How Much Work is Required of a Workamper?
There is no one answer to the "How much work is required?" question. Answer: "It depends." All we can do here is give some basic guidelines.
Length of Commitment
Typically employers want at least a three-month commitment, but they usually want you to stay for the season. A season ususally consists of the summer months, or the "peak" season, when families usually head out on vacation. It is also dependent upon the weather, which dictates the peak season.
For most of the country, the busiest times are between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It is the warmest time of the year in most places; it's when school is out; and it's when families go on vacation. So, most "seasons" will run from May through September, depending on how far north or south the employer is located. Generally, you will be looking for a position running between three months and seven months.
There are some jobs that rely on short work schedules; working during the intense holiday period, such as Christmas tree sales, pumpkin sales, firework sales, kiosks in malls during Christmas, Amazon.com. These usually last between one to three months.
If you are willing to work full seasons, your job search is easier. Sometimes the employer will pay a season-ending bonus if you stay the full time as an extra incentive to get you to stay the full season. If you don't want to stay in one place for five or six months, some employers can be flexible, so just ask. Sometimes employers get late cancellations from workampers or they have some that leave early.
One of the things that we do when interviewing with a potential employer is ask questions. Attached is a sample questionnaire that I developed to help you get a better idea of what type of work you will be doing, hours required, amount of pay, etc. Also attached is an article from the Workamper News magazine which talks about questions that you may want to ask before you go to work for the campground. You may also be interested in reading another article "How to Find a Job" featured in another Workamper News magazine.
Hours Per Week Requirements
The hours per week vary more than the length of commitment. The typical requirement that I see is between 15 to 20 hours per week, per couple. Sometimes they require 38-40 hours per week. Some will pay for all hours worked; some will pay on a graduated scale, requiring a certain number of hours to be worked for your site, then pay for all other hours (ie., 20 hours the first month; 15 hours for the next three months; 10 hours thereafter). Some will pay a monthly rate, not by the hour and give you FHU as a bonus. It really varies with each campground so you have to read the ad very closely, take notes, and when ask questions.
There are also those employers who want you to work for them for full hookups but do not pay a salary. You really have to want to be in that location and enjoy the work to take that type of position.
Of course, you may want to just volunteer your work, which is typical at national parks, other federal locations, state parks, and the like. You might be expected to work 24-32 hours per week. In camphosting positions, you might be "on call" every day.
What is Workamping?
What are the types of jobs available?
How much can you make Workamping?
Workamping tax issues.
There is no one answer to the "How much work is required?" question. Answer: "It depends." All we can do here is give some basic guidelines.
Length of Commitment
Typically employers want at least a three-month commitment, but they usually want you to stay for the season. A season ususally consists of the summer months, or the "peak" season, when families usually head out on vacation. It is also dependent upon the weather, which dictates the peak season.
For most of the country, the busiest times are between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It is the warmest time of the year in most places; it's when school is out; and it's when families go on vacation. So, most "seasons" will run from May through September, depending on how far north or south the employer is located. Generally, you will be looking for a position running between three months and seven months.
There are some jobs that rely on short work schedules; working during the intense holiday period, such as Christmas tree sales, pumpkin sales, firework sales, kiosks in malls during Christmas, Amazon.com. These usually last between one to three months.
If you are willing to work full seasons, your job search is easier. Sometimes the employer will pay a season-ending bonus if you stay the full time as an extra incentive to get you to stay the full season. If you don't want to stay in one place for five or six months, some employers can be flexible, so just ask. Sometimes employers get late cancellations from workampers or they have some that leave early.
One of the things that we do when interviewing with a potential employer is ask questions. Attached is a sample questionnaire that I developed to help you get a better idea of what type of work you will be doing, hours required, amount of pay, etc. Also attached is an article from the Workamper News magazine which talks about questions that you may want to ask before you go to work for the campground. You may also be interested in reading another article "How to Find a Job" featured in another Workamper News magazine.
Hours Per Week Requirements
The hours per week vary more than the length of commitment. The typical requirement that I see is between 15 to 20 hours per week, per couple. Sometimes they require 38-40 hours per week. Some will pay for all hours worked; some will pay on a graduated scale, requiring a certain number of hours to be worked for your site, then pay for all other hours (ie., 20 hours the first month; 15 hours for the next three months; 10 hours thereafter). Some will pay a monthly rate, not by the hour and give you FHU as a bonus. It really varies with each campground so you have to read the ad very closely, take notes, and when ask questions.
There are also those employers who want you to work for them for full hookups but do not pay a salary. You really have to want to be in that location and enjoy the work to take that type of position.
Of course, you may want to just volunteer your work, which is typical at national parks, other federal locations, state parks, and the like. You might be expected to work 24-32 hours per week. In camphosting positions, you might be "on call" every day.
What is Workamping?
What are the types of jobs available?
How much can you make Workamping?
Workamping tax issues.