Like to Cook? Need a Summer Job?

Cooks wanted everywhere! It's a good year to know how to make quiche and grill a steak. Your cooking skills can take you all over the U.S. Here's just a sample of the great places you can go for a summer job in 2008.

• Cooper Landing, Alaska
• Stehekin, Washington
• Mackinac Island, Michigan
• Lyons, Colorado
• Dubois, Wyoming
• Whitefish, Montana
• Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
• Minong, Wisconsin
• Yosemite, California
• Durango, Colorado
• Kent, Connecticut
• Vergennes, Vermont
• Mt. Rainier, Washington
• Big Bend National Park, Texas
• Bitterroot Mountains, Idaho/Montana border
• Winston, New Mexico

The world is your oyster! Oh, the places you can go.

Find more summer jobs like this on CoolWorks.com.

The Tribe Has Spoken

About a year ago Cool Works made a move away from the Forums on CoolWorks.com to a social network on a platform created by Ning. We called our network My CoolWorks and had humble hopes for it to become a fertile ground for like minded individuals to share stories, wisdom, photos, and advice about where to work, what to do and the like. Now, one year later, we could not be happier about the response and the participation.

Like anything though, it is one thing to be happy with what one has created, but when people unprovoked say nice things about it too, well, that is the highest form of flattery.

Brian, one of our My CoolWorks members, did just that. You can read his blog post here. He titled the blog post "Why I LOVE MyCoolWorks...." We love the sentiment and are proud that we have created something useful for people living the seasonal life.

So, if you have yet to check it out, what are you waiting for?

My CoolWorks is waiting for you. : )

What If...?

It's that time of the year when many decisions are made and "what ifs" are front and center. I am starting to see a lot of action on our social network, My CoolWorks, regarding questions from job seekers about whether or not they are making the right choice for the summer of 2008. Have I chosen the right summer job? Will I hate it? Will I love it? Which location is better? Is anyone else going there too? AM I MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE? I've been around the block long enough to know that no one wants to make a bad choice, but sometimes, well really all the time, you've still got to make a decision based on the information that's in front of you right here and now. No one has a crystal ball to be able to tell you that everything will be okay. It's a leap of faith that we all make every day of our lives.

A few times recently and several times over my lifetime, I have been presented with the "What if" scenario and I must admit it really sucks to go through the thought process of "What could've been" and the realization that "I guess it wasn't meant to be." Usually these thoughts are full of regret, anger, sadness, the lure of "the road not taken," and other doubting thoughts. But, if one has faith, and I do, the upside is perhaps that maybe that person, opportunity, job, you name it, wasn't the right "road" to go down, and the many decisions that I made along the way and other events which sent me on a different path were done for a very good reason.

A couple of quotes come to mind.


"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards." - Kierkegaard

"Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha bless your soul
You really think you're in control?" - From "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley


Why am I writing this to you right now? Well, 1) the experience of the "what if" is fresh in my mind and it is cathartic to write about it and know that I am not alone in these thoughts. 2) Whatever decision you make about your summer job for 2008, it's not the end of the world. This job will last 3-6 months and then you can move on from it if you wish or you may find that it is the best decision that you ever made. Just make it and move on with your life.


Parting quote:
"Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out." - James B. Conant


Good luck with your decisions folks!

To All My "Seasonal" Friends and the Ones I Have Yet To Meet

Friends come and go. I know that that is true. But, as we all know, there are those who stay in our hearts and minds for all of our time on this planet. This week I got to enjoy the company of some of my friends from school and from one of my previous employers, and I'm so glad about the fact that even though the classes have ended and I don't work there anymore, the relationships remain. My husband would probably say that most of these people are acquaintances instead of friends, but I know that there are those who touch a part of me that has made my life richer from having known them.

