Today I will be interviewing a couple who has been RVing in a recently-renovated school bus. They have enjoyed some interesting experiences and discovered a way to earn a few extra dollars by finding jobs in the local community in addition to their Workamping jobs.

Allen and Mandy Hallengren were in Leavenworth, Wash., working at a KOA when I interviewed them several months ago. While Allen was involved in maintenance duties, Mandy would help plan and lead activities for kids and adults.

The couple bought a school bus and spent $15,000 renovating it because they liked some of the safety features on the vehicle. By gutting the seats, they could completely design it to fit their needs. For example, they created a bigger-than-average kitchen and set up solar to have the option for off-grid camping.

Allen worked in the U.S. Navy for 20 years and Mandy calls herself a “Jill of all trades,” but she really enjoys restaurant work.

In fact, she will work for local restaurants while Alan takes care of Workamping duties. It’s the best of both worlds as they get a free RV site, and Mandy makes pretty good money as a waitress at a local restaurant.

Yet, she really enjoys working with people on special activities, which makes their RVing experience even more fun for the couple.

They love RVing for the ability to go to climates that better suit them instead of the snow and cold of Michigan, which Allen had to endure for 47 years.

Allen and Mandy found a unique way to put Workamping to their advantage. Allen’s skills in construction, electricity and engineering can often be put to use at campgrounds. He’s retired so he has a military pension to augment his income.

Mandy, on the other hand, is still working. So she finds jobs at local restaurants where she can often make better income through tips than she could at a paid Workamping job. When she’s not working at a restaurant, she’s helping to organize special activities at the campground.

Because they live in 275 square feet of space inside the converted school bus, Allen and Mandy had to develop some good communication skills to ensure they could work and live together in that tightly-confined space.

Mandy said she’s a verbose storyteller, and she’s often describing their adventures on their Facebook page called Beulah Beluga Adventures. You can connect with them there. They also have a YouTube channel.

Today’s episode is brought to you by the featured employers at Workamper.com These Workamper employers have taken the extra step to share some photos and detailed information about their Workamper programs with you.

Opportunities exist for solos, couples and families, whether they are full-time, part-time, seasonal or even long-term jobs. Some are income opportunities and others involve volunteering at locations throughout the United States. Go to www.workamper.com/fe to meet the featured employers today.

If you are an employer seeking to hire Workampers, then you can learn how to benefit from year-round recruiting by becoming a featured employer. Visit www.workamper.com/fedetails.

That’s all for this week’s show. Next week I will be talking with someone from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about what sounds like an amazing opportunity to spend some time volunteering at a wildlife refuge along the coast of Oregon. I’ll have more details on the next episode of The Workamper Show. Thanks for listening!

The post Allen and Mandy Hallengren describe their Workamping adventures in Episode 301 appeared first on The Workamper Show Podcast.

Today is a special day for The Workamper Show. We are releasing our 300th episode. It’s quite a milestone for our five-year-old podcast. We will celebrate the occasion with a special show about finding the ideal Workamping job.

Today’s episode is actually hosted by Jody Anderson Duquette and her husband, Luke. They became the owners of Workamper News a few years ago when Jody’s parents retired after running the company for about 15 years.

The entire focus of the Workamper News operation centers on helping RVers to find great jobs, as well as helping employers to connect with people looking for those jobs.

So, Jody and Luke are going to have a discussion to offer tips for finding the ideal Workamping job. They have identified 11 steps people can take to follow a path from looking for work to actually landing a job.

The 11 steps they identified to find and secure a great job will be a tremendous help for anyone who wants to travel and enjoy a more adventurous life.

The Workamper News organization has truly changed the scope of RVing for the better. When I first started working in the RV industry in January 2000, the average age of first RV ownership was 65. That’s because people usually retired and then went RVing.

Today, the average age when people buy their first RV is 45. That’s because the former Workamper News magazine, and now the Workamper.com website, opened the door for people to afford to travel while they were still young enough to enjoy it.

There are literally thousands of jobs available every year to people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels. Most are paid positions, but some are volunteer opportunities.

Two features of Workamper membership that literally pays for themselves are the Awesome Applicants Resume Builder and the corresponding Awesome Applicant Resume Database.

The resume builder guides people through a step-by-step process to create effective resumes that provide exactly the type of information employers are looking for and in places where they expect to find it.

The resume database allows employers to scan all the resumes submitted by Workampers to search for people with specific skills and interests. It has become such an effective recruitment tool that some employers never advertise their jobs anywhere.

They simply scan the database and extend invitations directly to Workampers encouraging them to apply. As a result, Workampers who don’t have their resumes in the database miss out of some great opportunities.

