Working at Whistler 2015-2016 — Questions
Just got the job as lift host in Whistler, yewwwwww.
sweet as! good job thats awesome
Congratulations, Thepowpow! See you over there! 
Lifty is a great job, im sure you’ll love it!
Arrived in Whistler yesterday morning! If anyone has any questions let me know and I’ll do my best to answer, it seems like a few places have “hiring” signs posted up (McDonalds/Starbucks form what I can remember) might be worth trying to contact them if you’re looking. I got the single room I requested in staff accommodation so that’s an option if you don’t want to share a room with someone (although might be too late to get it now).
Arrived in Whistler yesterday morning! If anyone has any questions let me know and I’ll do my best to answer, it seems like a few places have “hiring” signs posted up (McDonalds/Starbucks form what I can remember) might be worth trying to contact them if you’re looking. I got the single room I requested in staff accommodation so that’s an option if you don’t want to share a room with someone (although might be too late to get it now).
If you are looking for a job grab a pique magazine or goto the pique website, at the moment you will find plenty of ads about upcoming job fairs, namely for bars and night clubs, but also for a whole range of industries.
There is a waiting list for even shared rooms in staff now. Way to late get a single room.
Arrived in Whistler yesterday morning! If anyone has any questions let me know and I’ll do my best to answer, it seems like a few places have “hiring” signs posted up (McDonalds/Starbucks form what I can remember) might be worth trying to contact them if you’re looking. I got the single room I requested in staff accommodation so that’s an option if you don’t want to share a room with someone (although might be too late to get it now).
If you are looking for a job grab a pique magazine or goto the pique website, at the moment you will find plenty of ads about upcoming job fairs, namely for bars and night clubs, but also for a whole range of industries.
There is a waiting list for even shared rooms in staff now. Way to late get a single room.
Lucky I pre booked a room a few weeks ago then!
I’ll be arriving in Whis today, although I’ll be staying in a hotel in the village tonight because I could only get a check in time for tomorrow.
Hey guys
I’m new to the forum and planning on heading out to Whistler for the 2016/17 season.
I have researched loads and am a member of a few other forums, but stumbled across this thread today and it was a REALLY helpful read!! So thanks.
It seems majority of you will be finishing your first seasons in Whistler about now and so I was hoping to be able to gain some first hand advice as this will be my first ever Winter season abroad.
I’m from the UK (Sorry as I know this is aimed at Aussies) and so I’m looking to book my flight as soon as possible in order to minimise cost, but I’m having issues on deciding the best date to head out there?
This is my current situation, so please pull apart and give me any advice cos everything is massively appreciated!
- I have my IEC VISA
- I have my Serving it Right certificate
- I will fly out to Vancouver and here I will get the admin of my SIN, Bank account and Mobile Phone, whilst staying in a hostel.
- Greyhound up to Whistler, where I will likely book a hostel for a number of days (Please help on what you think is a good number of days)
- In that period I will try and secure myself both accommodation and a job!!!!! Literally have nothing lined up and no family or friends or contacts out there!!! VERY NERVOUS!
- I have some bar and restaurant experience but really I want any job that gives me most time on the mountain with enough money to get by!
Really worried about when I should be heading out there and how to secure accommodation and a job! You guy seemed to have jobs secured before arriving in Whistler d actually physically attending the jobs fairs?? How can I do this?
Sorry for the long post!
Please help a nervous first timer 
Tom
Hey Tom, welcome to the forum.
This is only going to be a quick post because I’m heading to bed, but I’ll elaborate in the morning.
Couple of quick things:
1. Do not stress about work, so easy to line up when you are there it is not funny. I will go into more detail tomorrow and find out more about yourself to point you in the right direction.
2. Don’t greyhound it up to whis, use http://www.hitchplanet.com , cheaper and you get to meet cool people, could become a whistler buddy!
3. Get there early. For the sake of housing, the earlier the better. Finding housing in Whistler for the winter season was easily the most annoying & painstaking thing I had to do in my year and a half there. Just by being there you a leap ahead of anyone looking who isn’t.
More tomorrow ?
For arrival dates, Dylan is right. Get there as early as possible (if you can afford it). The Job Fair could be as early as the last weekend in October, so definitely make sure you’re getting here at least a few days before that. I would even make sure you’re here the week prior just in case. And it gives you time to get your phone, bank account, and SIN sorted as well.
The Whistler Blackcomb Job Fair is your best bet for both job (free season pass!) and accommodation. This is your best “foot in the door”. You can always decide to do otherwise (move into a shared house if you wish) at a later date. You should be able to secure an interview for the Job Fair ahead of time. Just keep checking back on this page: http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/employment
Keep us posted and let us know when you’re arriving. We can catch up for a drink/feed/chat. Don’t worry about making friends. You’re a Boardworld member so you’ve already inherited a bunch of idiots you can call your friends! 
There is also this Facebook group for rides to/from Whistler: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hitchingseatosky/
Don’t worry about the UK/Aussie thing here on Boardworld. We have members from all over the world and we’re all in this together. @PosiJohn is from the UK and he was in the same situation a couple of seasons ago. He’s been living in Whistler and has become a good friend of everyone on here. John, do you have any advice for a fellow UK member?
