paid a little less than my last desk job or something more “traditional” but the mental and emotional rewards can’t be counted in dollars and I am in infinitely more happy in general now.

Ski school!

Fun story,
Dude I know was an instructor at Winter Park, and the parents of 2 of his kids asked him to be an au pair for them. They were living at a ski resort in Switzerland, so he moved out there to cook and give ski lessons. I thought that was kinda neat.

skiP.E.I.Mount Bohemia

I mean, I am only 3 hours away, could just work weekends

park crew

WoFlowzDo what makes you happier. Maybe it’s worth the slight pay cut to enjoy your job. Plus you can get tips from rich moms who just give you their kid for a day

I can for once agree w something that came out of this guys keyboard. If the difference in pay is slight (12 vs 14 an hour, for example) I would take the lower paying job if that’s what you want to do/makes you happy. I just got canned from a job that I took purely for pay and after 2 weeks they let me go (I was gonna quit anyway) because I think they could tell I was not stokin on working there. I left a job where I got paid 2 dollars less an hour that was fucking awesome and I regret every second of it. It is definitely worth a slight pay cut to do what makes you happy

would never be working in ski school and coaching newbies, but I would easily teach some kids about how to ski better and learn how to start doing tricks and other important things.

I instruct and tbh ita not that bad especially if u just do it like 1 or 2 half days

lifty for sure

Prior instructor here. Its rewarding and fun but man it can be tough. Lessons with 8 or more kids or people who don't know how to ski spend and hour and a half dragging them around is tough. And I feel like tips arent as common as you think. But we did an awesome 6 week program taking kids from not skiing to skiing was super fun. Just being a bit pessimistic, all and all the jobs super fun and I dont regret it at all. But just not as easy as some make it appear

Coaching/Instructing can be extremely fulfilling and a bit rewarding in its own ways but also stressful at times....Like last season for instance was rather tough due to the COVID rules, crowds, lack of snowfall/terrain, so the morale for the kids started dwindling a bit, but it's hard to stay stoked when the 1st two months of ski season are spent skiing lower mountain groomers. It got better though.

You have to apply yourself more than you think though. People like to look at those jobs as a way to ski on-the-clock, get paid for it, and get a free pass and I've had co-workers like that in the past who almost always quit before the season ends because they didn't want to try or felt the job was just a bit too much which is understandable, but maintain a selfless attitude and positive mindset for everyone involved and you'll have a great time. Some days aren't easy but the days that were good were some of my most favorite days on skis ever.

Being a lifty is super chill but almost too chill for my liking......Starting/stopping the chair, filling out logs, shoveling the ramps for hours on end to kill time, etc. Also depends on what lift you work and what you're crew is like + the resort you work for, because ive been told by fellow lift ops friends and mechanics that lots of places,due to insurance, will try to keep you guys working more and keep the free skiing at a minimal.

Imo being a long term lifty is only worth it if you get promoted/pay raise, or you party a bunch and want to work a job where nobody expects much of you.

Not saying that's bad but usually the 4 or 5 year liftys that are still getting paid about the same either party a ton because they'll never get fired if they show up, or they're a little shot and that's the best job they could grab there.

Ski school/Coaching can be cool though. I don't really like it for work that much. I did 3 years ski school and a few years coaching on the side while being mostly park crew.

Random job that you might not think about but can be really fun, kind of shitty, and definitely a little sketchy is snowmaking. Shitty hours, cool people, snowmobile goes brapp. Also a lot of places end snowmaking in early Jan or so. Can be a good way to get a pass without having to work the whole season. Also if you wanted to get into park crew or grooming it can be a good option. A lot of places will fit you into another job after snowmsking if you want to stick around. Park crew is fun and a little more standard. Grooming is chill but the hours are shitty and probably isn't the best route to be on the hill all day and progress skiing.

A bunch of my friends have done the restaurant/hotel gigs at night and ski all day. That can be pretty sick if you're trying to stack legit time on the hill. Though more rare some of these jobs do offer passes as a perk to get people working there or have a pass for the place they can transfer. I wouldn't bank on that though.

I've never been a lifty outside of when I broke my collarbone and did it for a month but have done most jobs at the ski area for a few years. Everything has some pros and cons. As people stated money is shitty regardless a lot of the time so pick what you think youll dig/gets you more skiing.

lifty would be guaranteed hours, if there's not enough lessons to spread around you might not be working that day

If you want to ski, don’t work for the mountain. Get a job at a shop or restaurant that is preferably locally owned and that won’t ever make you start before 4, 2pm would be the earliest you should even consider. Plus you’ll make way more than you will working for the man and you’ll only work 4 days a week - don’t even think about working 5. When you start you’ll be off on the weekends which sucks eggs but after a month or two you’ll be able to switch to midweek days off. If they don’t let you switch your days quit that job for one that does.


3 years in the game and you haven’t learned a thing. Smh just stay a lifty

CrunnchyVanManDebating where to work this season so I can ski for free. Do I spend my 3rd season as a lift operator? I’m kinda rly fucking burnt out on sitting in a shack for 8 hours a day and would rather move around and do something more engaging, but I would be making like $14 an hour if I return to lifts.


on the other hand, I could go to ski school and work, this summer I’ve been working at a summer camp and kinda learned about myself that working with kiiiids is fun as fuck and very fulfilling. Only problem is the wage is slightly lower.

I know I probably already have this figured out but drop some opinions in

**This post was edited on Aug 26th 2021 at 1:45:56am

**This post was edited on Aug 26th 2021 at 1:46:31am

My two cents after being working the season in nz - work two jobs. Get a part time gig as an instructor/lifty (ski for free, although normally easier to get the part time job as an instructor) for 2ish days a week, then another job in town (restaurant, late night rental shop, ski tech) where you work most of your hours to pay the bills. Best of both worlds (ski for free plus plenty of freeski time), and keeps it interesting instead of monotonous for the whole season. Plenty of people in my shop do it and honestly pretty jealous

Absolutely ski school

My gf does ski school and said that half her job is picking kids up after they fall

Lifty Pros:
1- Easy Job relatively speaking.. Just keep your ramp nicely formed and Safe for the beginners

2- Can easily get away with sparking up while working

3- Can also get away with not giving a fuck and sitting in your shack the entire shift playing games or watching entertainment (be careful with this though still go be busy on ramp)

4- can build Igloos

Lifty Cons

1- It can gef Cold, Hot, And straight up Boring

2- May find yourself shitting in a hole some days

3- Unless there are chicks working as liftees your mating prospects are absolutely Zero unless you party a lot.. also in a resort’s de facto hierarchical system liftees come in towards the absolute bottom next to dishwashers and cooks but even they get to ride more and get universal respect for the hook ups on leftovers

4- You usually do not get to ride as much as it would seem

5- Not all Liftees can shred.. at least at MT Hood Meadows they put all of us that can at least ride/ ski on the HRM lift, Heather, and Shooting Star but yeah you can expect to work with a lot of non riders/ people who
you won’t see next season/ won’t remember by then either

6- Big Liability I mean it’s not like you got a handful of families, kids, elderly folks on your lift at any given moment.

7- Last but not least… Pay (it sucks)

**This post was edited on Aug 27th 2021 at 4:16:58am

BiffbarfWork at a bar or restaurant at night, ski all day, make way more money.

ZappaStacheIf you want to ski, don’t work for the mountain. Get a job at a shop or restaurant that is preferably locally owned and that won’t ever make you start before 4, 2pm would be the earliest you should even consider. Plus you’ll make way more than you will working for the man and you’ll only work 4 days a week - don’t even think about working 5. When you start you’ll be off on the weekends which sucks eggs but after a month or two you’ll be able to switch to midweek days off. If they don’t let you switch your days quit that job for one that does.


