How to hire a ski instructer

How to hire a ski instructer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step ski instructer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a ski instructer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new ski instructer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a ski instructer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a ski instructer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a ski instructer that fits the bill.

   This list presents ski instructer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Ski Instructer	Description	Hourly rate
   Ski Instructer		$10-23
   Dance Teacher	Dance Teachers are responsible for leading dance classes to teach individuals or groups of people various dancing techniques. Dance Teachers are required to help their students improve their dancing skills by participating in amateur or professional dance competitions or performing in social events such as high school reunions... Show more	$15-34
   Martial Arts Instructor	A martial arts instructor helps people understand the philosophy and history of their chosen martial art and teaches them the skills needed to take part safely. They train students in combat techniques, mostly for recreation or for self-defense... Show more	$11-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Excellent Guest
   • Kids
   • Guest Service
   • Customer Service
   • Guest Safety
   • Tahoe
   • Exceptional Guest
   • Learning Styles
   • Ski Equipment
   • Learning Environment
   • Group Classes
   • Physical Disabilities
   • Front Desk
   • CPR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Require excellent communication skills, customer relations, and leadership.
   • Ski PatrolAdminister first-aid to injure skiers.
   • Provide assistance and first-aid to all patrons when necessary.
   • Assess injure persons and administer first aid or CPR when necessary.
   • Sled people down the mountain administer first aid and basic CPR if need.
   • Work with kids while keeping parents up to date and happy with their child's day at the mountain.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your ski instructer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A ski instructer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, ski instructers' average salary in iowa is 60% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level ski instructers 54% less than senior-level ski instructers.
   • Certifications. A ski instructer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a ski instructer's salary.

   Average ski instructer salary

   $15.80hourly

   $32,866 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level ski instructer salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

4. Writing a ski instructer job description

   A ski instructer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a ski instructer job description:

   Ski instructer job description example

   **Create Your Experience of a Lifetime!**
   
   Come work and play in the mountains! Whether it's your first time seeing snow or you were born on the slopes, joining our team means discovering (or re-discovering!) a passion for the outdoors while building lifelong connections with teammates and guests from around the world.
   
   With 40+ resorts across 3 continents, you can join our team for a season or stay to build a career. From day one, you'll receive some of the highest compensation rates in the industry, free Epic pass(es) along with free ski and snowboard lessons, 40% retail discounts, the chance to grow through Epic Service - our leading training and development experience, and wellness benefits to fuel your success.
   
   **Job Benefits**
   
   + Ski/Mountain Perks! Free passes for employees, employee discounted lift tickets for friends and family AND free ski lessons
   
   + MORE employee discounts on lodging, food, gear, mountain shuttles AND during the summer on bike haul, golf and other activities
   
   + 401(k) Retirement Plan
   
   + Employee Assistance Program
   
   + Excellent training and professional development
   
   + Referral Program
   
   Seasonal Full Time roles are eligible for the above, plus:
   
   + Health Insurance; Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, and Vision Insurance plans (for eligible seasonal employees after working 500 hours)
   
   + Free ski passes for dependents
   
   + Critical Illness and Accident plans
   
   **Job Specifications: **
   
   + Housing: Not Available
   
   + Outlet: River Run Childrens Ski School
   
   + Starting Wage: $20
   
   + Shift & Schedule Availability: Full Time
   
   + Skill Level: Entry
   
   **Responsibilities:**
   
   + Daily reservation and sales processing on our resort operating systems.
   
   + Daily set up and tear down of indoor facilities, including work areas, with an emphasis on attention to detail to present an area that is clean, orderly, welcoming, and conducive to operating efficiently.
   
   + Understanding of, and compliance with, stated policies/procedures relevant to health code compliance for facility cleanliness, including common areas, toys, equipment, etc.
   
   + Ability to keep and maintain a clean and orderly facility that accommodates daily high-volume guest flow.
   
   + Working with small children to facilitate appropriate games and activities in both indoor and outdoor settings.
   
   + Adhere to strict corporate policy regarding wearing a snow sports specific helmet while skiing/riding, or assisting lessons, in uniform.
   
   + Understand, lead and model saftey standards within the department for yourself and others; contribute to our culture of Health and Safety to meet Zero Workman's Comp safety goal.
   
   + Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor.
   
   + Other duties as assigned
   
   **Requirements:**
   
   + High School diploma or equivalent _preferred_
   
   + Experience in a fast paced, service-based environment
   
   + Fluent in all aspects of English language
   
   + Must be able to work weekends and holidays
   
   + Strong communication skills with a wide variety of guests and employees
   
   + Strong computer skills, typing, data entry _preferred_
   
   + Early childhood care experience _preferred_
   
   + Ski or snowboarding experience to assist lessons as necessary _preferred_
   
   + Successfully pass background check _required_
   
   The budgeted range starts at $20. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience.
   
   _Vail Resorts is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law._
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right ski instructer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with ski instructers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit ski instructers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your ski instructer job on Zippia to find and recruit ski instructer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with ski instructer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new ski instructer

   Once you've found the ski instructer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new ski instructer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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