If you are not a Workamper member, I encourage you to check out the membership options by visiting www.workamper.com and clicking on Join in the upper right corner. It will cost you nothing to try out all the features and benefits for a full 30 days.

Do you have more questions than answers when it comes to the Workamping and RVing lifestyle? If so, listen to the free Workamping Q&A videos to get your questions answered.

Each video answers questions submitted by folks, just like you, who are learning about the RV lifestyle, just getting started, or have been Workamping for a while.

The videos cover topics like what kind of Workamping jobs are out there, what do these jobs pay, tips for writing your Workamper resume, questions to ask an employer, what type of RV is best, how to get your mail as an RVer, and much more!

Listen to detailed answers now by watching the videos at workamper.com/answers. In the description of each video, you’ll find a list topics that were discussed so you can quickly jump to the answers you want to hear.

That’s all we have for today’s special 300th episode of The Workamper Show. I’ll be back next week with an interview of a couple who are relatively new to the RVing and Workamping lifestyle. I’ll have details on the next episode of The Workamper Show.

If you like this podcast, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes. Thank you for faithfully listening to this show for more than five years!

The post The steps to finding your ideal Workamping jobs in Episode 300 appeared first on The Workamper Show Podcast.

Today I am interviewing a ranger with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about an exciting opportunity for Workampers on Long Island in New York.

Ann Marie Chapman works for the National Wildlife Refuge System, which has 10 units scattered across Long Island, five of which are open to the public. Together, the properties encompass 6,800 acres.

The beautiful thing about Long Island is that it’s 45 miles from the largest city in America, New York City, yet it’s filled with beautiful scenery and surrounded by water.

Ann is looking for several volunteers to serve a minimum of three months preserving the habitats of endangered wildlife and protecting some endangered plants. In fact, Workampers take part in an annual plant count to help rangers keep abreast of the things growing on Long Island.

The work takes place at the Elizabeth Morton Refuge, which is located in the prestigious Hamptons area, as well as at the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, located on the wild and scenic Carmans River.

Ann is looking for Workampers to help at the refuge from April through October and even into November, if the weather is still nice.

If she could find one Workamping couple or solo to help during the whole season, Ann would be delighted. However, If volunteers would like to stay just three months, she’s happy to split the commitment.

Couples are expected to put in about 24 hours per week, per person. Solos are expected to work about 32 hours. The refuge does not allow outdoor pets, but animals like cats, which generally stay inside the RV, are welcome.

The volunteers are involved with maintaining trails, trimming grass, cleaning bathrooms and picking up trash. However, they can also be involved in leading educational programs. That makes this job ideal for a retired teacher.

Workampers receive a free full-hookup RV site and have access to a storage shed as well as a washer and dryer.

The primary trait Ann is looking for in Workampers is the ability to provide great customer service. The agency offers training on how to use all-terrain vehicles and even motorboats.

A former Workamper created a handbook for other Workampers to serve as a guide of all the activities they can do during their off time. It’s easy to go horseback riding, kayaking and camping. People can also hop a train to get to New York City, Boston or even Washington, D.C.

For more information, visit www.volunteer.gov and search for opportunities in New York, but enter Long Island as the keyword. People can submit applications right from that site.

This is a great opportunity for people to combine big city life with wide open natural resources.

Today’s episode was sponsored by Workamper News. Creating a resume can be a cumbersome, intimidating task - especially if you haven’t written a resume in many years.

The unique Workamper News Resume Builder takes you through a step-by-step process to build a complete resume with all the information Workamper employers are looking for when reviewing applications.

Once complete, your resume can be emailed to anyone, and the software tracks when and who you have sent it to. You can print out the resume or make it into a PDF which can then be uploaded or emailed.

Some employers NEVER ADVERTISE – not via Workamper.com or anywhere else. They find all of their applicants just by searching the Workamper News resume database. If you don’t have a resume in the Workamper.com database, you will be missing out on some opportunities.

To open the door to more Workamping jobs, become a Workamper member today by visiting www.workamper.com.

That’s all I have for this week’s show. Next time, I will be talking with an employer who has an opportunity for people to work at a campground in West Virginia. The firm is also seeking a manager. I’ll have more details on the next episode of The Workamper Show. Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the spectacular fall colors and cooler weather.

The post Ann Marie Chapman describes a volunteer opportunity on Long Island in Episode 298 appeared first on The Workamper Show Podcast.

If you love cherries or anything to do with cherries, today’s podcast will be especially interesting to you. I am interviewing a representative from Cherry Republic as well as one of the company’s current Workampers.