3 years in the game and you haven’t learned a thing. Smh just stay a lifty


**This post was edited on Aug 26th 2021 at 1:45:56am

**This post was edited on Aug 26th 2021 at 1:46:31am

Food service in rich areas is amazing pay if you get tips and generally might cut into skiing time less. Plus if the conditions are shitty out, you likely won't be suffering as much. A lot of places at resorts still give you a season pass and other benefits.

oh yeah I forgot about local businesses near ski resorts/in ski towns.....Great point ZappasMoustahce made. Lots of places are already desperate for workers and local owners of businesses will more-than-likely entice you a bit mroe to work for them vs. the ski resort and might even pay you more, give you a pass, etc. I have a few friends that have stuck around at local ski shops and have worked their ways up, make decent money, have a great schedule, and ski a bunch, more than people who work for the resort.

Getting on my soapbox here. No disrespect to anyone who enjoys their way of making a living at resort, especially the mega ones, but its just not what it used to be. Too much liability, insurance, zero stoke, zero fun, and the pay, even with a minimum wage of $15/hr just isn't worth it. But if you wanna send it, then go for it. Nothing wrong with it. But ski resort work isn't like that skibum pipe dream we all once sold it as.

100% we don’t have a mega resort so there’s not a ton of jobs to be had on the mountain. Most “ski bums” or locals who put 50+ days on the mountain work at bars or restaurants so they have evening/night shifts and can ski during the weekdays. If it’s a nice restaurant you can easily do better than just being a lifty but I think it all depends on where you plan on working in town. Even doing Uber Eats on your own time can get you around 20/hr after tips in a lot of places.

DeebieSkeebiesoh yeah I forgot about local businesses near ski resorts/in ski towns.....Great point ZappasMoustahce made. Lots of places are already desperate for workers and local owners of businesses will more-than-likely entice you a bit mroe to work for them vs. the ski resort and might even pay you more, give you a pass, etc. I have a few friends that have stuck around at local ski shops and have worked their ways up, make decent money, have a great schedule, and ski a bunch, more than people who work for the resort.

Getting on my soapbox here. No disrespect to anyone who enjoys their way of making a living at resort, especially the mega ones, but its just not what it used to be. Too much liability, insurance, zero stoke, zero fun, and the pay, even with a minimum wage of $15/hr just isn't worth it. But if you wanna send it, then go for it. Nothing wrong with it. But ski resort work isn't like that skibum pipe dream we all once sold it as.

DesertStix100% we don’t have a mega resort so there’s not a ton of jobs to be had on the mountain. Most “ski bums” or locals who put 50+ days on the mountain work at bars or restaurants so they have evening/night shifts and can ski during the weekdays. If it’s a nice restaurant you can easily do better than just being a lifty but I think it all depends on where you plan on working in town. Even doing Uber Eats on your own time can get you around 20/hr after tips in a lot of places.

Hell yeah. I used to do Front Desk/Property Maintenance/Bellmen stuff for a private HOA that contracted out condos for a resorts lodging department where we got ski benefits and had to wear some sort of a resort uniform but everything else was up to our discretion on how we did work. Bellman and Shuttle driving jobs net some pretty good tips too if you get on that Thurs-Sun schedule and work the busier arrival/departure times. Basically lived off of tips like servers do. It was rad. I stored all my ski shit in our bellman closet and would use that as my locker room lol

**This post was edited on Aug 27th 2021 at 3:12:03pm

got hired in to ski school!!

jompcockFind a coaching job with a ski team if you can. You get to ski park, all mtn etc with kids that can mostly shred.

I agree, I think you'd have a lot of fun teaching kids how to ski. Does the wage make it that much less appealing?

dude fuck working lifts it’s one of the worst jobs at a hill. ski school is all about the tips not the hourly wage.

ButteryStix69I agree, I think you'd have a lot of fun teaching kids how to ski. Does the wage make it that much less appealing?

Really depends on the area. I am not unhappy with my pay but I'm not really sure what lifties make at my mtn. For me it would take at least doubling my salary to consider being a lifty over coaching.

CrunnchyVanMangot hired in to ski school!!

Just curious; are they pushing you to get psia certified? Will they help with the cost?

ghoti_hookJust curious; are they pushing you to get psia certified? Will they help with the cost?

