How to Get a Summer Job in Glacier National Park
Plan ahead., Apply., Get there., Find a job in person.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Plan ahead.
Decide that you want to work for a summer at Glacier National Park (GNP), in northwest Montana.
Then you have two options: apply in advance or travel there without a job waiting for you.
Either should work fine, but even if an early job application is not accepted (often in the form of no reply), then still travel to MT and follow out the latter option.
There is a constant need for staff as a certain percentage of expected labor does not show/leaves/is fired as the season progresses . -
Step 2: Apply.
If you decide to apply early, there are several avenues to pursue.
The biggest companies offer the best chance for getting a job in advance.
Glacier Park, Inc. runs most of the hotels and concessions within the park and employs large numbers.
Other large employers are the St.
Mary Lodge and the National Park Service (N.P.S).
The N.P.S pays relatively well and offers a wide range of jobs beyond rangers, including trail maintenance to photographer.
Employment with the park service, however, can be more difficult to achieve than most other jobs in the area.
Though these three large companies offer the most jobs, there are dozens of small, individually owned restaurants, general stores, motels, etc in the small towns around the park.
By looking online for businesses in the towns of St.
Mary, Babb, East Glacier, and West Glacier, most of these companies can be found and then contacted individually.
Though smaller than the three large employers, these businesses usually do accept and encourage early application.
Most GNP employers begin accepting applications January 1 and specific positions can fill early. , By car, bus, train (stations at East Glacier or West Glacier), or airplane (Kalispell Airport is the closest airport
- transportation from the airport can sometimes be arranged with an employer).
If you already have a job set up, the employer will tell you when to arrive by (often the beginning of June).
If you are traveling to GNP without a job already set up, plan to arrive sometime in mid- to late May if possible.
Being unable to arrive this early is not prohibitive to finding work, though. ,
- yes, this path takes a little bit of faith, but it's genuinely not difficult and there are several fall backs.
Have 10-15 copies of an updated resume printed in advance (you almost certainly won't need so many, but be prepared.
If the fishing isn't good, there are several local stores, hotel offices where you can make more copies).
Though not imperative (especially if you wish to work for a mom & pop place rather than a corporation), good first stops include Glacier Park, Inc, headquartered at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, and St.
Mary Lodge in St.
Mary.
Go to the front desk, express an interest in working there and ask for the Human Resource Department or Director.
The NPS headquarters in Apghat Village may be a productive first stop as well, but the high demand for and difficulty in acquiring a park service job, walk-ins may be unsuccessful.
Next, choose a town that strikes your fancy (or the first you come into), and go around to each restaurant, store, gas station, bar, etc.
If you have a preference of job, this would be a good point to be selective about where you seek employment.
If preferred jobs have been unsuccessfully pursued, then there will remain many other businesses in town or the area to engage.
When you enter a place of employment, go to the front desk/counter and ask to speak to the manager.
Introduce yourself, state your desire to work there, and offer a resume.
Even if you are told that there are not employment opportunities at that business, leave a resume with your email and/or cell number and ask them to call if any job openings open.
Repeat until a suitable job is found and begun.
Good luck! -
Step 3: Get there.
-
Step 4: Find a job in person.
Detailed Guide
Decide that you want to work for a summer at Glacier National Park (GNP), in northwest Montana.
Then you have two options: apply in advance or travel there without a job waiting for you.
Either should work fine, but even if an early job application is not accepted (often in the form of no reply), then still travel to MT and follow out the latter option.
There is a constant need for staff as a certain percentage of expected labor does not show/leaves/is fired as the season progresses .
If you decide to apply early, there are several avenues to pursue.
The biggest companies offer the best chance for getting a job in advance.
Glacier Park, Inc. runs most of the hotels and concessions within the park and employs large numbers.
Other large employers are the St.
Mary Lodge and the National Park Service (N.P.S).
The N.P.S pays relatively well and offers a wide range of jobs beyond rangers, including trail maintenance to photographer.
Employment with the park service, however, can be more difficult to achieve than most other jobs in the area.
Though these three large companies offer the most jobs, there are dozens of small, individually owned restaurants, general stores, motels, etc in the small towns around the park.
By looking online for businesses in the towns of St.
Mary, Babb, East Glacier, and West Glacier, most of these companies can be found and then contacted individually.
Though smaller than the three large employers, these businesses usually do accept and encourage early application.
Most GNP employers begin accepting applications January 1 and specific positions can fill early. , By car, bus, train (stations at East Glacier or West Glacier), or airplane (Kalispell Airport is the closest airport
- transportation from the airport can sometimes be arranged with an employer).
If you already have a job set up, the employer will tell you when to arrive by (often the beginning of June).
If you are traveling to GNP without a job already set up, plan to arrive sometime in mid- to late May if possible.
Being unable to arrive this early is not prohibitive to finding work, though. ,
- yes, this path takes a little bit of faith, but it's genuinely not difficult and there are several fall backs.
Have 10-15 copies of an updated resume printed in advance (you almost certainly won't need so many, but be prepared.
If the fishing isn't good, there are several local stores, hotel offices where you can make more copies).
Though not imperative (especially if you wish to work for a mom & pop place rather than a corporation), good first stops include Glacier Park, Inc, headquartered at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier, and St.
Mary Lodge in St.
Mary.
Go to the front desk, express an interest in working there and ask for the Human Resource Department or Director.
The NPS headquarters in Apghat Village may be a productive first stop as well, but the high demand for and difficulty in acquiring a park service job, walk-ins may be unsuccessful.
Next, choose a town that strikes your fancy (or the first you come into), and go around to each restaurant, store, gas station, bar, etc.
If you have a preference of job, this would be a good point to be selective about where you seek employment.
If preferred jobs have been unsuccessfully pursued, then there will remain many other businesses in town or the area to engage.
When you enter a place of employment, go to the front desk/counter and ask to speak to the manager.
Introduce yourself, state your desire to work there, and offer a resume.
Even if you are told that there are not employment opportunities at that business, leave a resume with your email and/or cell number and ask them to call if any job openings open.
Repeat until a suitable job is found and begun.
Good luck!
About the Author
Kimberly Hughes
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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