Job ideas Anchorage?

I’m moving to Anchorage right now and am looking for climber/skier-friendly job ideas. So, something not 9-5 5 days a week. Something where I have more days free/less days in a row occupied, and perhaps the ability to take time off for expeditions and extended trips. But at the same time I’d like to get paid a living wage too. Probably a unicorn I know.

 I do have a business/finance degree and a few years of work experience, but it seems all I can get with that is a dull 9-5 suit-and-tie gig. But if you know more flexible jobs that can use those skills I’d definitely be interested! 

One avenue I’ve been thinking is to find work at the climbing gym/gear shop and supplement the low pay with gear discounts and gym/hopefully a ski pass too. But it seems most of those are part time and I’d have to get multiple jobs.

Another idea that looks promising is to work an on/off schedule in the north slope or at a mine and get paid a lot more. But it seems hard to get those without relevant trade experience. 

Another possibility is to work in elementary/middle/high school education and have summers off and a bunch of school holidays. But unfortunately they’re underpaid and I’d probably make more as a server. Plus, I’d have to invest my own money in certificates/training and such. Can’t work in universities because I don’t have a PHD and no interest in getting one. 

Working as nurse/in medicine seems to be the best option that’d fit this criteria. But I’d have to invest a ton of money in nursing school and I’m not interested in going back to school again. Maybe I could EMT instead? The EMT pay is low but if the overtime/flexibility makes up for it it seems like a decent gig for my situation.

I don’t think I’d be interested in working in tourism/guiding because of the seasonality, and then I’d be spending the Alaskan summer doing that rather than my own cool trips. And the pay doesn’t seem high enough to make up for that. 

Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks! 

Do you regret getting a business/ finance degree? Weren't you planning to go into that line of work? What changed?

FrankPS wrote:

Do you regret getting a business/ finance degree? Weren't you planning to go into that line of work? What changed?

No regrets really, it’s pretty versatile in the grand scheme of things. If I end up desperately needing money or badly injured I can fall back on it. It’s just that my priorities have changed so much that I’d rather backflip into a crevasse than wear a suit and tie and work in an office.

It wasn’t a financial mistake either, I had some scholarships and was fortunate enough to work in the field for a few years during/after school and the income  was a big help. I’ve since left that job but without it I wouldn’t have been able to fund this move to Alaska nor all the gas I burned driving around the lower 48 playing in the mountains.

Climbing gym or REI/AMH/Hoarding Marmot would be a good starting place. Maybe not a long term option but enough to hold you over until you find something that's more in line with your goals. I can tell you from firsthand experience that REI is very flexible with hours and starting pay is $20/hr, and you get killer gear deals. I have no experience with ARG, AMH, or Hoarding Marmot but have heard good things for them too. I've been told starting pay at ARG is on the order of $16 or $17/hour but you get a free membership, which costs $90 a month. 

There's a couple serious climbers that work at REI, and obviously more than a few at AMH. Hoarding Marmot is somwhere in between. ARG is a good mix of hardcore and casual climbers and is a great place to rub elbows with the community. The winter climbing/alpinist group in Anchorage is fairly small but really deep and full of personalities.

Most school districts are hurting for subs. Pay is ok, but you can pick and choose the days you want to work, plus summers off. 

Arnav V wrote:

I’m moving to Anchorage right now and am looking for climber/skier-friendly job ideas. So, something not 9-5 5 days a week. Something where I have more days free/less days in a row occupied, and perhaps the ability to take time off for expeditions and extended trips. But at the same time I’d like to get paid a living wage too. Probably a unicorn I know.

 I do have a business/finance degree and a few years of work experience, but it seems all I can get with that is a dull 9-5 suit-and-tie gig. But if you know more flexible jobs that can use those skills I’d definitely be interested! 

One avenue I’ve been thinking is to find work at the climbing gym/gear shop and supplement the low pay with gear discounts and gym/hopefully a ski pass too. But it seems most of those are part time and I’d have to get multiple jobs.

Another idea that looks promising is to work an on/off schedule in the north slope or at a mine and get paid a lot more. But it seems hard to get those without relevant trade experience. 

Another possibility is to work in elementary/middle/high school education and have summers off and a bunch of school holidays. But unfortunately they’re underpaid and I’d probably make more as a server. Plus, I’d have to invest my own money in certificates/training and such. Can’t work in universities because I don’t have a PHD and no interest in getting one. 

Working as nurse/in medicine seems to be the best option that’d fit this criteria. But I’d have to invest a ton of money in nursing school and I’m not interested in going back to school again. Maybe I could EMT instead? The EMT pay is low but if the overtime/flexibility makes up for it it seems like a decent gig for my situation.

I don’t think I’d be interested in working in tourism/guiding because of the seasonality, and then I’d be spending the Alaskan summer doing that rather than my own cool trips. And the pay doesn’t seem high enough to make up for that.

Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks! 

I'm curious as to why someone would move somewhere with this many basic questions about earning money in that location. It doesn't seem particularly well thought out. Am I missing something?

