WHERE TO WORK

From mixing drinks in trendy Manhattan bars, to working a career job in a vibrant city or driving through the Colorado Rockies and skiing/boarding your days away... the US allows you to earn some serious cash and get international experience to advance your career, while having the holiday of your life! Not bad for a holiday job, hey?

It’s the land of opportunity and as Virgil said - fortune favours the brave, so get over there and be brave! You can choose to find a job before you depart Australia or to leave the task of finding employment until you arrive in the USA. There are very few exceptions on the visa as to what sort of work you can do - so be creative and take up all the opportunities that come your way. Push yourself outside your comfort zone and you’ll be surprised how easy it can be.

We encourage you to do as much research as possible about potential employment options before you depart Australia - you can never be too prepared! Consider using the internet, emails, Google, the Work USA Members' Lounge and online job guide, your uni/TAFE careers department, industry groups, personal contacts, HR departments, local papers, job agencies, the IEP staff...

If you do manage to gain employment in the US before you depart Australia, be sure to let IEP know. For most people having a job lined up before arrival in the US offers a great deal of security, especially as you'll know exactly where your next pay cheque will come from! Remember, you can always change jobs once you arrive in the US if you find that the job you have pre-arranged is not to your liking!

Popular job options include in the city, at the beach, snow-based, career-related, hospitality, retail, customer service... the sky is just about the limit! Here’s a quick rundown on the main industries where IEP’s participants find work, along with some tips on how you can do the same:

Snow Jobs

Snow work is extremely popular with IEP’s participants because it tends to have flexible hours, great perks like free ski passes and of course the opportunity to ski/board some of the best mountains in the world on your days off.

There are a whole range of positions available at ski resorts and in ski resort towns - hospitality, retail and of course jobs on the mountain like ski instructors and lift operators. Be aware that many resorts will have long seasons and need to hire seasonal workers who can work for the full duration of the season. So be aware of these challenges and stay flexible in what you’re willing to work as - remember, it’s not about what you do at work, it’s all about what you do on your days off!

We've compiled information about many of the US ski resorts which hire seasonal employees each winter - click here for all the details!

“I lived and worked in Vail, Colorado, for about three months. I went with three friends and we worked with people from the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, England, New Zealand, and Australia … all of them were great fun and work was never dull. There were heaps of perks - our employer paid for our season lift pass, which was worth about $1,000AU. We had free rentals of all the skis and boards and when we wanted to buy our own we got about a 60-70% discount off the retail price. Our shifts were rostered so that we could board every day.” - Lizzy from Brisbane worked in Vail, Colorado

Click here to check out what it's really like to live and work at a US snow field!

Hospitality

Hospitality is the perfect working holiday job - it’s easy to pick up, you don’t need to commit for too long, you meet heaps of awesome, fun people and best of all - the lifestyle is conducive to having the time of your life!

“Working in a bar is great way to meet new people in an unfamiliar city and I have formed friendships that I am confident will last a lifetime.”- Michael worked in a cocktail bar in Noho, New York and organised the job through Craigs List.

Check out job websites, newspapers and noticeboards for hospitality vacancies. One of the easiest ways to set up hospitality work is to go door to door with a pile of resumes and ask to speak to the manager. Smile, be flexible, exaggerate your Aussie accent and before you know it your pockets will be filled with tips!

Retail

Retail is similar to hospitality in that you don’t necessarily need extensive previous experience provided you have the right attitude and are flexible in what you’re after. There are so many opportunities out there and although the work may not be too challenging or inspiring, it’s perfect for a working holiday because you’ll be earning enough money to have fun and entertain yourself, while also meeting lots of people.

“I went to South Beach in Miami, Florida and worked as a sales assistant in Victoria's Secret in the lingerie section. I felt like I was living the American Dream! I got to live on my own and make some amazing friends from around the world as well as some Americans. And it was pretty easy to find work that was fun.” - Ann, a textile design student from Melbourne.

Make sure you tailor your resume to the sort of job you’re looking for, so if you’ve got relevant experience in customer service make sure it’s clear in your application. Again, door knocking is a great way to set up retail work because it shows the employer you have initiative and also gives them the opportunity to meet you and see how you present yourself.

Career related

The J1 visa allows you to work in a field related to your career and what better way to improve your graduate prospects than to add relevant international experience to your resume?! Career-related work can take a lot more planning to set up so be patient and prepared for some serious job-hunting.

Start your job hunt before you leave Australia and use all available contacts - speak to your university or TAFE lecturers, ask friends and family if they have any contacts in the USA and of course use the internet as a major job-hunting tool. If you’re having difficulty setting something up from Australia (many employers will want to meet you before they offer you a position) then see if you can set up meetings with potential employers for when you arrive in the USA.

“You need to send a lot of emails and be persistent. I set up my job before I left Australia and I sent at least 15 applications and got one successful result. I worked at a chartered accounting and financial planning firm in Boston. I was mostly preparing financial statements and travelling to visit clients with my boss to help with audits of accounts. It was fabulous! We even had a client in Washington DC so I got to fly there and stay in the Hilton and then my boss gave me a day off to check out the city!” - Pip from Sydney worked in Boston, Massachusetts

The rest!

IEP members have found employment in a whole range of fields; working at theme parks, helping out on film sets, working as lifeguards, tour guides, in advertising and more.

There are so many opportunities so don’t let this one pass you by - for the best, most affordable student and graduate working holiday to the USA, apply now. Click here to start your online application.

"Finding a job in LA was much easier than I expected. I went to visit Universal Studios and ended up starting work there the next day and it was the best experience of my life. You just have to be prepared to go for it and just talk to people." - Jaina from Melbourne worked in Los Angeles, California

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