I live in the Midwest and hills are few and far between so they aren’t requiring it, they just have their own local cert for the hill. But also they said If I wanted PSIA in the future they will hook me up

Some places will reimburse you for the test, give you a pay raise and train you

CrunnchyVanManI live in the Midwest and hills are few and far between so they aren’t requiring it, they just have their own local cert for the hill. But also they said If I wanted PSIA in the future they will hook me up

Lower than $14 an hour? fuck ski industry wages

mrk127Lower than $14 an hour? fuck ski industry wages

Facts, I mean I get a free pass, but fuck, a mf gotta live too

I work full time as at a hospital and I teach part time at the hill. Get my pass freeski and get letters to ski other area in the Pnw.

I did once shit in a plastic bag in the little shack in the middle of the Palmer lift at hood once ........

hoodratz47I work full time as at a hospital and I teach part time at the hill. Get my pass freeski and get letters to ski other area in the Pnw.

I did once shit in a plastic bag in the little shack in the middle of the Palmer lift at hood once ........

I’m sick of shitting in plastic bags

And don't get me wrong I had some fun fun times as liftie

CrunnchyVanManI’m sick of shitting in plastic bags

From my experience at Lake Louise Ski Resort

Lifty:
+Great for someone who has high energy and can feed off the stoke of the guests.
+Easy job with little thinking required
+Consistent pay
+Get to lol at the jerries
+Listen to music and be baked most of the day
+Long ride breaks because of long rotations
-Gets fucking cold on long rotations
-Sometimes have to give "bad news" to guests who dont take it easy on you.
-Kind of mindnumbing
-Not much room for growth in terms of career

Ski-School:
+Whole Day on Skis
+Early Access to the hill
+Spend Time and learn from those who possibly do the most skiing on the resort
+Kids can be fun
+With adult lessons, youre more of a trail guide and just get to ski and show guests around
+Opportunities in coaching open up as you get more certifications
+Getting tips from deep pocketed guests (sometimes you make more money in tips than in wages)
+If there are no lessons for you, you get to go ski
+You get to eat kids lunches if they are on lesson the whole day (depends on the resort)
+Gear Hook Ups when you get to higher levels (Mostly carving skis, helmets, boots)
+In the higher levels of certification, you can make up to $60/hr as a course conductor.
-Taking responsibility when guests/kids get hurt (I had some one get impaled on a tree during a lesson; almost got fired)
-Kids can be aweful
-Guests can be aweful
-Everyone else working on the hill generally dislikes ski instructors
-Hardly ever in the park during lessons, even with your park cert
-The courses are such BS. Kind of ruin the fun in skiing if you take it seriously.
-Teaching toddlers who quite frankly belong in a day care and are crying NON-STOP.
---YOU ONLY GET PAID FOR THE TIME YOU ARE INSTRUCTING. Even though you are present at work, ready and on call, you dont actually get paid unless you are with a guest. Because of this, youll bank roughly 12 hours a week. Most ski instructors double as heli/cat/sled guides, race coaches and so on.

Ski Patrol
+Ski all day long everyday
+Decent pay as far as resort jobs go
-First couple of years are jerry patrol
-Guests can throw shit fits if you have to pull their pass (aggressive in many of the cases)
-Super early mornings and long after everyone else in the pm
-actually having to respond to a complete disaster
-filling in for mountain ops

Mountain ops (snowmaking, avy control, grooming, maintenance)
+this is where most long term resort employees end up
+working with legends
+these guys know the resort the best out of everyone
+blowing shit up
+riding lines before everyone else
+riding sleds
+driving groomers (harder than you might think)
+Sometimes get a heli ride (very rarely)
+Decent pay
+Short term work is usually available during the start of the season just to get a pass (boot packing, setting up snow fences, putting up signs, moving water supply hoses and snow guns etc.)
-Long days and early mornings (groomers work through the night)
-Physically demanding job (heavy lifting, digging endless amount of snow etc.)

