Advice for Novice Work Campers

Last updated on April 27th, 2009 at 06:27 pm

RV Tip of the Day reader David Carter offered toady’s Tip:

I have told many new work campers that campground owners will ask for and want everything possible from a work camper candidate, that’s understandable when you are in their shoes. It’s the ask for the world and see what you end up with theory.

Most will fit you into their job openings if you are honest & frank when you let them know your skills and the accurate time frame you are available.

From our experience work camping, we have found the campground owners would “prefer” a office person familiar with their front office “F/O” registration software programs. Training time and supervision greatly reduces the time before a new work camper can work independently. As soon as the work camper becomes proficient with the F/O system, the usual 3 month commitment is over and the campground owner has to start all over from the beginning with a new work camper.

I have found that if you really want to work camp in a specific location and the job posting is a “must have experience” type, you should emphasize to the campground owner you are a quick learner, you would really like to learn the program to better yourself for future work camper gigs and would commit to at least 6 months at their campground. We have learned most all campground F/O programs this way. Trust me, they are not that difficult to master and all are really quite similar. You just have to memorize the key stroke steps and where to find certain info.

Another idea some fellow work campers have told me that has worked well for them is they will “moonlight” at another CG (Other that the one they are work camping at) in their reservation office on a phone desk & learn that way. There is no direct customer contact like at the check in counter so it is much quicker and easier to learn the program without the guest questions & interruptions.

When campground owners tell me all their positions are filled I let them know that from my previous experiences some work campers just don’t work out, please keep us in mind, and when we do arrive in their area as planned we will drop by & introduce ourselves. We have landed great work camper gigs that way too. The CG owner now has a “Plan B” to cover any positions of the work campers that are just not fitting in. There is usually 1 in every work camping group.
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Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider’s Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd Edition gives you tips, tools and resources to live where you want, when you want. With key points on topics like writing an RV resume, networking, and how to negotiate for better compensation, it is the ultimate handbook for those who are thinking about working or volunteering as they travel in their RV.
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