Whistler Blackcomb 2014-2015 — Official Thread
- You wont walk into any bartender job. All the bartenders are either permanent residents, Canadian or doing the residency pretty much I.E. Been here for years. (And at most venues they are all men anyway). But the jobs that you would apply for are food runner and drink runner, which still get good tips. My girl is a food runner (She is about to be promoted to server in a few weeks) and the smallest tip per shift she gets is $70-$80. Times that by 5 shifts per week and it adds up pretty easy. And if you arent a complete fuck up you will get promoted/better shifts pretty damn quickly. There was i think 400 ppl at our companies job fair, but like i said. Its who you know. So i am more than happy to set up a meeting with a few GM’s for you. (We had the same done for myself and my GF by a budd)
-My travel insurance is through Fast Cover, in the process of claiming a few lost items and it all has been pretty smooth and painless so i can recommend them. My girl has claimed some medical bills and that went through easily.
- I stayed at the Hi Hostel, its nice, clean and new but the furthest of any of the accommodation/hostels there is. I’d book 2 weeks, that should be plenty to find a house. Be warned though, if you want to go the staff housing route, the rooms dont become available for a while i believe (DylanV can confirm/deny this? I cant recall) So you will have a few weeks where you will need to crash on a couch unless yhou have booked your hostel early on. Come late Oct you wont be able to book a room anywhere.
I have to run to work, will read the rest of the replies and respond when i get home.
Sarah worked in some sort of Admin job at Whis last season, not sure if she is still there. I could ask her if she does anything like that?
She actually worked in central reservations!
Don’t think she can help.
PosiJohn - can’t she just get a new pass associated with the new job?
If so - how do you go about this…? do you take a letter to guest relations?
If so (ire her new employer does actually speak to WB) they she just explains that “hey all you have to do is reactivate my old pass”
- You wont walk into any bartender job. All the bartenders are either permanent residents, Canadian or doing the residency pretty much I.E. Been here for years. (And at most venues they are all men anyway). But the jobs that you would apply for are food runner and drink runner, which still get good tips. My girl is a food runner (She is about to be promoted to server in a few weeks) and the smallest tip per shift she gets is $70-$80. Times that by 5 shifts per week and it adds up pretty easy. And if you arent a complete fuck up you will get promoted/better shifts pretty damn quickly. There was i think 400 ppl at our companies job fair, but like i said. Its who you know. So i am more than happy to set up a meeting with a few GM’s for you. (We had the same done for myself and my GF by a budd)
-My travel insurance is through Fast Cover, in the process of claiming a few lost items and it all has been pretty smooth and painless so i can recommend them. My girl has claimed some medical bills and that went through easily.
- I stayed at the Hi Hostel, its nice, clean and new but the furthest of any of the accommodation/hostels there is. I’d book 2 weeks, that should be plenty to find a house. Be warned though, if you want to go the staff housing route, the rooms dont become available for a while i believe (DylanV can confirm/deny this? I cant recall) So you will have a few weeks where you will need to crash on a couch unless yhou have booked your hostel early on. Come late Oct you wont be able to book a room anywhere.
I have to run to work, will read the rest of the replies and respond when i get home.
That sounds awesome, I’m planning on arriving first week of October but just all depends when the job fair is on. I’d be happy to get a serving job those tips sounds pretty good. Yeah I guess just make friends and couch surf until I can get into staff accom or find a house with someone.
Yeah I know Hi Whistler is like 15min bus ride from the village, I don’t think there are too many good hostels close to the village and yeah it looks clean and good. So far it’s on the top of the list for Whistler accommodation.
- I stayed at the Hi Hostel, its nice, clean and new but the furthest of any of the accommodation/hostels there is. I’d book 2 weeks, that should be plenty to find a house. Be warned though, if you want to go the staff housing route, the rooms dont become available for a while i believe (DylanV can confirm/deny this? I cant recall) So you will have a few weeks where you will need to crash on a couch unless yhou have booked your hostel early on. Come late Oct you wont be able to book a room anywhere.
If this season is anything to go by staff housing will be in very high demand, i was put on the wait list as soon as i got my job which was at the start of october, my interview was end of september. it wasnt until around late october that i got a spot in house. i know they are up’ing their capacity in glacier and brio next season by turning a lot of the single rooms into double and kicking all returning staff who want staff housing to westside, but i am still not sure how much that will help.
On another note, i came home after work tonight and found the “House monthly” newsletter under the door. Whilst reading over it i noticed some of our own have a nice mention on it.
Here’s a pic of the piece
Congrats Aaron & Sarah 
Sarah worked in some sort of Admin job at Whis last season, not sure if she is still there. I could ask her if she does anything like that?
She actually worked in central reservations!
Don’t think she can help.PosiJohn - can’t she just get a new pass associated with the new job?
If so - how do you go about this…? do you take a letter to guest relations?
If so (ire her new employer does actually speak to WB) they she just explains that “hey all you have to do is reactivate my old pass”
Yeah she doesn’t work there any more. I asked on FB.