Now granted I have mostly worked full-time, year round jobs at seasonal employers, but I still have friends, acquaintances, whatever, from my first year as a seasonal driver/guide. What is even better than that is that these people have now moved up, and over, and are now some of the people near the top of the food chain in the organizations where I worked. There must be something about that spirit of hanging in there together, getting the job done, taking care of that guest, staying late because somebody had to count those tickets, well, all of it, that bonds people together for that common goal of having a successful season.

Maybe it's the shared belief that what you do in a seasonal environment will affect so many people. Seasonal employers serve thousands of folks every year and it doesn't matter what job you do, there is always a trickle back to the ultimate guest. Every job, every person, is important to making the wheels spin and meeting that goal.

For those embarking on a seasonal career, i.e. getting that summer job, I know that place is an important attractor. I know that the company's reputation is too. Pay definitely plays a part. But, I bet that when all is said and done, the things that you will remember most about your summer job(s) are the friends you will meet and keep for years to come.

So, to my friends and acquaintances, consider this a mini dedication to our time together. Thanks for making my seasonal jobs and my time in this world so great. May the preparation for another "year" remind you of all of the good times and all of the good people you've met along the way.

Note to Applicants: Want to Get Hired?

One of the best things you can do to get hired is by making it simple for your "future" employer to check your references. Did you ever consider that your prospective employers may be frustrated by their inability to do so? I often hear stories of employers getting caught in a never ending goose chase because of a few different issues like these situations below.

• Corporate policies against providing references
• Third party vendors charging for information
• Former supervisors leaving the company and replacements don't know the applicant
• Local offices/stores deferring to corporate HQ and it takes a few calls to find that out

The bottom line is that when applying for jobs, it is imperative to make it as easy as possible for your prospective employer. Believe me they appreciate it. Put yourself in their shoes for a minute and you'll understand. Imagine 100 applicants with three work references and three personal references each. Do the math and that equals 600 phone calls or emails. Then, add a few failures and phone tag exchanges and suddenly all the hiring manager is doing is checking references.


Help them hire you!


A few tips:

1. Provide up-to-date and accurate contact information for your references.
2. Know your former employers' policies for work references and/or work verification.
• For example, some companies use third party agencies like The Work Number and will only release "rank and serial number," i.e. position, dates, and possibly verify wage. If your prospective employer needs more information beyond the stats, you may need to provide a letter or statement permitting your former employer to release that additional information.
• Also, if your former employer does use a vendor for work verifications, be sure to include that vendor's contact information on your employment application. Don't make your prospective employers have to make two calls instead of one.
3. When your former supervisor leaves the company, be sure to make note of that and provide another name of someone who can verify your employment.

Remember, you want the job right? Make it easy for your prospective employer to hire you by being the easiest applicant for them to verify references. Trust me, these little subtle differences will make all the difference to a busy hiring manager.

Too Much Stuff

As Christmas nears, I have been spending a lot of time pondering the true meaning of Christmas and particularly gift giving. Let me start by saying that I do give some gifts, but I try to limit the buying of things that will just make it into a junk heap someday, and honestly, I prefer to simply spread good will via an annual Christmas letter with our photo highlights of the year. It is all recyclable and I enjoy doing it.

Recently one of our loyal Cool Works fans sent us a link to The Story of Stuff. If you haven't seen it yet, do take a look here. It's a 20 minute video about where our stuff comes from and what happens to it when we're done with it. I expect that it will not be an easy watch for pack rats or folks who are really attached to their things, but it may just be the eye opener needed to start down a new path. Even those folks who consider themselves to be good stewards of our world will learn something, and while watching it, think about the following questions.

Who am I trying to please? Do I really need so much? Where did this stuff come from? What will happen to it when I'm done with it? Do I really need it? Does the person I want to give it to really need it? What could I give this year instead of stuff?

Another uplifting but truthful speech, I would like to point out to you is the acceptance speech that Al Gore gave for winning the Nobel prize related to his personal aspiration to win the battle against global warming. Regardless of your personal political beliefs, his speech is a call to action and a realistic viewpoint about all of us being in this predicament together and by working together, we CAN make a difference. You can read the speech here or see his acceptance speech here.

