Family Travel: Someone's Got to Do It

JOBS IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

LAURA ZACHARY is the Information Manager of the Ski Club of Great Britain

How did you get the job?

I came back from a ski season after university and thought I should get a proper job, and I went for the ski industry because I didn't fancy working in something like a bank. I sent round lots of letters to lots of different places, and they wrote back and asked me for an interview.

What is a typical day like?

Hectic. There is a set routine in winter and the summer is spent setting up that routine. Around the end of November, when the season starts, we get the snow reports in and then most of the time is spent overseeing and checking them. I also have to write editorials for newspapers and magazines and update the website. We also have a premium rate information phone line, which is still very popular despite the enormous increase of the website's popularity.

We check resort web-cams on the internet, weather reports, and data from the past six years to try to predict what the snow will be like.

What do you like and hate about your job?

I love that I'm talking about skiing all day. I can talk about my work to other people and they will be interested. I can go skiing all the time and I know the best places to go. There isn't much I hate about my job, though having to come in at the weekend to update reports breaks it up a bit.

What's your favourite ski destination?

I love Vail in Colorado. I went there when I was 18, it was my first ski season and it was just magical.

Ski Club website: www.skiclub.co.uk

Premium rate info line: 0906 363 6960