That’s awesome! (Dylan’s post). Nice one, Aaron and Sarah!
If you like monkeys, you should definitely visit Langkawi.
- I stayed at the Hi Hostel, its nice, clean and new but the furthest of any of the accommodation/hostels there is. I’d book 2 weeks, that should be plenty to find a house. Be warned though, if you want to go the staff housing route, the rooms dont become available for a while i believe (DylanV can confirm/deny this? I cant recall) So you will have a few weeks where you will need to crash on a couch unless yhou have booked your hostel early on. Come late Oct you wont be able to book a room anywhere.
If this season is anything to go by staff housing will be in very high demand, i was put on the wait list as soon as i got my job which was at the start of october, my interview was end of september. it wasnt until around late october that i got a spot in house. i know they are up’ing their capacity in glacier and brio next season by turning a lot of the single rooms into double and kicking all returning staff who want staff housing to westside, but i am still not sure how much that will help.
On another note, i came home after work tonight and found the “House monthly” newsletter under the door. Whilst reading over it i noticed some of our own have a nice mention on it.
Here’s a pic of the piece
Congrats Aaron & Sarah
Oh really, did you get your job through the job fair? So it’s looking like I’ll really need to arrive late September not start of October . Damm staff housing looks like it’s going to be a pain to get into. What did you do while you were waiting to get into staff housing?
I’ll be fine just as long as I have enough money while I’m looking for a place to live/waiting for work to start.
Coming to Whistler can be worrying, and to some level there will always be uncertainty. Even for those of us who have done numerous seasons in Whistler, there is always the waiting game for housing and whatever else. We all go through it so I understand your concern.
BUT… many of us have done it before. You really don’t need the Working Holiday Club or anything else. Come early, be prepared, understand the situation, and just make it work. This is my advice to you because I know it can be done.
It’s your decision though. Give me a couple of weeks and I will find out what I can.
Coming to Whistler can be worrying, and to some level there will always be uncertainty. Even for those of us who have done numerous seasons in Whistler, there is always the waiting game for housing and whatever else. We all go through it so I understand your concern.
BUT… many of us have done it before. You really don’t need the Working Holiday Club or anything else. Come early, be prepared, understand the situation, and just make it work. This is my advice to you because I know it can be done.
It’s your decision though. Give me a couple of weeks and I will find out what I can.
Yeah I believe I’ll be able to make it work, just have to arrive at the right time. Prove that I’ll be an awesome worker haha and be prepared for things that can go wrong. I’ll make it work.
That’s it. When they are hiring they will be looking for people who are excited, have energy, will work hard, and be part of the team. Be sure to let them know this. Tell them how much you’ve been looking forward to coming over to work for Whistler Blackcomb. Attitude and enthusiasm are the two most important factors that will impress them. Dress nicely, present yourself well, and go and smash it! 
another alternative to health insurance is getting BC health care.
You’re eligible once you’ve been here for 3 months and you can apply before that time too. its $60 a month so if that works out cheaper than travel insurance then go for it. Its ideal as you never have to actually pay for things and then try and claim them back. if you’re gonna be here and not traveling around heaps through different countries it will work out better i’d say.
obviously you wouldn’t be covered for stolen goods and all that other stuff that travel insurance covers.
The Visa application guide is still good though, I wouldn’t change that up. Just follow it to a tee and feel free to contact me or Jeremy (Rider26) if you want any help.
To answer your question, yes you can leave the country and return. I went to the USA after entry and then back again and there was no issues (other than over an hour of lining up for entry into the USA…) Any ideas on where you’d want to go and what’s your plans James?
P.S. Welcome to the community if I haven’t said so already
And if you want to hear about my trip, feel free to read the blog I wrote - http://bwcanada.weebly.com/tjs-experience
Thanks man, I’ll definitely be in touch if I run into any issues. And yeah I’ve read through your blog as well, really cool!
At this point I’m planning on 2 seasons (may or may not stay for Summer in between), thinking Sun Peaks for the first season and possibly Whistler for the second. I’m liking Sun Peaks as I have a few friends there, and as I mentioned in my other thread (about work at Perisher) I’ve still got a class at uni to complete this year so wouldn’t be able to fly out till mid/late November so figured it would be good to have some friends to help line up meetings or job opportunities rather than arrive at Whistler a bit late and possibly be behind the 8 ball.
That’s it. When they are hiring they will be looking for people who are excited, have energy, will work hard, and be part of the team. Be sure to let them know this. Tell them how much you’ve been looking forward to coming over to work for Whistler Blackcomb. Attitude and enthusiasm are the two most important factors that will impress them. Dress nicely, present yourself well, and go and smash it!
Helpful advice right there, yeah I’ll tell them I’ve just come from a season. And that I’ve been planning this trip for months and that I norowed down all my options to Whistler etc. I’ll try and get a good refrence from my lifty manager for this season. And I don’t mean to toot my own horn but my customer service is pretty dam good haha.