I’ll change my response to something serious since I just saw you’re 22

Wouldn’t be outta anchorage, but commercial fishing might fit your time requirements and depending on how your boat does you can make some good $ quickly...they work you tho

alternatively if skiing/adventure is your #1 priority could always be a flakey part time retail employee and bounce around

anc is an rather expensive city, good luck. I’ll be up in may for the summer if you’re looking to rope up with others 

Marc801 C wrote:

I'm curious as to why someone would move somewhere with this many basic questions about earning money in that location. It doesn't seem particularly well thought out. Am I missing something?

It’s undeniably the most beautiful US state with rich culture and unparalleled wildlife. Arnav ain’t the first to huck it to AK. Probably not the last either 

Marc801 C wrote:

I'm curious as to why someone would move somewhere with this many basic questions about earning money in that location. It doesn't seem particularly well thought out. Am I missing something?

You’re not missing anything, it’s not well thought out at all. But sometimes it’s easier to show up and be forced to figure it out than to think about it too much and try to get the stars to align.

By trolling for info here a few days ahead I can make the process a lot easier at least by knowing what places to look first. But if I can’t figure it out, I could walk into any McDonalds and get hired the same day. And if that doesn’t work, well, there’s the tried-and-true bus in the woods method. 

Arnav V wrote:

You’re not missing anything, it’s not well thought out at all. But sometimes it’s easier to show up and be forced to figure it out than to think about it too much and try to get the stars to align.

That's great! You're young - do it. I wish I had the balls when I was your age.

Hey Arnav,

The universe is orchestrating for you. Ask for a sign, the universe is always bringing us signs. Are you handy at all? Start a business doing anything or a gig. So many people need home or dog walkers/sitters, airbnb host! plus you can make your own schedule.

Home cleaning.  Seriously. The ones I've used charge $40-50 an hour, all under the table, minimum overhead.   Or any handyman service.  People who paint houses and hang drywall can pretty much charge what they want and take on whatever work they want because of how tight the medium- skilled labor market is here.  

Mining has good time off schedules. As long as you are willing to do nothing but work on your days on. 

The CDL or heavy equipment operator option is a good one. CDL is pretty quick to earn assuming you have a pulse 

+1 for the North Slope or a mining gig. 

most Slope/Mine jobs will pay you well and you will get 6 months off. You have access to a gym and have nothing productive to do but sleep/train after work. (Or fund your way through another degree)

Whatever you do don’t work at Red Dog as its the worst out of the available options as you will be wearing a respirator all day if you do field work and the contractor camp sucks.

Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

I work in Mineral Exploration without a Geology degree and pull in enough income to survive the 8 months I'm not working, one downside is you work every day of your 4 month season which means no rock climbing in the summer (season is june-september). 

Fishing is boom or bust and you need to know the right people to find a good captain, but when it's boom you can make quite a bit of money in a very short period of time. Honestly not as hard of a gig as some people make it out to be. 

Other options are, if your degree was in finance you can work as a medical supply rep, lots of medical stuff up here in AK and everyone I know in that line of work has a very stable income, and quite a bit of free time/flexibility. 

Finally, tourism is big in AK, working at a remote lodge, or even driving tours around the state you can make 20$ starting plus tips ( I was averaging 30$ an hour back when I did tours). But again the days are LONG when the season is on, and it's easy to get out of shape driving a van all summer.

Dirt King wrote:

I work in Mineral Exploration without a Geology degree and pull in enough income to survive the 8 months I'm not working, one downside is you work every day of your 4 month season which means no rock climbing in the summer (season is june-september). 

I'm actually getting a geo degree and hoping to do the same. Work for a few months and then go fuck around for the rest of it. Do you find that there's any time to train in any way? For example, go for a run or hangboard or whatever?

Spencer Moore wrote:

I'm actually getting a geo degree and hoping to do the same. Work for a few months and then go fuck around for the rest of it. Do you find that there's any time to train in any way? For example, go for a run or hangboard or whatever?

Since I work as a grunt and not a geologist my job mainly involves carrying a 60-90# backpack up and down forested mountain terrain, so I don't generally need to do much to maintain fitness. I do bring a hang board with me which I can hang up if the camp has actually built structures to hang from. Otherwise it's quite hard to run or exercise after work aside from Calisthenics as most jobs are helicopter supported and unless your camp is on a ridge there's no solid ground or unforested area to go running 

Spencer Moore wrote:

I'm actually getting a geo degree and hoping to do the same. Work for a few months and then go fuck around for the rest of it. Do you find that there's any time to train in any way? For example, go for a run or hangboard or whatever?

I did the same thing as you; I’m a hydrogeologist. Spent 5 years in AK. Basically just yolo’d it and found a job driving buses at first.

Also to OP: it is hilariously easy to find a job in AK in the summer to hold you over until you sort things out.

Seth Morgan wrote:

I did the same thing as you; I’m a hydrogeologist. Spent 5 years in AK. Basically just yolo’d it and found a job driving buses at first.

Also to OP: it is hilariously easy to find a job in AK in the summer to hold you over until you sort things out.

Thanks! Yup, I've been working as a cook here for the past month, all worked out great. 

I’ll be up in 3 weeks and have about 6 weeks to play before I start work if you’re looking to play in the Chugach, Mat, or Thompson Pass at all.