Can you earn a
real living in Tahoe?
My first vacation in Tahoe was over 30 years ago. On leaving I thought, “Wow, it would be amazing to live in a place like that.” The second vacation cemented the desire. But when the actual moving time came, excitement was mixed with concern about how to earn a living in a mountain paradise.
Nearly every Tahoe local that I've met since then had the same concern as they first thought of relocating. Today, looking at the deep snow, heavy on the pines and firs, I know that many ecstatic skiers and boarders are heading home wondering the same thing.
You're young. Or
young at heart. You've vacationed at Tahoe and were amazed. Ever
since, a little voice in your head has been nagging at you. Why not
move to Tahoe? Why live in (your town's name here), when you could
live in one of the most spectacular places on the planet, a place
with fabulous year 'round recreation, a place that draws millions of
tourists from all over the world, a place that has tons of snow
without tons of cold, a place that honestly has the best summer weather of
anyplace on the planet. (When I first arrived, multiple locals said, "I know you moved here for the skiing, but you'll stay for the summer because it's perfect, hot sun, cool air, unbelievable recreation." They were right.)
So you're thinking of moving here. But you're wondering, can you earn a living in Tahoe?
Yes, it's true,
Tahoe has more than its share of tech titans and movie stars and rock stars and
media magnates and bankbook babies. You can spot them in their
Porsche Cayennes and Range Rovers and chauffeur-driven limos as they
cruise from restaurants with lots of Zagat raves to mansions with
lots of lakeshore. These people aren't worried about making the
monthly rent.
But the truth is
that most Tahoe residents actually work for a living
just like people everywhere else. They are proof that you can live in
Tahoe even if you don't have extra commas on your bank statement.
Talk to Tahoe
people about "getting a job" and you'll hear something like
this: It's easy to get a low-paying job in the service industry, but
don't expect much pay or benefits, and don't expect it to be a
year-'round job. The upside is that these jobs are actually easier to
get in Tahoe than most anywhere. But more on that in a bit.
If instead of
talking about a service job, you talk about building a career in Tahoe, you
will hear Tahoe residents make thoughtful comments about how you can
earn a good living if you have valuable skills that are useful in a
small community, or if you have skills that are non-location
specific.
Let's expand on
both approaches.
If you are young
and you don't yet have valuable career skills, service jobs are
plentiful. All you have to do is think Hospitality Industry, which is
to say restaurants, hotels, and recreation. We have something like 2
or 3 million tourists a year and they all need food and someone to
help them onto the chairlifts and into tour boats, someone to pour
their beer. Nearly anyone can get these jobs, making Tahoe one of the
easiest places to find entry-level work. Getting a job is especially
easy in late fall in prep for the ski season, and in late spring in
prep for the summer season. For example, the ski resorts even have
job fairs in late fall, where they fill thousands of positions. All you have to do is show up on time, be presentable (It's always a good idea to have a very short resume with good grammar and spelling), and you'll get hired on the spot. Restaurants and hotels all around the lake start looking in April and May for reliable summer help.
Are you charming?
Can you wait tables or pour drinks? If so, your first Tahoe job can
actually pay quite well.
Want something
more?
Like all
communities, we also have a limited number of higher-skilled jobs,
nursing, construction, teaching, ski instructing, and even executive positions working for the big
hotels and ski resorts. And there are a wide range of jobs available
in law enforcement, fire-fighting, and working for the Forest Service
and other government agencies.
In addition, there
is always a need for the self-employed professionals: doctors,
dentists, lawyers, accountants, architects, consultants. Growing a professional
career in Tahoe is not much different than doing it anyplace else.
And if the income might be less than it would be in the big city (and
that isn't always the case), the advantages of living in a beautiful,
pristine, uncrowded paradise more than make up for it.
If you are an
entrepreneur, Tahoe is a great place to bring or create your own
business. Many restaurants, building contractors, bed-and-breakfasts, sports stores,
vacation rental property management, bike and ski and kayak rentals, tour boat operators, realtors, fishing guides, and a wide range of other businesses thrive here.
There is one more
group of people who are increasingly finding their way to Tahoe.
These are the people whose work is not specific to any location. If
you make your living over the internet, a gorgeous place like Tahoe
beckons. Software engineers, artists,
 |
| Yes, she's working! |
website designers, computer consultants, graphic
artists, photographers, screen writers, tax preparers... The list is
almost endless, and we have people from hundreds of varied fields who
bike and ski and hike on the uncrowded weekdays and work on the more
crowded weekends.
With some
forethought and planning, you can find the perfect employment in
Tahoe.
For that matter,
you could even be a mystery author...
Here are some
useful links.
For postings of Tahoe employment:
For Education and Occupational training in Tahoe:
For geography, history, etc.:
For general news
about Tahoe:
For long-term Tahoe accommodations:
Tahoe -specific
websites:
Real Estate Companies
Of course, I can't
forget to include info for those interested in reading mystery fiction about the area:
