With news that Montana, Colorado and Wyoming have already been receiving snow, the recent opening of Loveland and A-Basin and ski resorts such as Beaver Creek starting to make snow, anyone that has been sitting on the fence about moving up to the mountains this winter season should get going on making a final decision. The time to start making a plan is today!

Here are a few quick tips to fine tune your mountain job search.

Resumes
Go over your resume once, twice, even three times to make sure there are no spelling errors, and definitely do not just rely on spell check! Why so many typos? I have seen a huge increase in spelling errors on resumes in the past couple of years. Is it that people are “texting” so much that they are forgetting how to spell actual words? Whatever the case may be, your resume should be free of spelling errors, especially in this economy.

Employers are receiving an abundance of resumes and if you believe that spelling errors will not hurt your chances for getting an interview, this is absolutely not true. Your resume is a one, maybe two page representation of you. In simple terms, if you are not taking the time and attention to represent yourself well, why would a company even consider the possibility that you would represent their company well?

Housing
Apartments in a ski town tend to turn over in the off season so this is a good time to look for housing. Whether you are a recent college grad seeking a roommate situation, a professional looking to rent/buy a house or condo, check out the local newspapers online, community websites, and ask any people that you may know in town about the availability of housing in the area. Many employers will want to know that you have done your homework on the local housing market and have some sort of plan.

Ski Resorts
You may be ready to move, actively looking for employment in a ski town but not finding many job opportunities in your exact career field. Ski resorts are hiring for their seasonal positions right now and working for a season at the mountain is a great option when you first move to town. Spending a season working at the local ski resort gives you a chance to get to know the community, the people, and the culture and more than anything else, you will have some great times! If there is one thing that I have always found out at the mountain, it is endless smiles and people having a good time.

Skiing
No matter how much you are thinking, breathing and dreaming about skiing this winter, try not to overdo it in the initial interview process and talk too much about skiing. There is a fine line between expressing your love for the mountains, skiing, the great outdoors and having your potential employer question in his/her mind whether or not you will be the first one to skip out on a powder day!

There is a time and a place for everything. Speaking of which, I hear from many people who have a long time dream of moving to the mountains. I always encourage people to follow that dream and believe that if you can’t stop thinking about it, seriously consider where you are at this point in your life. This may just be the right time for you!