Video: How to travel by RV and earn an income

What kind of jobs are available for RVers who want to work on the road? In this four-minute video, Workamping expert Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak tells you about the many ways. There's a whole lot more to do than just act as a campground host. If you've ever thought of combining RVing with earning a part-time or even full-time income, you'll appreciate Jaimie's tips. And, her book, Support Your Lifestyle -- THE guide to working on the RV road -- is available at a discount price at RVbookstore.com.

A chuckle about references

I saw this blurb in the free Flag Live paper last week.

"Authorities searching for Sharon Platt after she was accused of stealing $5,000 while working as an office manager for Murphy Motors in Williston, N.D., located the suspect in Pittsburgh, where she applied for a job and listed Murphy Motors as a reference. Williams County Sheriff's Capt. Bob Stancel said Platt was arrested after the owner of Murphy Motors reported her whereabouts when the Pennsylvania company called to check her reference."

You should always check with a company before using them as a reference to make sure they remember you and that it will be a good one. However, use some common sense! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Think about safety- carrying an axe almost cost a life

My son-in-law, Rich, was taking a break from chopping down a tree with an axe. He walked down the slope in the backyard to the house, carrying the axe over his shoulder. One slight problem - he had the sharp side sticking up. He slipped on the grass and fell backwards onto the axe. The cut was 2 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inches deep. When Rich went to the doctor the next day (I know- but he's a man!) because his vision was blurred and he was dizzy, the doctor said he had a concussion. If the axe had cut him two inches over from where it did, he would be dead.

Our first summer working on the road at the Grand Tetons, one of the other maintenance workers was helping the carpenter with a roofing job. Our boss had us do other tasks first because the early-morning frost on the metal roof made it very slippery. Ron started before the sun had dried the roof. He climbed up the ladder, stepped on the slick roof and fell off, landing on his back. He wasn't injured but he could have been seriously hurt. He didn't take the time to check the roof and test how slippery it was before attempting to walk up the slope to where the carpenter was.

Workers on the RV road who worked in a manufacturing or industrial setting undoubtedly had safety drilled into their head with weekly or biweekly safety meetings. Others of us might not be so conscious of things that could injure or kill us.

Carrying tools so the cutting edge or sharp end is pointed down, testing your footing on a potentially slippery surface, wearing eye and ear protection when called for can save you from injury. These apply on the job but also around your RV. An RV roof can be slippery too. Tools you get out for repairs could hurt you if not used properly. Knives used in the kitchen can be dangerous if not used with care.

Be conscious of safety in all your actions, particularly on the job. An injury hurts and takes time away from productive activities. Rich is missing a whole week of work as a result of unconsciously swinging and axe over his shoulder instead of deliberately pointing the sharp side down. He's uncomfortable too. Don't let that happen to you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

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Camp Hosting USA: Your Guide to State Park Volunteering
Learn what you need to know to become a camphost at a state park. Thousands of RVers do it. Here's how to join the crowd -- no matter what state or park you choose. Learn more or order.

"Digging" up the past

Homolovi Ruins State Park, near Winslow, Arizona, is mainly that - ruins. Most are buried, though you can see the outlines of houses and kivas. This is where the Hopi lived - along the Little Colorado River - before moving up to their current home on the three mesas. Before it became a state park and thus protected, a lot of damage was done by pot hunters who even brought in backhoes to dig up the ruin. Pothunters probably broke more than they found and are likely responsible for hundreds of shards scattered throughout the several ruin sites.

A group of archaeologists were doing a dig while we were there, led by a professor from the University of Michigan. Three students were participating for credit, the rest had grants to pay their way. They lived in RVs in the park campground.

It was hot out there on the dig, but all seemed dedicated to getting as much done in the two months of the dig as possible. At the end of that time, the sites would be reburied. One group was specifically looking for square pithouses; round ones had already been excavated in the past. They had surveyed underground by passing an electrical current through the ground to identify where there were likely structures. Every bit of dirt was sifted for sign of human habitation. They had already found a lot of pottery shards and jackrabbit bones.

