work in the us/not summer camp

May 1, 2006 3:07 AM

I would like to work in the USA for a year, but camp counsellor is not right for me. Are there any programs offering alternative types of work?

I'm 26, and a non-student. I will need to avoid computer or other rsi inducing jobs, and not into sports but otherwise am quite flexible and can turn my hand to most things.

posted by lunkfish to Work & Money (9 answers total)

You're a UK citizen?
posted by k8t at 3:09 AM on May 1, 2006

Do you have a degree or specialized skills?
posted by k8t at 3:09 AM on May 1, 2006

What about just applying for jobs you'd like to do in a city you'd like to live in? I know that sounds rather obvious, but perhaps checking out the Craigslists of places you'd like to land? Perhaps the novelty alone of a foreign resume/CV would be enough to pique an employer's interest and get you an interview?

Also, what do you do now?
posted by mdonley at 3:17 AM on May 1, 2006

Response by poster: Hello. Yeh, should have said I'm a British citizen. I was doing admin work, but have had to pack that in.

I have a degree in audio technology, but don't have professional level skills in that field. I guess I'd be looking at something general.
posted by lunkfish at 6:17 AM on May 1, 2006

It is a WHOLE lot easier to have a company sponsor you on an H1 (highly skilled worker) visa than to try to find work once you're here.

Look for audio tech companies and see if they're hiring.
posted by k8t at 6:40 AM on May 1, 2006

We need a stable hand for our horse barn ;-)
posted by jdfan at 8:35 AM on May 1, 2006

Response by poster: I'm fairly stable
posted by lunkfish at 10:43 AM on May 1, 2006

Ski Resorts hire a lot of non-USians, especially in season and there's really no 'sport knowledge' involved, more like running a supermarket scanner to work a lift line. Not sure how many of them are year-round positions but I'm sure some are. H-2B an J-1 visas are the most common route.

Here's how Vail Resorts (the biggest resort employer here in Colorado) plays.
posted by m@ at 11:44 AM on May 1, 2006

Disney, Six Flags, and other major amusement parks also almost all have programs to bring in foreign workers, especially during the high seasons. Match that with a ski resort in the winter, and voila?
posted by whatzit at 1:01 PM on May 1, 2006