Unseasoned: Lesson #2
What happens when an outdoor dream job is no longer your dream?
Ahoy…
from the doldrums of January. In our house, we joke that January is the longest month of the year. If you’re anywhere near or north of the 45th parallel, January has at least 87 days. January gets exponentially longer each weekend it is too cold to go outside, too dry to ski, and too cloudy to see the sun. When I worked as a summer outdoor seasonal, I used to think January was a symptom of distance from the job and community I loved most. But as I’ve moved into a 9-5, I’ve figured out that January is just January. I remind myself: don’t make any big decisions for another few weeks. Maybe do some stretching instead of picking that fight. Remember your friends and family do, in fact, love you very much.
Soon it will be February and February is going to race right into spring. We’re almost there.
Reminder: in 2024, I’m excited to announce Unseasoned speaking programs. These are live, 90-minute, interactive sessions that explore our core question: “What happens when a dream job is no longer your dream?”
These are two separate speaking programs, based on lessons learned during the 2023 Unseasoned interview series. Speaking programs are available for either in-person or live digital events. My 2024 schedule is limited - if you are interested in hosting Unseasoned, please reach out!
As a teaser, and to keep the goodness from this series open-source, I’ll be sharing a handful of lessons learned here in the newsletter. Keep reading for lesson #2 and let me know… do you agree? Does this match what you’ve experienced in your outdoor career? Why or why not? Reply here, or find me on Instagram: @emeraldlafortune
-Emerald
PS
I’m beta testing a new webinar, “How to Pitch Your Outdoor Writing”. This offering will be only open to max 10 attendees and will be no-cost, in exchange for feedback. If you want to join, please leave your name and e-mail here. Attendance will be first come first served, but anyone who signs up at this stage will receive an automatic 20% discount on the first version of the course as thanks.
Unseasoned Lesson Learned #2: Outdoor Seasonal Work is a Launchpad
For Outdoor Young Professionals
When I was a guide, I was told with some frequency that guiding would set me up for, “Whatever and wherever I wanted to go in life.” All I had to do was choose to jump, and a net would appear. To an extent, this was true: guiding built a great work ethic, honed my interpersonal skills, and helped me learn to adjust and lead at a moment’s notice. Trevor Fulton talked about this in his Unseasoned interview, saying:
You inherently have to figure out how to work with people, ones you get along with or ones don't. When you're in an environment where you're in a tent, stuck in a storm for a week, you've got to figure it out. You figure out that interpersonal side of things. I think it also helps to work in complex environments where you're always pivoting, you're always changing what your outcome was, what the plan is.
Being okay with uncertainty and change is so valuable in a role like mine or any sort of leadership role where you just roll with it and you just figure out what your today is going to look like based on what's in front of you or what gets thrown at you. It's amazing to me how good outdoor educators and guides are at that, and they don't necessarily realize it until you're put in a situation that's outside of that outdoor environment.
Outdoor seasonal work undoubtedly builds the job skills that are hardest to teach. Sometimes, however, in promoting this narrative we miss that there are also tangible skills associated with office jobs and 9-5 work. Just as it takes some effort to first learn a river’s rapids or how to run a pack train into hunting camp, it also takes time to learn how to manage an email inbox, run an effective meeting, or execute other specific job expectations. Dara McDevitt spoke to this when she outlined why she returned to school for a Masters Degree:
I remember when I was trying to get jobs and maybe dodge going back to school, I felt like the skill sets that I had at that moment were not super marketable. And then as soon as I got into school and through school, people just raved about how incredible the experience I had from doing my sewing production and outdoor jobs.
As soon as I had this Masters Degree that really focused on the business elements of making things, people were like, ‘Wow, you have the business elements and the boots-on-the-ground approach!’ So weirdly, I had my experiences validated retroactively from having a new skill set that sat on top of my foundational ones.
Most outdoor seasonals have a period where they are beginning to consider moving full time into 9-5, year-round work, but haven’t yet committed to the shift. This timeframe can feel confusing and hard. But it also is a time ripe for prioritizing education and growth. I recommend starting to regularly review job listings, do informational interviews with people who have careers you are intrigued with, watch YouTube channels, whatever. Ask,
“What hard skills are part of this job?”
“Can I learn those skills within the job, or do I need to pursue that knowledge before applying?”
“How can I begin to build tangible proof that I can handle what this role outlines?”
One of my first (and worst) jobs as I retired from guiding had “Communications” in the title. The interview process was flawless and I felt confident that even if I didn’t hold all the skills outlined in the job description, I could learn as I went along. And sure, I could blame some of my failures in the role on chaotic management and a poor hiring decision on the organization’s side. But ultimately, I also didn’t hold the necessary, specific background to hit the ground running the way the organization expected. I don’t share this to dissuade you from reaching for a job that feels intimidating, especially if you hold an identity that tends to undervalue its potential.
I do invite you, however, to find the amount of growth edge that keeps you challenged and motivated, not overwhelmed and exhausted. And as Dara aptly described, once you develop your proof of concept, your boots-on-the-ground experience will only become a greater and greater asset.
For Owners / Managers
I believe the best owners and managers help launch their outdoor seasonal workforce into their careers, even if it means losing employees they rely on.
I owe much of my current career to my first multiday river manager. He helped me build my confidence as a river guide, sure. But he also noticed that I enjoyed writing, and connected me with the parent company’s marketing department for blogging opportunities. He heard me when I said I cared about salmon and steelhead issues and paid me hourly to develop interpretation curriculum for the crew. When I knew I needed more challenge and stability than the company was structured to provide, I moved on. But he and I didn’t have to burn any relationship bridges for me to do so. I still recommend both potential guides and potential guests to the company. He still subscribes to this newsletter, which I count as a good sign.
If outdoor seasonal work is a launchpad then you, as an owner or manager, are in a unique position to help secure the rockets to someone’s potential. Again, this is one of those management things that takes time, but a small effort returns to a company in dividends. Trevor Fulton noted:
You have to help your staff and say, ‘What's next? What do we need to do to get you there? What skills, what experiences, what opportunities, what reflection do you need to do to get you to that next step?’ I just think it's amazing what relationships can be built and in turn, either help somebody stay or sets them up to do great things when they leave.
Do you start a small scholarship opportunity for off-season guides to take a course? Do you offer up your network for informational interviews? Do you help an employee navigate applying for school?
The opportunities are creative and endless, and I’m so interested to hear what has worked for you.
Bring Unseasoned to your outdoor program, workplace, or community group. More information here.
Heard on Social
From Dorrie Beckley, @dbeckley3
“Leaving a beloved job, wilderness, or identity will necessitate a grief process. Explore that, let it in as you contemplate a big change. Grief is love and is a natural part of our evolution as humans. I believe the more we allow it in, bravely get to know it, the more we can learn and make decisions and choices that are truly right for us.”
Thinking of that multi-day manager – what a legend <3