Planetaki Planet Cool Works

which is better~sticking with same company or moving on to a new one?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

In Alaska, I have checked out jobs at Westmark Hotels with Holland America Line ...besides Glacier Bay & Denali with Aramark, Coldfoot Camp & Yukon River Camp, and even found jobs at the airport through HMSHost.com

Have seen other hotel & restaurant jobs recently in Tok, Homer & Juneau,Alaska...just forget which websites I have seen them on.

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

The bigger point I was trying to make is that with one year's experience with a pretty limited menu...no saute, no broiler..is that a line cook's position is not likely for a couple, or maybe 3-4 more years of various kitchen work...like pantry or edr or prep. Most of the extra positions that are still posted after the season begins tend to be at the line, or even in baking...which would require even more experiences.

If it's something he does enjoy, just realize that it will take some time. If it's just a job there might be faster promotions in other areas. And if it's money, then the other areas also have a better chance at higher incomes.

good companies for fall and winter jobs?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

ok i think the fall job is out anyway but i'll remember stanford for later. ok i'll look more into baker.... i live in alaska right now but i wasn't really planning on staying for the winter... have you been here for the winter at alyeska before? like i said, my boyfriend is looking for a lifty job and i'm looking for a serving job.... my boy has kinda long hair.. right now he puts it up when he works as a cook.. but as i've been looking for jobs i've seen quite a few places that say you can't have hair longer than the collar of a shirt..... we're looking for somewhere that isn't like that. do you know about baker or alyeska? was really interested in snowbird then i read that.. now i'm not sure. anyone know about grand targhee?? anything else you know about alyeska or anywhere else let me know!

ps-which restaurant would i want to work at in alyeska? i like working at semi-upscale places... but i also want to work something like a lunch shift (so me and the boy have similar schedules and i still don't have to work too early). money is always appreciated as well. ideas?

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

In the employee dining room, you are cooking big batches of stuff, maybe doing some frying, or grilling sandwhiches.
I did that last summer, and was promoted after a month to manager of the edr, and still cooking. You put the food out, buffet style. A salad and sandwhich bar.

Line cooks work by the plate, for me, fine dining at Zion Lodge. I don't plan to ever go back to EDR. I like Line, it can be hectic, doing saute, broiler, or flattop. We do around 300 plates a night.

I think Keith made a very valid point. If you don't like cooking, maybe frount of house will be your thing. If you like cooking, there's plenty of work available.

No matter where you work, though, have pride in your work .

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

All depends on the dishwasher pay rate at the particular place, as well as what all the dishwashers are expected to do. Some places I worked early on, I just stood in front of a dish machine for hours on end for min wage, never expected tips.

Later on, I worked another dish job where some of the bussers and servers were always good about properly bussing and bringing back dishes, others just threw a tray full of dirties, napkins, trash, etc back there. The latter, I'd flat out tell them that if I was doing part of their bussing job, I expected to get tipped out. Likewise on a slow night with no bussers, if I helped the servers bus tables, I expected, and usually got tipped. Most servers are good about taking care of their bussers and other helpers, many bussers on the other hand, in my experience at least, are not so good.

NEW TO CoolWorks!

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

Hey Sara! I can think of at least two goods reasons you are going to do fantastic as a seasonal bartender! (actually any kind of bartender .... or anything really)

Oldest Seasonal Employee

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

I believe the personnel manager at Grant is in her mid 80's and still going strong.

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

i do belive the dishwashers should get some of tips cause they were theyre but off and get paid less then every one else they clean the mess we make thats an hard job u have to been fast and quick i know one isnt going to agree with me on this

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T02:50:47Z

I agree about pooling tips. I absolutely hate it. I worked in a music venue for 2.5 years where eventually tip pooling was enforced and one bar only sold beer while the bar i was in charge of sold liquor and beer. I made more money on my side, worked 10 times as hard and still had to equally share my tips at the end of the night. It was VERY frustrating. Also tipping out other employees like the door guy or someone who gets paid a fair hourly wage to clean (8-15/hr) also doesn't seem right to me. Bartenders have huge responsibilities other than making/serving drinks. It's like babysitting and policing (if you work in all ages venue like I did).

I do think the hourly wage for servers/bartenders should be raised. $2.13 in Texas (and many other states) has been the standard while the normal minimum wage has gone up several times over the last decade.

NEW TO CoolWorks!

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

Then the next question...do you want to stay somewhere near for the first jump?

Like : https://apply.coolworks.com/sunc/job-details.asp?jobID=16496 It's at a ranch resort in Wickenburg...

or farther away?

Like: http://jobs.mammothmountain.com/season/jobdetail.cfm?opening_id=2356 a job at one of the many ski resorts

Most of the winter jobs will not be accompanied by a special announcement, you have to keep searching the sites and returning.

Good luck with your search.

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

I've seen that jump happen fairly quickly depending on the place and time and attitude.

There are a lot of cook openings listed most of the time. But most of them are going to require a lot more experience than you have indicated. Sure, if you want to just stick to making pizzas or doing prep work for another 3 or 4 years some of those openings will start considering you. If cooking doesn't seem to be your life's goal...the other jumps on the other side of the counter will move faster and have more $$ in the end.

which is better~sticking with same company or moving on to a new one?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

I have been at the South Rim of Grand Canyon, for over 3 years. I'm looking at other locations that I want to go see next Spring.