Bar-Tending, Cooks and Waiters
+Free food and drinks sometimes
+Tips or decent pay
- no time on the mountain through out the work day
- often work overtime depending on how busy the resort is
- shitty management always

Rentals
+ get to try out new equipment (demos) for free
+ Prety chill job
+ consistent pay
+ decent ski breaks through out the day (busiest time is morining and afternoon)
- handle nasty boots and helmets and so on
- take complaints on how everything is uncomfortable or does not work well

did i miss anything?

The morning meeting were well worth it

Wow thanks for this overview!

ajbskiFrom my experience at Lake Louise Ski Resort

Lifty:
+Great for someone who has high energy and can feed off the stoke of the guests.
+Easy job with little thinking required
+Consistent pay
+Get to lol at the jerries
+Listen to music and be baked most of the day
+Long ride breaks because of long rotations
-Gets fucking cold on long rotations
-Sometimes have to give "bad news" to guests who dont take it easy on you.
-Kind of mindnumbing
-Not much room for growth in terms of career

Ski-School:
+Whole Day on Skis
+Early Access to the hill
+Spend Time and learn from those who possibly do the most skiing on the resort
+Kids can be fun
+With adult lessons, youre more of a trail guide and just get to ski and show guests around
+Opportunities in coaching open up as you get more certifications
+Getting tips from deep pocketed guests (sometimes you make more money in tips than in wages)
+If there are no lessons for you, you get to go ski
+You get to eat kids lunches if they are on lesson the whole day (depends on the resort)
+Gear Hook Ups when you get to higher levels (Mostly carving skis, helmets, boots)
+In the higher levels of certification, you can make up to $60/hr as a course conductor.
-Taking responsibility when guests/kids get hurt (I had some one get impaled on a tree during a lesson; almost got fired)
-Kids can be aweful
-Guests can be aweful
-Everyone else working on the hill generally dislikes ski instructors
-Hardly ever in the park during lessons, even with your park cert
-The courses are such BS. Kind of ruin the fun in skiing if you take it seriously.
-Teaching toddlers who quite frankly belong in a day care and are crying NON-STOP.
---YOU ONLY GET PAID FOR THE TIME YOU ARE INSTRUCTING. Even though you are present at work, ready and on call, you dont actually get paid unless you are with a guest. Because of this, youll bank roughly 12 hours a week. Most ski instructors double as heli/cat/sled guides, race coaches and so on.

Ski Patrol
+Ski all day long everyday
+Decent pay as far as resort jobs go
-First couple of years are jerry patrol
-Guests can throw shit fits if you have to pull their pass (aggressive in many of the cases)
-Super early mornings and long after everyone else in the pm
-actually having to respond to a complete disaster
-filling in for mountain ops

Mountain ops (snowmaking, avy control, grooming, maintenance)
+this is where most long term resort employees end up
+working with legends
+these guys know the resort the best out of everyone
+blowing shit up
+riding lines before everyone else
+riding sleds
+driving groomers (harder than you might think)
+Sometimes get a heli ride (very rarely)
+Decent pay
+Short term work is usually available during the start of the season just to get a pass (boot packing, setting up snow fences, putting up signs, moving water supply hoses and snow guns etc.)
-Long days and early mornings (groomers work through the night)
-Physically demanding job (heavy lifting, digging endless amount of snow etc.)

Bar-Tending, Cooks and Waiters
+Free food and drinks sometimes
+Tips or decent pay
- no time on the mountain through out the work day
- often work overtime depending on how busy the resort is
- shitty management always

Rentals
+ get to try out new equipment (demos) for free
+ Prety chill job
+ consistent pay
+ decent ski breaks through out the day (busiest time is morining and afternoon)
- handle nasty boots and helmets and so on
- take complaints on how everything is uncomfortable or does not work well

did i miss anything?

ajbskiFrom my experience at Lake Louise Ski Resort

Lifty:
+Great for someone who has high energy and can feed off the stoke of the guests.
+Easy job with little thinking required
+Consistent pay
+Get to lol at the jerries
+Listen to music and be baked most of the day
+Long ride breaks because of long rotations
-Gets fucking cold on long rotations
-Sometimes have to give "bad news" to guests who dont take it easy on you.
-Kind of mindnumbing
-Not much room for growth in terms of career

