Do you love fishing, skiing or hiking? How about camping or golf? Is your favourite activity exploring art galleries, or learning about history and culture? Or do you enjoy dabbling in culinary creations? Think about what you enjoy doing while you are on vacation, and how this sport, hobby or adventure could turn into your next job opportunity.

In addition, there are many opportunities for entrepreneurial-minded boomers to start a new business. The tourism industry in BC is currently made up of primarily small and medium-sized independent businesses, and with the industry poised for growth, new and innovative tourism operations are needed.

Just like any job search, you will need to do research, and look at updating and customizing your resume and cover letters. As a first step, check out this basic job search information to get started. Our new Career Explorer is also an excellent resource that allows you to fill in your own search criteria to find information on the many tourism job and career opportunities in the 6 regions of BC along with tourism job descriptions, career profiles, tourism training, job-search tips and current job openings.

A resume is the foundation of any successful job search, and it’s worthwhile to spend some time reviewing and updating yours. Provide details of the only jobs you’ve held in the last 10 years. List other jobs beyond that but do not provide the details of these on your resume.

One of the most important things to do, especially if you are looking to transition from another line of work into tourism, is to update your resume with any transferable skills that are relevant for a tourism-related position. Skills and experience such as working with the public, customer service skills, working well with a team, and the ability to make people comfortable would all be examples of assets to highlight.

Be sure to include your education and any relevant professional development on your resume, but there is no need to include the year your education was completed. In general, your education should be on the lower part of your resume, focus on your work experience and transferable skills.

As a general rule of thumb, keep your resume no longer than two pages, and where you list your employment experience, focus on results and what you accomplished rather than listing your job duties.

A cover letter is the other critical piece in applying for a job and it provides you with the ability to clearly sell yourself as the best candidate for the job. It is important to address any potential resistance or covert preconceptions in your cover letter. Remember it is likely that someone much younger than you may be reading your application and believe that you are over-qualified, after their own job, or don’t understand your interest in that particular job. Be open; explain your situation and your motivations for wanting to continue to work. Address also the issue of wages; state clearly that you are fine with the prevailing wage rates. Sell yourself and your fit to the role.

Having a strong resume and cover letter will help to get your foot in the door and to an in-person interview where you can let your skills and personality shine!

If you haven’t been to a job interview in a long time, or if job interviews have always made you weak in the knees, some advance research and practice will help.

In advance of your interview be sure to research the organization, the people you will be meeting with, and the job you are applying for. Phone interviews are often a first step, and it’s wise to schedule a time rather than to take the call then and there. Think about how your skills match with the job, and how your personality will fit into the culture. You can find many excellent interview preparation articles online by Googling “Job Interview Questions”. Practice your answers to scenario-based questions such as “Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer or co-worker”. Finally, be sure to prepare some questions of your own for the employer as hiring is a two-way process – you also need to feel comfortable with the employer.

While it’s becoming the norm to search and apply for jobs online, the importance of getting out there and meeting people cannot be under-emphasized. Consider attending events hosted by your local chamber of commerce, tourism associations, employer open houses and local hiring fairs where you can make connections in person. Are you a customer or season pass holder for a tourism operation? Ask the manager if there are any openings that you may be suited for. In addition, get out there and talk to local tourism businesses, and be sure to let your friends know that you are looking for work as job openings are often spread by word-of-mouth.

Use the Internet to your advantage for your job search. Employers often use Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook to promote job openings. Follow the social media pages of companies you want to work. Set up a profile on LinkedIn.com to create a digital resume for yourself and to connect with hiring managers. Search sites like the go2HR Job Board, hcareers.ca and kijiji.ca for tourism jobs in your area.

Herman Schneider, Outdoor Adventure Guide

Yolanta Malkovska, Wine Server

Ingrid Dilschneider, Small Business Owner

Bruce Livingston, Ecotour Operator

Patti Smolen, Tourism Professional

Ellie Marynuik, Airlines to Fine Wines