Hi guys,
Thanks a lot for the warm welcome to the forum and I’ll certainly be keeping you updated on my plans so that I can thank you for the advice with a beer after I arrive!
As you say the earlier is better and I had originally planned on flying out to Vancouver approximately 13th October, so as soon as I have my SIN, phone and bank account sorted. Then I would head to Whistler for the October Jobs Fair.
However, a couple of people have said that I should aim for September arrival in order to take advantage of the end of September job fair and less people competing for the jobs?
From your experience would you say its far better to get there in September or is October ok?
Was hoping for October in order to be closer to the season start (less living costs and partying costs etc.) and also my 25th birthday is 7th October!
Lastly, would either of you guys b able to advise me on the best bank account to open for life in Whistler, as I know other bank cash machines will charge me. Again same sort of question with regard to the mobile phone network that is best for signal and price in Whistler?
Also Dylan thanks for the Hitchplanet idea!
Cheers guys
Tom
Hey @TD1991,
No worries at all! I’m already looking forward to that beer, haha! We’ll have to take you to the Whistler Brewing Co. taphouse! ?
I think you should be fine at the October Job Fair. From what I was told directly from the Recruiting Coordinator last year, good candidates have a very good chance of gaining employment at the October Job Fair. It should be noted that you must be flexible in regards to which positions you are willing to work. Personally, I think if you’re there for the October Job Fair, and you’re organised (all documents in order etc.) and well presented, you really should have no problems gaining employment. Save your money and enjoy your 25th birthday! This isn’t a guarantee but my personal opinion based on experience and what I have been told directly from Whistler Blackcomb.
For bank accounts, there are three main banks I would consider with branches in Whistler: TD Canada Trust, RBC, and CIBC. There is also Scotiabank, however, their branch is in Creekside which can be an unnecessary inconvenience if you’re not living in Creekside. I have been with RBC previously and I am now with TD which I have been very happy with. Go into the branches when you get here, see what they are offering, and choose what you think is best. But you really can’t go wrong with any of these options.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Hey @rider26
Didn’t realise I hadn’t replied! Thanks so so much for all the information its been a serious help in getting my head around my exact plans!
But I can guarantee you aren’t looking forward to that beer as much as I am, my head certainly isn’t in my work here in London anymore haa
One last question I was hoping you could clear up for me mate. When I arrive in Whistler it will be approximately 19th/20th October. My initial thought was to book a hostel for a while perhaps until after the Job Fairs:
Say 1st November as I hear that’s wen a lot of Winter leases/Staff accommodation begins??
Then in the time that I am in the hostel I suppose I will resume bomb the resort for bar and restaurant jobs and hunt for a place to stay. But the conflict is that I hear I will not be able to secure a Job in bar/restaurant etc. unless I have permanent accommodation sorted? However, I wouldn’t want to tie myself into permanent accommodation in case I can somehow get lucky with a mountain job (Lifty hopefully) from the job fair which includes staff accommodation??
Just wanted to get your thoughts on what you think is best to do on arrival?
Is a hostel the best option? Or what is the best temporary place to start?
Is there any chance of securing staff accommodation and job as a lifty by waiting for the job fair, or anything I can do before to aide getting this?
Or should I seek out permanent accommodation and resume bomb the resort the instant I arrive?
Wow I’ve wrote loads again! SORRY
But hopefully you catch what I’m trying to clear up haa
Any advice or opinion is greatly appreciated from anyone!
Thanks
Oh just to add my first idea was to stay in the “HI Whistler” hostel. Then buy a bus pass?
Hey @TD1991, no worries at all!
I think that’s a good call. It should buy you enough time to get everything sorted, without spending more time than you need at the hostel. If you have to extend a few days before you move into staff accommodation you can always do that.
What’s your priority? Working for the mountain and getting a free lift pass and staff accommodation, or working in a restaurant and finding your own accommodation? Set your priority and go for it. My recommendation would be to get your foot in the door with Whistler Blackcomb and assess other opportunities at a later date.
Hostel is pretty much your best bet for cheap accommodation. Not much you can do before the Job Fair to get a job. Just sit tight and be prepared when the time comes. 
The bus system is super easy in Whistler. $2.50 a single ride or you can get a buss pass. They run regularly and go all over Whistler.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Ok well that’s it!!
My flight has been booked and I will be arriving in Vancouver on Saturday 15th October. Will then look to arrive in Whistler around the 20th having sorted my SIN, Phone and Bank account in Vancouver.
Will book a hostel in Whistler and my preference was to try and get myself a job in a bar or restaurant as I have previous experience in these areas and would hope they give me some more time on the snow!
So the instant I arrive I’ll start giving resume’s to every place in town and try and find myself some season long accommodation SOMEHOW?!!
If nothing seems to be coming together I will try and get a job with the mountain and staff accommodation through the end of October Job Fair.
Hopefully this sounds like a reasonable plan, but if you have any other advice especially around accommodation (which I know is the biggest worry) then please don’t hesitate!!! As not finding any and having to go home early is a HUGE fear!
Thank you for all your help so far! See you in October!