The ad reads: “Work 20 hours/week in exchange for your site. Extra hours at $6.00/hour.” What are you paying for your RV site?
Working in exchange for a site, or even a free site, is often part of the Workamper’s job offer. But what are you really paying for that site? Is this a fair amount? Will you owe income taxes on its value? Answering these questions can help determine if this job will be a money-maker, or instead, cost you money.
Kathy and Jim Deaver volunteered at a Utah State Park the summer of 2005. Here is their story.
We spent the summer of 2005 at Willard Bay State Park and South Marina in Willard Bay, Utah just North of Ogden, Utah as VIP (Volunteers in Parks) Campground Hosts.
Nearly all RVers have at least heard the word, and most know what it means...or think they know. However, there are a few misconceptions about who Workampers are and what Workamping is.
The most common misconceptions are that Workampers are retirees who work in campgrounds, and that Workamping just means trading work for a place to park an RV.
Many employers make the mistake of thinking the Workamper is just like their local hire. That just isn’t the case! Just as I encourage the Workamper to put themselves in the shoes of the employer to help them understand where the employer is coming from, I would encourage you to do the same.
Your staff is hired and they have arrived! They are ready for their next experience. This is one of the key elements in keeping your Workamper staff once you have them hired – they are ready for an experience!
Over the past couple of years, a trend has developed that is hurting the quality of many employers’ Workamper programs: Asking for a trade of hours per week, that if paid, would equal more dollars than what is charged any guest for the long term campsite.
You can answer this question by putting yourself in the shoes of the reader. When you read an ad that maintains your interest and causes your heart rate to increase, you are experiencing a magical allure. This is developed through thoughtful crafting by the employer who understands that Workampers are not as interested in the job as they are the experience.
I have seen first-hand how some Help Wanted ads, published in Workamper News magazine or in the online Hotline ad system, seemingly create a magical allure of interest! While others appear to be almost invisible on the printed page or on the Hotline email! What is it that causes this mystical difference?
SWO = Situations Wanted Online Ads ran by Workampers. Think of it as a reverse-engineered Hotline ad system. The Workamper can activate up to 75 words of text in the format of a Situations Wanted ad. This will provide Workampers another tool to more effectively market themselves, and Employers another avenue to discover the right applicant for their future opportunity.
New SWO ads will be posted as they come in and will run for two months. These online ads are in addition to the Situations Wanted ads in Workamper News magazine.
This question is often asked by employers who are not familiar with this very special employment niche – employers who have never experienced the employment of Workampers and the value they can add to their business.
Kathy and Jim Deaver volunteered at a Utah State Park the summer of 2005. Here is their story.
Many employers make the mistake of thinking the Workamper is just like their local hire. That just isn’t the case! Just as I encourage the Workamper to put themselves in the shoes of the employer to help them understand where the employer is coming from, I would encourage you to do the same.
Over the past couple of years, a trend has developed that is hurting the quality of many employers’ Workamper programs: Asking for a trade of hours per week, that if paid, would equal more dollars than what is charged any guest for the long term campsite.
If you could sit around a campground campfire with a number of Workampers how would you answer these questions after listening in?
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