The Unseasoned Weekly: March 4

On *not* raising a family in your 30s, let's talk about listing salary ranges on your resume, apply for a job as a digital learning specialist.

- Words from the other side of outdoor seasonal work-

The Check In

A quick reminder before we dive in! The $100/year Founding Member subscription unlocks full access to the newsletter plus an annual 1:1 career support session with me (with booking availability as soon as this Friday).

✔ Need a second set of eyes on your resume?

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At 33% off, this is the most cost-effective way to work with me—an exclusive offer just for my dedicated newsletter community.

Regardless of your payment tier, I’m so grateful you’re here week after week. Now let’s talk children and our professional lives…

xx - Emerald

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Many people leave outdoor seasonal work - at least in part - because they want to start a family. It’s certainly possible to raise children with one or multiple caregivers working seasonally outdoors. Many do it well!

But it’s just hard enough, and raising kids feels just important enough, that it’s often what pushes people into my career support services and across the threshold to 9-5 or other year round careers.

I've seen the transition out of outdoor seasonal work either intensified or eased by the transition into parenthood. Eased in the sense that: you’re diving into a new life so different from your old one (kids!) that the professional shift feels negligible.

But what happens when you enter your thirties, leave outdoor seasonal work, and don’t want to start a family? This was the story of my husband and I. As much as we like kids (he’s a middle school teacher and I’m a devoted auntie) we don’t plan to have them ourselves.

In our early thirties, this created an interesting moment of self-reflection and resettling. With many of our family, friends, and direct community taking on the early infancy-rearing years, we instead had to find our own path. While disorienting at first, I can say with confidence we are finally hitting our stride.

What’s next when you’ve moved on from the chaos of seasonal work—but haven’t replaced it with the (joyful) chaos of raising toddlers?

One summer, we finished a 500+ mile thru hike. I started doing more community organizing in my small, rural town. We dream up summer adventures and enjoy full rest and recharge in the 5-9 hours after work. Whenever possible, we make the trip to see our nephews (I’m writing this from the SLC airport, en route home from a long-weekend family visit). While I know some childless adults prefer to avoid children completely (nothing wrong with that!), for me, there is nothing like “sitting at the kids table” to reinvigorate my sense of fun and commitment to the future.

How do considerations around starting a family (or not) affect your professional choices? Leave a comment below, or my replies and DMs are always open.

- Questions for Your Next Journal or Hike -

On Reflection

New: Career Support for Outdoorsy Professionals

Are you ready to level up your resume, cover letter, or interview skills? I’m excited to now offer career support services tailored for professionals with outdoorsy backgrounds.

Let’s refine your resume, edit your cover letter, practice interviewing, and craft a compelling application that showcases your unique experience. Reply to this email or schedule a free 15-minute consultation to get started. And if you know someone who could benefit, referrals are always welcome!

- Dispatches from the Unseasoned Community -

Heard on Social

Multiple community members exiting federal work have asked me: Should I put my pay range on my resume or cover letter? We talked about it!

emeraldlafortune

A post shared by @emeraldlafortune

@lenore.mae said: “No discussion to be had on this. PS some states it's illegal to ask what a candidate made in their past role or current role (Oregon, Colorado, etc).”

Join us this week to learn with our community of over 4,000!

- Tips for your next application -

How I’d Apply

PSIA-AASI is hiring a Digital Learning Specialist in Denver, Colorado (Hybrid).

Unique Value Proposition (UVP):

When our Unseasoned community asks which skills one should focus on while still employed seasonally, I often recommend prioritizing managing and training a team. This is a highly transferable skill relevant to almost every workplace, especially learning and development roles!