Working for RMI

[swaterfall]

Has anyone ever worked for RMI? What were your experiences, good and bad?

 

I've only seen RMI on the Muir snowfield and on the DC. I've got no 1st hand experience with them other than chatting with a guide or two.

 

Any advice on things to do / not to do when applying and trying out?

[DPS]

 

Any advice on things to do / not to do when applying and trying out?

 

Be tall and blond. I sent you a PM.

Edited December 17, 2004 by danielpatricksmith

[scottie_c]

if you have to ask about this,

then you're not fit for the job

[Ricardo_Montalban]

if you have to ask about this,

then you're not fit for the job

 

shut it, scottie.

do you know what he's applying for?

if you don't search out inside/detailed information about a potential employer, you will lose the opportunity to someone else who did.

Edited December 17, 2004 by Ricardo_Montalban

[sobo]

if you have to ask about this,

then you're not fit for the job

 

That seems like a rather disingenuous comment.

 

Ricardo is right; research works.

 

swaterfall: next time you run across an RMI guide, talk to him/her about how they got hired. Ask all the questions you want/they're willing to answer. It's prolly best not to grill them when they're with a herd of clients on route, tho. Look them up at the RMI barn by the lodge or at the Muir hut.

 

Also, I know of at least two posters on this board who are guides up there. And talk to the rangers about RMI, too. They have info about them as well. They have to.

[scottie_c]

apologies for the bluntness of my comment, but it's all too true. intuition is the best guide, not asking a bunch of people lurking on a climbing forum. if he is in fact, cut for the job, his/her mannerism, abilities, people skills, and experience will be what gets him/her hired, and not the advice of a bunch of people online.

 

good luck dude

[KaskadskyjKozak]

apologies for the bluntness of my comment, but it's all too true. intuition is the best guide, not asking a bunch of people lurking on a climbing forum. if he is in fact, cut for the job, his/her mannerism, abilities, people skills, and experience will be what gets him/her hired, and not the advice of a bunch of people online.

 

good luck dude

 

The original poster also inquired about what it is like to work for RMI - not just how to "get hired". As for the latter, the best way to find out about a company's "corporate culture" is to ask people on the inside. Also, networking is key to getting a job - often it is not what you know, but whom you know.

[swaterfall]

Hi Scottie. Actually the "bunch of people lurking on a climbing board" are, mostly, real people many of whom I have met in person. Some of them are actually great climbers and few might even work for RMI.

 

While I was definitly expecting quite a bit of spray I have already got some very useful info about RMI.

 

If you were thinking about applying for any job why wouldn't you do as much research as possible about what ever company you wanted to work for. In return for typing a few sentences you could get a lot of info.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

good luck, SWaterfall.

 

oh, and domo origato for getting Styx stuck in my mind!!

[Stefan]

I knew two people who worked for RMI. One worked for three summers. One worked for 8 years doing miscelleneous guiding for other operations too.

 

Here is what I heard from them. Remember, this is what they told me. I never worked for RMI.

 

RMI likes college students. They are fit, have summers off, usually without any personal family commitments--it just fits well into their business model. They will hire teachers and other sorts of people including EMTs and other people who are not college students too.

 

RMI is a lot more political than what they thought it was going to be. Do not expect at all to make it to be a head/lead guide. The higher ups are there to stay and so there is no room for additional leadership.

 

Be clean cut and shaven. A lot of the clients are professionals.

 

If you are going to a tryout for RMI be knowledgeable about prussiks, ropes, knots, spacing on ropes, weather, glacial movement, crampons...etc. AND know how to explain all that stuff to people. If you are knowledgeable, but do not know how to teach newbies, then you will not get a job. In the teaching arena, remember, you have to do it over and over and over again.

 

Be in shape. In very good shape.

[sobo]

Stefan said...

I knew two people who worked for RMI...

...Be in shape. In very good shape.

 

sobo said...

...And talk to the rangers about RMI, too. They have info about them as well. They have to.

 

Now you know why I said the above.

[thelawgoddess]

seth, you'd be great for it. i have a friend who's on rmi. i can try to get his number for you - not sure where he's at right now but i'll try to track him down. i have another friend who couldn't get on even though he's more qualified. attitude plays a big part. (as in, don't have too much ... and you don't so no worries there.)