Pros
The best and only reason to go to work with Xanterra is that you get to spend at least some time in one of our national parks. Xanterra uses this to sell themselves to unsuspecting potential hires. They will tell you as I was told "You are here to work not hike or take a YA class."
Cons
!) Once Xanterra gets you hooked with the idea and desire to see and work in a national park and get you to spend the time, energy, and money to get there they will screw you big time. First they will give you what amounts to slave quarters to live in and over charge you for it. Imagine yourself in a 8X12' room with two sets of bunk and four people to the room. There is no way for more than two of you to be out of your bed at the same time. You will also have a common shower/toilet room on your hall that you share with everyone. Good luck on it being cleaned! 2) They do NOT no matter what they tell you before you are hired, they do NOT allow much time off to see the park or attend a class or other educational activities. If you are lucky you might get two days off in a row. Split shifts are common which doesn't allow time for hiking or other activities 3) You WILL only make minimum wage but you will be charged maximum for your crowded room and poor quality meals. Lots of greasy starchy stuff! Note that if it can be fried it will be served several times over the course of the week. First for dinner on one or two evenings then you'll see the left overs at lunch for the rest of the week. At the end of the season you get what ever is left over in the fridge and pantry no matter what it is so you will be surprised to see the food combinations they put together. 4) If you can survive your crowded slave quarters and horrible meal, you only have to work for unqualified managers. Because Xanterra treats people so badly, they doesn't have a lot of good quality people to choose from. As someone else stated, they are concerned with quantity NOT quality. This is another reason Xanterra is more and more dependent on international students. I know for a fact they were going to try to find people to work from of the homeless shelters when I was there because they were so short on employees. I actually saw and heard the director of the department I worked in at Yellowstone raise her hands in the air and say in front of several employees, "Just send me some warm bodies. I just need bodies!" I couldn't believe it! That sure tells you a lot of what she thought of us. Drugs are everywhere. Drinking was out of control. If you are older and bolder and experienced expect that you will be working for someone half your age with little to no education or experience, life or otherwise, who have a very inflated idea of themselves. They can and will make you miserable because they are "the manager" and they can. 5) Also, as stated by others, HR is horrible and favoritism is extremely rampant unless you are kissing the right butt at the right time in the right way. Don't ever, no matter what anyone in HR tells, be honest with them. They will cut your throat in a heartbeat. They will ask your opinion but if it is contrary to their own, you will be labeled in your file without your knowledge. Even on those end of season exit interviews and opinion poles. They WILL know who wrote what so be extremely careful on what you say to who.