Aramark: in Alaska & Washington

DNC: Niagara Falls, Yosemite, & Harrison spa resort in Canada and then transfer to Australia

Forever Resorts: Signal Mountain Lodge, North Rim at Grand Canyon

Xanterra: Crater Lake

I'm sure there are others I would also like.

Anyways my concern is....if I start changing locations every season, does it look bad to employers?

which is better~sticking with same company or moving on to a new one?

2010-07-30T03:02:14Z

I have been at the South Rim of Grand Canyon, for over 3 years. I'm looking at other locations that I want to go see next Spring.

Aramark: in Alaska & Washington

DNC: Niagara Falls, Yosemite, & Harrison spa resort in Canada and then transfer to Australia

Forever Resorts: Signal Mountain Lodge, North Rim at Grand Canyon

Xanterra: Crater Lake

I'm sure there are others I would also like.

Anyways my concern is....if I start changing locations every season, does it look bad to employers?

NEW TO CoolWorks!

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

Keith- yes I'm thinking staying in the same field and currently looking for a job

Thank you scootr!

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

thanks, akscootr. sounds like you just cold call? never would have thought of living on a boat! what a great idea!

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

thanks for your help wendy.

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

thanks for your help keith. the ski resort idea sounds pretty tempting.

on the subject of bussing: how realistic is it to hope to move up from bussing to serving in one season if I have no serving experience?

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

thanks for all of your input, carol. having never been in a xanterra employee dining room, how does working in the employee dining room differ from a line cook position?

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T08:30:26Z

That brings up one MAJOR pet peeve of mine. I don't care how great the service was, or what kind of business it is, or how busy you are. If my check is delivered before Im done with my food or drinks, without some sort of request before hand (anything else, ready for your check? or we're about done here, can you bring the check?) I flat out will not tip. It's extremely rude and rushes people out the door. Might as well put a yellow clown on the sign and make me pay first.

Also, the idea that the food quality (kitchen) is a key factor in tipping is not always true. I'll forgive poor food or slow cooks if the server handles it well, and likewise, I'll refuse to tip on an excellent meal if the service sucks.

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

Tip pools annoy me. I can bust my butt all week, take extra time to talk with guests, give them tips on the park, etc, and actually SEE that my efforts are generating nice tips...

then I have to share them with the slackers?

In food service, I've always given servers the option (where I was management): tip out your busser/SA fairly, or start a tip pool. They generally get the idea and take care of their helpers.

To me though, cooks shouldn't be getting tips, they're generally paid much better base wages, same goes for other back of the house jobs. Way back when I did dishpit type jobs, I never expected or demanded to be tipped out by the servers and bussers unless it was crazy busy and I was helping with their duties. I was making min wage or better, they were making 3 or 4 an hour plus tips.

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

McDonalds can get away with paying minimum wage, the bulk of their employees are teenagers wanting extra money for high school or college, or unskilled adults with few other options. "Real" restaurants (no disrespect to the fast food industry, I did it for a while, it's a job that needs done) need skilled employees and have to compete with other restaurants for the labor pool. Try and run a fine dining place paying your staff min wage and youre doomed.

I kind of like the idea of service charges, actually. Being someone who knows the business, front and back of the house, I can better decide if your place is a good value, based on the actual cost of the food, and the amount youre charging to serve it to me (based on the quality of service, of course).

Abolishing Tipping?

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

Re: tipping making the businesses more interesting.

Employees who are hoping to attract better tips tend to be more outgoing and upbeat, and more inclined to go beyond just serving your drinks and food and actually entertaining you.

As for m, I don't care what kind of place it is, classy or not, tip jars and in-check automatic gratuities mean I won't do business there. I did the restaurant business for 18 years, if you want tips, earn them, but don't beg for them.

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

Then come on up amiga :0) A friend here cooks on a large fishing boat and she loves it. Imagine cooking in a vessel parked in a quiet cove and surrounded by nature (and the Alaska traffic jam/ lots of fishing boats). You are 100% right about it being the journey... it is why I live this lifestyle. But I like to get well-paid for my hard work... Amazingly, I double what I made as a server at Old Faithful. The small towns have a charm that is hard to beat and the pay here is consistently high. My worst $$$ day here beats my best at OF. Because of that I am able to accomplish my dream we talked about...sailing and living on my boat. No payments...it is already paid off. Now I don't have to worry about my tent getting shredded by upset bears anymore ;)~ I hope you are having a great summer. Where next?....

Oldest Seasonal Employee

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

No he wasn't... there was an employee at Glacier that had been with the company over 50 years and was still going and then there was another employee at Grand Teton Lodge, Ray - who had been working for the Lodge since he was in his twenties and only retired after facing some health issues.

experienced advice re: getting into seasonal work?

2010-07-30T02:50:48Z

thanks for putting real numbers on that, Scott
Sence I am still with Xanterra for 2 more weeks, I'll not give my hourly pay, but its nearly $600 every two weeks after deductions for everything(taxes, room and board). I don't work overtime, and don't want it.
Its true, on a good night our servers make serious money. On bad nights, they don't make much, we cooks get the same regardless.

I left a better paying job with full benifits to do the National Parks these last two summers. Its all about the journey, I guess.

Very good points, Scott. Xanterra maybe a starting point cause they hire so many. Its a relief to know theres other and better companies out there.