WORK-CAMP - MAKE MONEY WHILE TRAVELING IN YOUR RV

Updated and adapted from an article by Kay Kennedy that appeared in "RV’n" magazine, April, 1996.

Got an RV sitting in the driveway and a yen to see the country, but not enough money to make the trip? Or are you dreaming of fulltime RVing but afraid that you’ll get bored once you’ve seen everything you want to see?

Why not work your way around the country? Working and volunteering at campgrounds is an ideal way to earn or save a little money while you slow down and enjoy the journey. Sometimes it allows you to stay long-term in an expensive place that you really enjoy, for free. And it helps some leave the rat race early like we did!

Thousands of RVers take what is known as work-camping positions at campgrounds while they roam the continent. They simply choose what part of the country they want to visit, then contact RV parks in the area to find out if they have any openings. Once they’ve secured a job, the RVer heads there to spend anywhere from a few weeks to a few months earning money, using their free time for sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, or simply enjoying the amenities of the campground. In return, the campground owners get a seasoned employee who holds skills acquired through a lifetime of living and working. It’s a win-win situation for both RVers and for the campground owners who hire them.

The beauty of work-camping is that you can labor as little or much as you wish, part-time or full-time, for a few weeks or a full season. You can even take consecutive jobs, working your way across the U.S. And you don’t need a separate work wardrobe because the standard dress code is casual (as in what you wear every day). Of course, the best thing about work-camping is that there are no daily commutes.

Our first work-camping position was in New England so we could be close to family and see some sights that we had missed on previous visits. Campground fees in the area near Boston and Cape Cod were outrageously high, so we looked for something that would fit our requirements, i.e., a job offering a salary plus free site, including utilities, somewhere in the Northeast. Resumes to four campgrounds in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire netted job offers in PA and MA. We chose Massachusetts since it would be nearest to our Cape Cod relatives. Remember, we had never worked in an RV park or even in the tourist industry.

Our jobs were as Ranger (Joe) and store clerk (me). As with most work-camper jobs we investigated, couples had the same days off but were required to work most holidays and weekends.

We worked a few other work-camping positions following the first. A couple of them were awful—both instances where the person hiring us had misled us about hours and duties. The most enjoyable position we found was when we were looking for a park while spending the summer in the Arkansas Ozarks and stumbled across an owner who was looking for a couple to work through October. It was perfect and we returned there three years in a row. There was no pay, but we only worked 10 hours per week, each, and could pretty much work the hours we chose in exchange for a free site. At the end of the season, we received a bonus payment that helped send us on our way to our favorite winter destination where Joe had a seasonal job preparing tax returns.

If you think you might like to pursue a work-camper job, these tips will help you.

First of all, put together a short letter highlighting any experience you have that might be useful in a campground/RV park. For instance, clerical, retail, computer, security, cleaning, crafting, activities director, maintenance, electric, plumbing, and grounds keeping are among skills most campgrounds need, so be sure to emphasize any experience in these areas, even if acquired while being a home handyman or housewife. Details such as a list of past employers, dates worked, personal references, etc., can be covered in a longer resume. When we did our job search, we used a cover letter that included a brief description of past experience and skills for both of us, and attached more detailed individual resumes.

Next, decide where you want to visit and how long you want to stay. Some campgrounds will require a two-month commitment; others may want you for the entire season, which can range from May to October in northern and Midwestern parks, and October through April for southern parks.

Also, decide on the type of campground you want to work in. If you prefer adult parks, family campgrounds probably won’t appeal to you since they’ll likely be overrun with kids—especially during summer and on weekends. On the other hand, if you’re under 50 or 55, it might be difficult to get an adult park position that includes a campsite because some municipal laws limit the number of sites that can be occupied by non-senior RVers in senior parks.

Most RV parks will want a current photo of you and may also ask for one of your rig. A good snapshot will do.

How do you find work-camping positions? The largest clearinghouse for jobs is through Workamper News, a publication that lists openings throughout the country, divided by state. RV magazines such as Escapees usually list job openings in their classified ad section. We found one listing for a marina campground on an island in Puget Sound. It was already filled, but an additional position was available in a park at the center of the island. We decided against it because there was no sheriff or deputy on the island, and being responsible for maintaining peace and quiet among partying teenagers each summer weekend (which this campground was known for) didn’t appeal to us. Also, the only way onto or off the island was by ferry, which didn’t operate past 9:00 PM. Miss the ferry back to the island at night, or have an emergency when the ferry wasn’t running, and you were pretty much on your own. This is why you must ask questions about any particular position before accepting an offer. However, this island job would probably appeal to a lot of RVers, and it was certainly a lovely place to spend the summer.

Some friends visited a lighthouse on the Oregon coast last fall and asked if there were any job openings. They are now tour guides at that same lighthouse in what has to be one of the most picturesque settings possible. It was a perfect fit for our friends.

After you’ve sent your letter and resume to those campgrounds that interest you and they’ve contacted you back, find out as many details as possible about the job they want you to do. Ask for a written job description since job titles aren’t always accurate. If you have a written description describing duties and hours, then you can refuse to be on call 24 hours a day after you’ve been told that you’ll only have to work eight-hour days.

When applying for a job, tell your potential employer about any physical limitations or job requirements you might have. Most campground owners are willing to make concessions for health problems—probably because many of the RVers they’re recruiting as work-campers have reached that certain age where they are likely to have some limitations. If you dislike chores like cleaning, or can’t stand yard work or maintenance, state that up front, too, so you don’t end up with a job you hate.

If working in a campground doesn’t appeal to you, other seasonal jobs are available for RVers, especially in popular snowbird and tourist areas. For instance, some RV supply stores and dealers hire seasonal employees. Also, National Parks, like Yellowstone, hire hundreds of employees each summer, as do many private resorts. The good news is that most tourist attractions are also seeking mature employees, so retired RVers will find excellent opportunities in places like Disneyworld in Florida, and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. In fact, there are literally thousands of seasonal and part-time jobs open each year to RVers, and you can find enjoyable positions that will be a perfect match, no matter what your background or interests. Many also offer additional perks in addition to free camping and/or pay, such as free tours, free ski lift passes, meals, etc.

RVers have many reasons for working while they travel, not the least of which is making a little extra money for sightseeing or for those items they might ordinarily hesitate to buy. Others put aside money for traveling expenses the next time they hit the road. And many want to work simply because they’re not ready for full-time leisure, but want the flexibility work-camping and travel offers.

So if you’re hesitating to travel this summer because of high fuel costs, or you’re afraid you’ll get half-way across country and become tired of constantly moving around, rest assured there is a fun and interesting work-camping job available in some exciting place along your travel route that is sure to appeal to your adventurous spirit.