Ski-School:
+Whole Day on Skis
+Early Access to the hill
+Spend Time and learn from those who possibly do the most skiing on the resort
+Kids can be fun
+With adult lessons, youre more of a trail guide and just get to ski and show guests around
+Opportunities in coaching open up as you get more certifications
+Getting tips from deep pocketed guests (sometimes you make more money in tips than in wages)
+If there are no lessons for you, you get to go ski
+You get to eat kids lunches if they are on lesson the whole day (depends on the resort)
+Gear Hook Ups when you get to higher levels (Mostly carving skis, helmets, boots)
+In the higher levels of certification, you can make up to $60/hr as a course conductor.
-Taking responsibility when guests/kids get hurt (I had some one get impaled on a tree during a lesson; almost got fired)
-Kids can be aweful
-Guests can be aweful
-Everyone else working on the hill generally dislikes ski instructors
-Hardly ever in the park during lessons, even with your park cert
-The courses are such BS. Kind of ruin the fun in skiing if you take it seriously.
-Teaching toddlers who quite frankly belong in a day care and are crying NON-STOP.
---YOU ONLY GET PAID FOR THE TIME YOU ARE INSTRUCTING. Even though you are present at work, ready and on call, you dont actually get paid unless you are with a guest. Because of this, youll bank roughly 12 hours a week. Most ski instructors double as heli/cat/sled guides, race coaches and so on.

Ski Patrol
+Ski all day long everyday
+Decent pay as far as resort jobs go
-First couple of years are jerry patrol
-Guests can throw shit fits if you have to pull their pass (aggressive in many of the cases)
-Super early mornings and long after everyone else in the pm
-actually having to respond to a complete disaster
-filling in for mountain ops

Mountain ops (snowmaking, avy control, grooming, maintenance)
+this is where most long term resort employees end up
+working with legends
+these guys know the resort the best out of everyone
+blowing shit up
+riding lines before everyone else
+riding sleds
+driving groomers (harder than you might think)
+Sometimes get a heli ride (very rarely)
+Decent pay
+Short term work is usually available during the start of the season just to get a pass (boot packing, setting up snow fences, putting up signs, moving water supply hoses and snow guns etc.)
-Long days and early mornings (groomers work through the night)
-Physically demanding job (heavy lifting, digging endless amount of snow etc.)

Bar-Tending, Cooks and Waiters
+Free food and drinks sometimes
+Tips or decent pay
- no time on the mountain through out the work day
- often work overtime depending on how busy the resort is
- shitty management always

Rentals
+ get to try out new equipment (demos) for free
+ Prety chill job
+ consistent pay
+ decent ski breaks through out the day (busiest time is morining and afternoon)
- handle nasty boots and helmets and so on
- take complaints on how everything is uncomfortable or does not work well

did i miss anything?

In my experience, even at a hill that's not very busy you get more than 12 hours a week instructing most weeks, and that can be a perk if you have money banked because more time to ski.

Pro ski patrol at big mountains are often some of the best athletes there, have the most training and usually don't ski all day because they are practicing rescue scenarios, rotating dispatch and 'bump'. Also mostly they make less per hour than instructors. Patrol also has the most detailed trail map of any mountain memorized.

ajbskidid i miss anything?

Coaching a freestyle team:
+Kids already know how to ski, you teach them park, moguls etc
+Get to ski the park/around the mtn with kids that can mostly rip/teach them to rip
+Paid travel/lodging for comps, ski new resorts and parks on training days
+Get paid with a regular schedule and parents tip at the end of the season
+Hella pro deals and shop hookups
+-USSS certs get you higher pay and more hiring opportunities
+-Having good fundamentals (can carve, ski moguls, pole plant etc) will make a huge difference in finding work
-Harder to find work but a lot of places are looking for coaches rn
-You'll likely start out coaching younger groups skiing at a lower level. This is not that bad but it's important that you understand their ability level and where to take them.
-A lot of standing around at courses on comp days
-Kids can be a pain but talking to them and/or their parents early can resolve issues for the rest of the year.