Madison Partak is the recruitment manager for Cherry Republic, which is located in Glen Arbor, Mich. She is joined by Michael Ristow, who is just wrapping up a fun summer season Workamping for the firm.

The company operates six locations throughout Michigan, but only hires Workampers for its retail store in Glen Arbor. The city is in an especially beautiful part of the state, right on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Madison is hiring Workampers right now for full-time jobs starting in May and continuing through October. They work with customers to help them find products in the store, work the register, help stock shelves, and provide great customer service.

Workampers also ensure the store is clean and tidy, and that the dishes used to serve food are clean. All hours are paid starting at $13 per hour.

Cherry Republic is looking for three Workamping couples to help them next year, but they are also open to hiring solos and families. The only restriction is the campground used to house Workampers does not allow dogs.

The company works with a local campground situated within a few miles of Glen Arbor to house Workampers. The site is free, but Workampers pay about $30 per month for electricity.

Workampers generally put in 38 to 40 hours a week and work five days a week with two consecutive days off. Days off are usually scheduled for the middle of the week because weekends can get busy.

The stores themselves are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, but that scales back a bit in the shoulder seasons before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

No special skills are needed to work at Cherry Republic other than a strong desire to provide great customer service in a busy retail setting. Madison encouraged Workampers to explore the company’s website to get a flavor for the types of products it sells and the services it provides.

Reading reviews is a good way for Workampers to understand what customers expect when visiting the retail stores.

The Glen Arbor area of Michigan is very beautiful with endless options for biking, hiking and kayaking. It is right next to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The closest big city is Traverse City, which is 40 minutes away.

Detroit is about four hours away, which is home to many museums and attractions. Historic Mackinaw Island is about three hours away. By traveling an hour further north, people can reach Sault St. Marie, where all the big ships pass through the Soo Locks. It’s also an access point to Canada.

For more information about the company, visit www.cherryrepublic.com. To apply for a job, send a resume to Madison at talent@cherryrepublic.com.

Today’s episode is brought to you by the featured employers at Workamper.com These Workamper Employers have taken the extra step to share some photos and detailed information about their Workamper programs with you. Check them out today!

Opportunities exist for solos, couples and families, whether they are full-time, part-time, seasonal or even long-term jobs. Some are income opportunities and others involve volunteering at locations throughout the United States. Go to www.workamper.com/fe to meet the featured employers today.

If you are an employer seeking to hire Workampers, then you can learn how to benefit from year-round recruiting by becoming a Featured Employer. Visit www.workamper.com/fedetails.

That’s all I have for this week’s show. Next time, I will be speaking with another employer who is looking for volunteers to work in a national forest on Long Island, N.Y. I’ll have that interview on the next episode of The Workamper Show.

If you like these interviews, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes. Thanks for listening!

The post In Episode 297, learn about Workamping at Michigan’s Cherry Republic appeared first on The Workamper Show Podcast.

Today I am interviewing a representative from RVshare who offers advice on how new Workampers can jump into the lifestyle. She also offers information about how any RVer can make money when not using their RVs.

Maddi Bourgerie is the senior director of communications for RVshare. It’s a company based in Austin, Texas, that enables people to make money by renting out their RVs when they aren’t being used.

She has worked in the RV industry for more than a decade. Maddi doesn’t own an RV, yet, but she has rented more than 20 of them for her journeys that have taken her to almost all 50 states.

Maddi explains how RVshare grew out of one newlywed couple’s desire to utilize their RV after their honeymoon trip. Today, the company serves more than 60,000 RV owners across the United States who have rented out their travel trailers, fifth wheels and motorhomes more than 5 million nights.

In addition, Maddi talks about a recent trend report prepared by RVshare to explain how people are using their RVs. For people planning their next adventure, Maddi describes the 10 most friendly and least friendly outdoor cities in America.

One of RVshare’s most popular options for newbies is to rent an RV and have it delivered to a nearby campground so it is already set up for them. Some owners will even show renters how to drive and back the RV, and connect it to campsite utilities.

That’s a real plus for people who have never used RVs before.

RVshare requires customers to sign up for one of the company’s three insurance plans, which currently range from $19 to $25 per day, Maddi explained. A benefit to that is there would not be a ding to your auto insurance if you had a problem.

For Workampers who plan to park their RVs for extended periods of time without using them, they can recoup some of the ownership costs by renting their units to other RVers.

The company offers helpful advice to owners at rvshare.com/list-your-rv. There is also a private Facebook group for current owners to exchange tips and help ensure favorable renting experiences.

