Page 2 of Stuck on the Slopes

Alternatively, there was my sister Sarah. Even though Sarah was a few years younger than me and wrapping up grad school, we were all but attached at the hip. Or, I could text one of my sorority sisters, like my “Big” sister Michaela or my “Little” Ariana. Catching up with them may help take my mind off of things.

But instead, I retreated within myself. As newly-paired couples fought over dumb, mindless issues on my TV screen, I scrolled through job listings on LinkedIn, hoping to find a diamond in the rough. After ensuring my resume was updated and I’d switched on the feature that let recruiters know I was open to working, I found myself mass-applying well into the night for anything and everything that seemed relevant, pausing only for a dinner break.

One job listing, however, stopped me in my tracks. There was a job position for an Assistant Resort Manger at a ski lodge out in Colorado. Either LinkedIn glitched or there was some paid promotion boosting the job listing, because I’d only set my search parameters for other companies here in Florida—but despite that, the idea of moving somewhere where I wouldn’t sweat off all my makeup whenever I stepped outside sounded appealing, so I tapped into it.

After all, if I was this wrapped up in my work, getting far away from here might be for the best.

The company profile showed photos of an old resort that saw a steady decline in guests. The only post was a news article from nine months ago saying it had been purchased and would undergo renovations before reopening to the public. The lodge looked beautiful: a massive, five-story wood and brick building that sat atop a snowy mountain. Private log cabins lined the edge of the property with ski trails and snowboarding half pipes, looking like something out of a fairytale or an ASMR video.

I combed through the listing, not automatically applying without paying it any thought. The owner needed someone to assist with getting the place ready to open before they hired the front desk, resort operations, groundskeeping, and housekeeping staff. At the bottom, one line caught my attention: “Marketing and/or resort operations experience preferred as this role may evolve as needs change.”

When I went back to the listing, I caught a glimpse of how many people were in the running. Compared to the other jobs I’d one-click applied to, the number was comically low. This was meant to be. I was sure of it. Here was my chance, staring me in the face, to walk away from a company that didn’t care about me half as much as I cared about it.

So, I whipped up a personalized cover letter, submitted it along with my resume, and hit send. I glanced at the time: it was already midnight. I’d been at this for hours—all day, really. All the more proof I needed a change.

When I finally allowed myself to rest and my head hit my pillow, I could only think one thing,how on earth was I supposed to go to work tomorrow like today never happened?

My entire morning felt like a blur. I tossed and turned more than I slept, and even the largest-sized iced coffee wasn’t helping my energy levels. On the way here, I’d chugged half of it and set the rest on the coaster I kept on my desk next to my water bottle. It wasn’t long before the sun got to work, melting the ice and building condensation on the cup.

I spent the day scrolling on my phone or refreshing my email again. Even if it was just a simple, “I’ll look into it!” to shut them up. I only replied to whatever felt urgent or to resort requests so they wouldn’t be left hanging.

Normally, I grabbed lunch with a few coworkers, Jack included. As our favorite IT employee, Jack had an honorary spot on the Marketing and Brand Development team, but when he came to check on me, I lied and said I wasn’t hungry. When they all went to the break room, I went to my car where I ate a pre-packed lunch alone so I could gather my thoughts. I was at a high risk of combustion, potentially literally, like I was stuck in a bad action movie with a low CGI budget.

Talking to anyone was hard after yesterday—not because the performance review didn’t go well, but because of the implications of it and how I reacted. I felt foolish; after all, I still had a job when so many here in Central Florida struggled, and it was ridiculous to not be grateful I got a Meets Expectations instead of a pink slip.

But it still didn’t sit right.

Ten minutes into my lunch break, my phone rang. When I saw the 970-area code flash across my phone, I scrambled for it. Not caring if I seemed too eager by answering right away, I held the phone to my ear and put on my best customer service voice. It was probably half an octave higher than my usual tone.

“This is Rachel!”

“Hi, Rachel Friedman? This is Juniper Hart from the lodge.”

Upon hearing Juniper’s voice, I wondered why I’d worried about my tone. I’d never heard someone more monotonous. If his flat delivery didn’t make him sound so bored, I’d almost dare say his deep voice was sultry.

“Hi, Juniper! Nice to meet you.”

“Rachel, right? You too. Thanks for your time today.”

“Of course! Thank you.”

“Well, I’m going to cut to the chase. This isn’t exactly my area of expertise. I’m sure you’re used to an HR person running these things.”

“Hey, no big deal.”

“Great. So, it’s only me here. I’ve had some contractors come out to do some of the heavy lifting, literally and figuratively, but there’s still a lot to be done to this place. This lodge desperately needs help on a day-to-day basis, but what caught my eye on your resume was your marketing experience. It looks like you’re at a pretty well-established company. You do know I can’t guarantee this place will survive the winter, right?”

“Sure. I understand that starting a new business comes with its risks, but I’m willing to take the plunge.”

“Listen, I’m sure you can do the job. You saw the listing. It’s labor intensive, sure, but nothing earth-shattering. Would you agree?”

Harshly said, but true. “Yeah, I would.”

“So then, what made you want to apply?”

“I see a real opportunity for growth,” I said. “Once the lodge is ready to open, you’ll need marketing support, which I can provide. I’ve run resort launch campaigns for new locations, so I’m confident we could drum up some buzz and get some great PR going. So, once there’s no longer as much of a need for intense groundskeeping, I could evolve into more of a marketing role.”

He whistled. “Wow, you’ve got your corporate lingo down. But I get what you’re saying.”

---