The Work Kamping position we filled in for is going to be posted for next year and since we had a wonderful experience thought I would throw it out there. We are at a Day park and the only site in the park. Our responsibilities are to walk a small piece of the trail daily, open and shut the gates in the morning and at night, and check the restrooms, which see little use. It's a volunteer position so no pay but the cell coverage is good, the little town of Susanville has reasonably priced services, and we are relatively close to Reno, Tahoe, and Lassen Volcanic Park. The best part of the position is how well we have been treated. Every single BLM employee has been nothing but nice and gone out of their way to make us feel like a member of their team. Folks are always checking in to make sure we don't need anything and honestly I can't imagine a better first work kamping job for us. The only reason we wouldn't stay next year is we are still new at this and don't want to be tied down to one place for an entire season. So if it sounds interesting please send me a note and I can give you more info and then let Stan our BLM director know you are interested.
Trace
trennaross said
07:12 AM Dec 1, 2015
Hi Trace,
I had a phone interview yesterday w/someone at Redwoods River Resort in northern California and I was asked for my SS#, DL# and a $100.00 check which management would cash and return to me upon my arrival. I felt uncomfortable with this request and did not provide my information. Is this the norm when applying for work camping positions?
I would like to have additional information about your experience in Susanville. I have been in my rig full-time since September 21st and this will be my first work camping job. Any info you feel like sharing would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Trenna
ticat900 said
10:22 AM Dec 1, 2015
trennaross wrote:
Hi Trace,
I had a phone interview yesterday w/someone at Redwoods River Resort in northern California and I was asked for my SS#, DL# and a $100.00 check which management would cash and return to me upon my arrival. I felt uncomfortable with this request and did not provide my information. Is this the norm when applying for work camping positions?
I would like to have additional information about your experience in Susanville. I have been in my rig full-time since September 21st and this will be my first work camping job. Any info you feel like sharing would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Trenna
well the simple question was did u apply to them and did they phone you or did you phone them? What did they say the need for the $100 check was for? Normally one would have a form faxed or mailed of which you would fill out and mail back
The Bear II said
02:11 PM Dec 1, 2015
trennaross wrote:
Hi Trace,
I had a phone interview yesterday w/someone at Redwoods River Resort in northern California and I was asked for my SS#, DL# and a $100.00 check which management would cash and return to me upon my arrival. I felt uncomfortable with this request and did not provide my information. Is this the norm when applying for work camping positions?
I would like to have additional information about your experience in Susanville. I have been in my rig full-time since September 21st and this will be my first work camping job. Any info you feel like sharing would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Trenna
If legitimate I would say the $100 covers the cost of processing your application and credit check. If not legitimate then they would use the information to drain your checking account.
JonRV said
06:24 PM Dec 1, 2015
Either way for a volunteer position doesn't it seems strange to ask for $100?
Camper Chronicles said
10:56 AM Dec 2, 2015
I think that's strange and we are not the most experienced but have never been asked that. We were sent to a government agency in the same state for background checks and paid a reduced cost of $10 each for getting it done. Now maybe that's not possible because you are out of state, but $100 is full price for a background check and since you are volunteering that seems to high to me.
trennaross said
08:04 AM Dec 4, 2015
Thank you all for your feedback :) I did not share my info because of all the red flags and alarm bells that went off in my head when he asked for social, but later I thought maybe this is how it's done. So, thank you for your responses. I responded to an add he placed via email and we arranged a time for a phone interview where he called me. His stated reason for the $100.00 check was because he has had work campers fail to show up and he felt the $100.00 provided his some compensation should that occur. He claimed the $100.00 would be returned to me when I arrived. I suspect I dodged a bullet.......thanks, again, Everyone!