Another option for which Workampers can consider using RVshare is as an option to house visitors for short-term stays. For example, when a couple is Workamping as camp hosts for a summer and their children and grandkids come to visit.

RVshare’s RVs are also fun to rent for family reunions when not everyone has an RV but the group will be staying at a campground. Many campgrounds have limited cabin availability, but more space for RVs. So renting one works to everyone’s advantage.

For more information about RVshare and its programs, visit www.rvshare.com. The company is also active on many social media channels.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Workamper News. Do you have more questions than answers when it comes to the Workamping and RVing lifestyle? If so, then Workamper News has your back!

Listen to their free Workamping Q&A videos to get your questions answered. Each video answers questions submitted by folks, just like you, who are learning about the RV lifestyle, just getting started, or have been Workamping for a while.

The videos cover topics like what kind of Workamping jobs are out there, what do these jobs pay, tips for writing your Workamper resume, questions to ask an employer, what type of RV is best, how to get your mail as an RVer, and much more!

Listen to detailed answers now by watching the videos at workamper.com/answers.

In the description of each video, you’ll find a list of questions that were answered so you can quickly jump to the answers you want to hear.

That’s all I have for this week’s show. Next time I will be speaking with some representatives from Cherry Republic about opportunities to spend the summer in a very beautiful part of lower Michigan. I’ll have that interview on the next episode of The Workamper Show. Thanks for listening!

The post Maddi Bourgerie explains how RVshare can help Workampers in Episode 296 appeared first on The Workamper Show Podcast.

Today, I am speaking with two representatives of a hotel chain with properties near Yellowstone National Park. The company is looking for help next season.

During the interview, manager Roy Dougay is joined by Workamper Debbie Wood. Kelly Inns has three locations in West Yellowstone, Mont., and one location in Cody, Wyo.

One West Yellowstone hotel has 139 rooms, another has 79 and the third has 75 rooms. Workampers are hired primarily to staff the front desk, but also hired to perform maintenance.

Work is done around-the-clock during three shifts. Two of the Yellowstone hotels are only open during the summer season, but one is open year-round.

The company is looking for 15 to 20 Workampers for 2025. The firm is open to hiring couples, solos and families, but most Workampers are couples.

The hotels are located in a relatively small town, but in an area that is a big attraction for tourists visiting Yellowstone from around the world.

As a general rule, Workampers put in between 20 and 32 hours a week, although full-time hours are available, if desired, by working at multiple locations.

Workampers are paid for all hours worked, and receive a free RV site with full-hookups. Sometimes, Workampers have to stay at an RV park in the community, but the small town is only a mile long, so the commute is relatively easy.

A flat-rate bonus is paid at the end of the season to Workampers who complete their commitment.

Communications skills are very important because Workampers often assist people from around the world. Yet, language usually isn’t a problem thanks to apps like Google Translate. Debbie noted that about 40 percent of guests come from other countries.

To apply for a job, Workampers should send Roy an email along with their resume and a current picture of themselves as well as their RV. Then he will have a phone conversation to discuss the job and talk about living in the West Yellowstone community.

It’s a relatively small town with a few hotels and gas stations. The closest big cities are Bozeman, Mont., and Idaho Falls, Idaho, both of which are about 90 minutes away.

However, the area is well known for its fly fishing and outdoor activities, as well as it’s ATV and snowmobile trails. The best part about this Workamping job is that the hotels are a few blocks from the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

For more information about Kelly Inns, visit kellyinns.com. However, Roy is only hiring for the properties in West Yellowstone, Mont., and Cody, Wyo. People can apply for jobs through Workamper.com, where the company advertises current openings.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Workamper News. Since 1987, they’ve been helping businesses of all types find and recruit Workampers. Workampers serve in a variety of positions around the country to help further the mission of great businesses.

When you become an employer member at Workamper.com, you’ll have access to resources and support to help you develop and implement your Workamper recruiting strategy.

In today’s market, it is more challenging than ever to keep a flow of applicants coming in. Workamper News recommends advertising your current and future Workamper job openings frequently throughout the year, as well as scheduling some time to regularly search the Workamper Resume Database because new Workampers are joining daily.

Workampers like to plan many months ahead, so NOW is the time to take action to begin developing your Workamper team. Learn more and download a quick-start guide for employers at www.workamper.com/employer.

That’s all for this week’s show. Next week, I will be speaking with another employer about an opportunity to spend the summer of 2025 on a big lake in Vermont. I’ll have more details on the next episode of The Workamper Show. Thank you for listening, and if you like these interviews, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.

The post Roy Dougay, Debbie Wood talks about Workamping at Kelly Inns in Episode 294 appeared first on The Workamper Show Podcast.