So as we approach Christmas and the New Year, take a moment to think about your carbon footprint, your "need" of stuff, and find ways to celebrate with simple pleasures like a walk outside, time with friends and loved ones, lap time with your cat or dog, flossing, drinking a cup of joe, you name it! Do what makes you happy and does not hurt others or the environment in the process.

Happy Holidays!

Headlines around the Rockies

Just thought I would share a smattering of articles I saw today of things happening in the Rockies.

1. Will Big Sky become a bona fide town? Check out the article here.
2. After 32 years, the superintendent of Glacier National Park is retiring. See the full article here.
3. Lack of snow is causing ski resorts to delay their openings. See which ones here.

Think snow everybody! We're excited to hear the stories of the hills from our job seekers giving ski resort jobs a try this year.

Don't Let Your Child Be The Last One

Yesterday I attended the American Camp Association (ACA), Evergreen section educational event and annual meeting. At it I was reminded of the real beginning of my seasonal job roots. WAY back in 1988 and 1989 I spent two summers as a camp counselor for the YMCA of Everett, and if you have ever done this as a summer job, you know that it is more like play time than actual work. Granted today, I am sure that there are a lot more rules when it comes to the health and safety of children, but my experience was one where the kids got to learn things through play and I got to play right along with them.

There is a lot of talk these days about nature deficit disorder and the concept of No Child Left Inside. I must admit that I am not quite finished with Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, but I have read enough to know that he is on to something and that every adult ~ parents, aunts, uncles, pseudo-parents, teachers, caretakers of children ~ and anyone who wants to see this planet last for many more generations should spend a moment with a child in nature and let them discover that world with your support and guidance.

Personally I get scared that I do not know enough about plants or bugs or things to believe that I do not have anything to teach. But really, that is a silly, baseless fear. I was a kid. I have played on an empty dirt lot and know that what a fun time that was. And I can see how today that open space is being gobbled up by population growth and urban sprawl.

It makes me think about all of the "Friends do not let friends ________(name your poison)." In this scenario, friends of the earth should not let friends (and children) lose out on the chance to get outside and play.

So, here is your task for TODAY. Find a way to help a child get outside. Here are some ideas:

* Physically go outside with a child ~ yours, your niece or nephew, the neighbor kid(s), your students, your campers, some child ~ and tell them about something you see. For example, show them the leaves and tell them a little bit about the changing of the colors and falling leaves with the oncoming of winter.

* If you have property with space for kids to get outside, invite them to explore. There are initiatives being written to protect property owners from liability if it allows children to experience nature.

* Enroll your child in some camp, some where. This can be for a Saturday or a resident camp for a week next summer. Camps enrich the lives of children!

* Read the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv and tell your friends about it. Pass it along when you are done. Spread the word.

Lastly, if play isn't a good enough reason for getting outside. Consider these other benefits. Kids and adults who spend time outdoors:

* Have less stress
* Have less of a chance of getting diabetes
* Are healthier
* Are happier
* Live longer

Alaska's Alyeska Ski Resort Goes Green

"Girdwood, AK - Alyeska Resort announced last week that it was offsetting the carbon footprint of 100 percent of the energy used by its Tram by purchasing 403,200 kilowatt-hours of annual renewable energy over the next ten years. The Alaskan ski and snowboard resort purchased the carbon footprint offset through a partnership with Denali Green Tag’s Tour Green Program and Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s (BEF) SkiGreen program that provides clean energy options throughout the State of Alaska."
Read more...

Seattle gets Scrappy and Green

I stumbled upon this article today about my hometown and I certainly could've told you that we're good about recycling in Seattle. In my humble opinion we would feel way too guilty if we didn't, but I digress. Anyhow, kudos to us and I hope that this is inspirational for others.

You can read the full New York Times article here.