A Yellowstone National Park recruiter was at Bakersfield College on Feb. 25 in the Campus Center providing information about the park’s summer job opportunities. Marti Tobias, a recruiter for Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which includes Yellowstone, had handouts and was available to answer any questions students might have.
Located in Wyoming, Tobias said the area is a high-elevation climate where it can snow on any given day. She said the air is very clean because of the elevation, and that the temperature varies day to day. Afternoon thundershowers are frequent but clear up quickly. Tobias described the environment as “really pretty cool” and “pristine.”
Yellowstone National Park offers jobs in housekeeping, security, front desk and kitchen cooking and management, among others. Room and board and food is automatically taken from employees’ paychecks, which is something that Tobias said makes saving money easier. Employees live in dormitories with one to two roommates and usually work eight hours a day and five-day workweeks. The dorms are a five-minute walk away from work.
Tobias pointed out that working at Yellowstone is more than a job but also an experience of a lifetime.
“One of the coolest things is that no one is from there. People choose to be there, people looking for a little adventure,” Tobias said. “Everyone is new, experiencing a brand-new situation and meeting other people with similar interests.”
Although Tobias spoke highly of Yellowstone and its environment, she admitted it might not be for everyone.
“We’re looking for folks who understand that the job is what got them there and do a good job at work,” she said. “If you’re into shopping, then Yellowstone is not the place for you.”
In addition to working hard, employees can look forward to playing hard as well. Tobias said the area is great for backpacking, fishing, and photographing, and that there is even a wilderness Frisbee golf course. She also said there is a recreation group which holds intermural sports games as well as evening talks about wildlife and trips around and outside of the park. Being in Yellowstone, geyser gazing is another way to spend free time.
Tobias said the experience is so great that many employees return, and that she even started at this level of work and ended up working there full-time.
“In particular spots, we get a 50 percent return rate. Positions in general, we get about 20-25 percent return rate,” she said. “The more people you can have come back the better.”
The summer season starts in May and goes through October. Tobias said that the longer a potential employee is available to work, the better the chance he or she will have of getting the job.
Eight to ten weeks is the minimum, but employees can stay six months at a seasonal summer job. For more information, visit www.yellowstonejobs.com.