If you would enjoy being part of a dig, for even a short time, a good source is Passport in Time (PIT), a volunteer archeology and historic preservation program of the USDA Forest Service program. PIT lists projects throughout the U.S. There is no fee to participate. Facilities for volunteers vary; some projects do have RV sites available. You might also volunteer at a national park. At Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, for example, one volunteer camp host couple volunteers for the archaeologist on their days off.

Shortly before we hit the road, Historic St. Mary's City in Maryland had a dig where the public could participate for the weekend. It was quite thrilling to sift dirt and find something besides rocks left on the screen. Almost like panning for gold! If you still like to play in the dirt or be part of unearthing a mystery, check out volunteering at an archaeological dig. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on all kinds of volunteer opportunities, see Jaimie's 2nd edition ofSupport Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, available at the RVBookstore.com

RV makes beaders famous - to other beaders

Deanna and Greg Chase make glass beads and sell them at their Web site. For 4 1/2 years, they traveled in an RV and had a small photo on their Web site. At an ISBM Gathering, International Society of Glass Bead Makers, many people recognized them. They remembered them because of their "wacky" lifestyle.

If you are selling a product and have a blog or Web site, including information about your RV lifestyle and a photo of your rig could be the unique attention getter that makes people remember you. And isn't being distinctive what it is all about if you are selling a product? Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Tip for keeping more of your paycheck

Here's one way to keep more of your paycheck and keep your weight down too!

If you are working in an RV office or at an employer where snacks or sodas are available, make up your mind that these are off limits. Leave your money in your RV. Bring a bottle of water and perhaps some healthy snacks like nuts or carrot and celery sticks as an alternative. Your wallet will appreciate it and so will your waistline.

Sip your water throughout the day and you'll feel less like eating. If you have extra time at lunch, take a walk instead of staying around food, especially food you can purchase. You'll feel more energetic for the second part of your shift. Employee lunches, available in some resort areas, may be inexpensive, but you can probably eat for less in your RV and choose foods with less starch. If you eat at your place of work, brown-bag-it. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Radio interview on working on the road

RV Joey interviewed me about working on the road for his RV Time radio show that was aired on Sunday, June 8. You can listen at RVTime.net. Click on Archives. You can listen or download the show. (Warning- a few minutes of advertisements - and a great RV deal on a Winnebago - before the segment starts, so be patient!)

Get an intro to Workamping, ideas for short term jobs and where to look. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Why is a manhole cover round?

Have you gotten an oddball question like this during an interview? There is no correct answer. An interviewer would ask something like this to see how you react and if your answer showed good reasoning. The wrong thing to do would be to dismiss the question as a joke and not take it seriously.

If you are interviewing in person for a sales job, the interviewer might hand you something like a pen and say, "Sell it to me." She wants to see how you think on your feet and how you present yourself and the pen.

If you do get the manhole cover question, one that seems unrelated to the job or even one you weren't expecting, pause and say, "That's a good question." That gives you a few seconds to think before answering. When you make up an answer for the manhole question, speak confidently like you are the expert! It may just get you the job. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For questions you should ask during an interview, see the 2nd edition of Jaimie Hall's Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, available at RVBookstore.com

Layout of resume is important

I came across an excellent resource for workers on the RV road. It's Amazing Resumes: What Employers Want to See and How to Say It by Jim Bright, Ph.D. and Joanne Earl, Ph.D. The focus is on proven strategies based on psychological and human resources research.

They interviewed recruiters and hiring officials about what they dislike in a resume. Layout is one of the three main areas. Comments included statements like:

• Layout is terrible. Too difficult to make sense of the information
• Format annoying.
• No logic; difficult to follow.
• Too much information on the page. Text is very small, though information is good.
• Little reference to position description.

Often the layout and appearance can cause a candidate to be rejected even though they have good qualifications. Take time to study resumes and use them as models. Leave plenty of white space so the reader's eye is drawn to relevant points. Bullets and headings help the hiring official find what they are looking for without searching. Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak

For a sample resume and advice on preparing one, see Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

How Startbucks Saved My Life

I just read How Starbucks Saved My LIfe: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else by Michael Gates Gill. Coming from a wealthy family and then holding a top job at an ad agency, Michael hadn't lived an ordinary life. His father was New Yorker writer Brendon Gill. Through his parents and his job, he met top politicians and celebrities. In his 60s, Michael lost his job and his family. On a fluke, he was hired to be a barista at a New York City Starbucks, in not such a great area. It changed his life.

