Hi everyone!

I'm hoping to hear from current or former ski resort employees, lift operators, and department managers about two things I've been curious about.

1. How do ski resorts choose which seasonal applicants to hire when there are far more qualified applicants than available positions?

I previously worked as a snow tubing attendant at a Wisconsin ski area in 2020 and have been interested in returning to the winter recreation industry.

I've attended walk-in hiring events for the past two seasons and interviewed for both snow tubing and lift operations, but unfortunately wasn't selected either year.

I have previous customer service experience, offered nearly completely open availability, including weekdays, weekends, evenings, and holidays, and was willing to undergo training.

One manager mentioned that the resort received over 250 applications, while the tubing department could only accommodate 30 total employees, including returning staff.

I'm genuinely curious how hiring managers make their final decisions when several applicants have very similar qualifications.

* Do managers use a formal scoring or ranking system?

* Do returning seasonal employees generally receive preference?

* How do managers decide between several equally qualified candidates?

* Are hiring decisions typically made by individual department managers or discussed collectively with senior management?

* Do resorts ever maintain an on-call list of qualified applicants who weren't initially selected?

* Are people who apply over multiple seasons ever given additional consideration?

I'm not looking to criticize any particular resort. I'd just like to understand how the process works and what makes one applicant stand out from another.

2. What is it actually like operating a ski lift, particularly from inside the control station?

I also recently interviewed for a lift operator position and became interested in learning more about how chairlifts are operated.

I've watched videos explaining the mechanical systems, but I haven't found many showing the operator's actual perspective from inside the lift station.

I'm especially interested in seeing what the control panels and monitoring equipment look like, what operators monitor throughout their shifts, and how they coordinate safe loading and unloading.

At the resort where I interviewed, the supervisors explained that many lift stations are staffed by just one operator, which surprised me because I've seen larger resorts where multiple employees assist with lift operations.

Does anyone know of any good YouTube videos, training documentaries, or behind-the-scenes footage showing the inside of a ski lift operator's booth and its normal operation?

I'm not looking to operate any machinery myself without training or authorization. I'd simply enjoy seeing an educational demonstration of what the job involves.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked in lift operations, snow tubing, resort management, or seasonal hiring.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!