Trenna
ticat900 said
11:21 AM Dec 4, 2015
trennaross wrote:
Thank you all for your feedback :) I did not share my info because of all the red flags and alarm bells that went off in my head when he asked for social, but later I thought maybe this is how it's done. So, thank you for your responses. I responded to an add he placed via email and we arranged a time for a phone interview where he called me. His stated reason for the $100.00 check was because he has had work campers fail to show up and he felt the $100.00 provided his some compensation should that occur. He claimed the $100.00 would be returned to me when I arrived. I suspect I dodged a bullet.......thanks, again, Everyone! Trenna
its a scam
JonRV said
03:31 PM Dec 4, 2015
Yeah good call on dodging the bullet. For sure sounds like a scam.... a bad one on that. $100 a pop would be hard to make enough money :)
BiggarView said
04:16 PM Dec 4, 2015
I find it odd that the employer would expect a $100 dollar bond to show up. The DL and SS items can be rationalized as part of a routine background check. If they have had problems in the past with workampers not showing up, then it behooves the CG operator to be more thorough before hiring somebody. References would be a good start. As I see it, it's not like the CG operator/owner is a fly by night sharlatan... he's got a website, a known address and phone number etc. Sounds to me like he's got other issues to resolve... perhaps labor problems, or poor relations with guests (vis a vis staff interactions) etc. I know nothing of the CG in question so I can't say with any certainy what is going there or procedurally why this is his SOP.
trennaross, if you feel you dodged a bullet that is all the justification you need to walk away and feel good about your decision. Usually your first feeling is the right one.
For me, things just don't add up. And I certainly would never work for somebody that demanded I pay him a bond before even showing up for work. The logic is, "You vetted me, either you trust me or you don't." This mindset will be lurking in the back of the minds of future workampers that research this prospective employer... and that can be poisonous for morale and the availabilty of future camp hosts etc. The CG, having been identified in this thread, will now have some bad PR winding its way through the web which can be destructive to their business. The scant info I have found about the park has rated it with fairly good scores. Pity. If something nefarious is going on, like ID theft, fraud etc. that is a whole different kettle of fish.
The Work Kamping position we filled in for is going to be posted for next year and since we had a wonderful experience thought I would throw it out there. We are at a Day park and the only site in the park. Our responsibilities are to walk a small piece of the trail daily, open and shut the gates in the morning and at night, and check the restrooms, which see little use. It's a volunteer position so no pay but the cell coverage is good, the little town of Susanville has reasonably priced services, and we are relatively close to Reno, Tahoe, and Lassen Volcanic Park. The best part of the position is how well we have been treated. Every single BLM employee has been nothing but nice and gone out of their way to make us feel like a member of their team. Folks are always checking in to make sure we don't need anything and honestly I can't imagine a better first work kamping job for us. The only reason we wouldn't stay next year is we are still new at this and don't want to be tied down to one place for an entire season. So if it sounds interesting please send me a note and I can give you more info and then let Stan our BLM director know you are interested.
Trace
Hi Trace,
I had a phone interview yesterday w/someone at Redwoods River Resort in northern California and I was asked for my SS#, DL# and a $100.00 check which management would cash and return to me upon my arrival. I felt uncomfortable with this request and did not provide my information. Is this the norm when applying for work camping positions?
I would like to have additional information about your experience in Susanville. I have been in my rig full-time since September 21st and this will be my first work camping job. Any info you feel like sharing would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Trenna
well the simple question was did u apply to them and did they phone you or did you phone them? What did they say the need for the $100 check was for? Normally one would have a form faxed or mailed of which you would fill out and mail back
If legitimate I would say the $100 covers the cost of processing your application and credit check. If not legitimate then they would use the information to drain your checking account.
Trenna
its a scam
I find it odd that the employer would expect a $100 dollar bond to show up. The DL and SS items can be rationalized as part of a routine background check. If they have had problems in the past with workampers not showing up, then it behooves the CG operator to be more thorough before hiring somebody. References would be a good start. As I see it, it's not like the CG operator/owner is a fly by night sharlatan... he's got a website, a known address and phone number etc. Sounds to me like he's got other issues to resolve... perhaps labor problems, or poor relations with guests (vis a vis staff interactions) etc. I know nothing of the CG in question so I can't say with any certainy what is going there or procedurally why this is his SOP.
trennaross, if you feel you dodged a bullet that is all the justification you need to walk away and feel good about your decision. Usually your first feeling is the right one.
For me, things just don't add up. And I certainly would never work for somebody that demanded I pay him a bond before even showing up for work. The logic is, "You vetted me, either you trust me or you don't." This mindset will be lurking in the back of the minds of future workampers that research this prospective employer... and that can be poisonous for morale and the availabilty of future camp hosts etc. The CG, having been identified in this thread, will now have some bad PR winding its way through the web which can be destructive to their business. The scant info I have found about the park has rated it with fairly good scores. Pity. If something nefarious is going on, like ID theft, fraud etc. that is a whole different kettle of fish.
FWIW, Brian