What was interesting is that Starbucks provides benefits like health insurance if you work at least 20 hours/week. If you are a coffee lover, another benefit is a free pound of coffee per week (plus drinks on the job). They are, according to this book, very employee oriented. The district manager met with Michael to see if he wanted to work at a Starbucks closer to his apartment since he was commuting an hour and one-half each way. Eventually he did. They might be amenable to helping a "Partner" transfer to a different location, especially if you wanted to work in one place in the winter and another in the summer. It's an interesting possibility! See their Web site. They have a strong belief in diversity so age shouldn't be a factor.

By the way, today we stopped at a Starbucks in Camp Verde, AZ. Michael's photo was on the recruiting poster for Starbucks. They'll be holding a hiring event next week. Jaimie

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Different ways to make money

At the rally in Casa Grande, Al and Marilyn Verheyn stopped by and we got to talking. They offered some additional ways they make money that works for them.

Each summer they work for a Boy Scout camp for 10 weeks. They arrive a week early to help set up, then stay a week afterwards to pack things up again. Each session lasts week when the campers are there. Al does shotgun training and Marilyn works in the camp store. In return, they receive a full hookup RV site and their meals. On weekends, between sessions, their meals are provided. Boy Scout camps pay depending on your age. A fifteen year old doesn't earn as much as an adult. Al said you need to negotiate your salary but generally for adults it ranges between $350 and $500/week. With both working, they can earn enough in ten weeks to get them by the rest of the year. Last summer they worked at the Woodruff Scout Reservation in Georgia.

While at their daugher's in Indianna, Al is a substitute school bus driver. He has his CDL and is paid $100/day. If he doesn't want to work that day, he says he is unavailable. He works for a couple of hours in the morning, a couple in the afternoon.

Another job Al and Marilyn have investigated but haven't tried is working security at airports. Al already has clearance from a former job, but you would need to get that. Once you are hired at one airport, you can work for a while, then go to another airport and get hired while in the area. They like older part-time workers.

While at the Wal-Mart in Casa Grande, they noticed that Wal-Mart is paying $13-18 to start! Another idea for snowbirds in the area.

These ideas may give you some ideas - especially if you don't want to stay for long periods in one place or just work when you want to while you are in an area. Jaimie

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com.

A talent can earn you money

At the rally we are at in Arizona, Michael Baker is parked across from our RV Authors' Co-op booth. It's hard to miss his rig. He has murals all over plus a intricately carved wooden door in the back.

Though Michael isn't a vendor here, attendees can sell individual items at their rig. Michael has paintings he has done displayed by his rig. And, he is doing a busy business in trade. He has pinstriped a friend's motorcycle and painted her name on her canvas chairs in exchange for a Web site design. Several others have approached him about painting their chairs and murals on their rigs.

Because of his talent, once people saw his work and realized he was doing chairs, they have been coming by and getting him to do theirs.

If you have a talent, you might be able to do some freelance work for others or display and sell your work when parked at a rally or an RV park. It helps if you have such an elaborately decorated RV!

Just another way to make some money as you travel the RV road. Jaimie

For information on Jaimie Hall's recently revised book, Support Your RV LIfestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., see RVBookstore.com.

Success on the job- focus on the business' needs

In an interview with Susan Eastridge, CEO of Concord Eastridge, Inc. in the Arizona Republic, she made the statement:

"The successful people in my business are those who figure out what the business needs to succeed. The unsuccessful people focus on their own needs."

This applies to the successful worker on the RV road too. While you want to meet your basic needs, the way to sell yourself in the interview is to let the owner know how you can help her meet her business objectives. And the way to be successful on the job and to get a good reference is to concentrate on satisfying the customer and building repeat business or on whatever goals the business focuses on.

Make sure this job is a match during the interview and negotiate for what you need in the way of compensation and other aspects of your agreement. Then do the best job you can. Don't let yourself be taken advantage of but putting your efforts into the bottom line for the owner will pay off in more ways than one. Jaimie

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com.