HI-Nantucket 
Island Info 
HI-Cape Cod 
Get Involved
Jobs
Hostelling International is currently looking for driven, dedicated people from all walks of life to help keep us on the cutting edge of our industry!
Jobs Currently Available:
April - October 2007 : All Positions
Please send a letter of interest with the following six items to jobs@usahostels.org:
- Resume and reason why you would like to work for HI-USA.
- Dates available to start and finish.
- Accommodation need.
- Type of job applying for.
- Hostel preference.
- At least three references.
People with J-1 visas are welcome and encouraged to apply, but you must do so early in the year, as it takes awhile to get your visas.
Job Descriptions
Manager
All Hostel Managers actively engage in achieving the mission of HI-USA, "to help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people, through hostelling." Each Manager is responsible for all facets of the hostel's day-to-day operations as well as general oversight of the hostel operations in accordance with the purpose and goals of HI-USA and the policies of the Eastern New England Council.
Oversee all aspects of hostel operation, including daily operation. Provide high quality guest service, ensuring a safe, clean, and welcome atmosphere. Promote hostelling and environmentally sound practices. Train, supervise and evaluate all volunteer and paid staff, and contract labor. Manage all fiscal aspects of operations. Supervise the maintenance and upkeep of hostel building, equipment, grounds, furnishings, and fixtures. Ensure compliance with all HI standards. Represent the hostel to local officials, neighbors, media and the general public. Maintain ongoing communication with supervisor. Maintain educational programs. Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Live-in job experience desired. Experience managing a hostel or a closely related operation, or be a graduate of a hospitality related program. Demonstrated ability in staff management. Skilled in financial management, record keeping, building maintenance, conflict resolution and crisis intervention. Demonstrated public relations skills. Willing to work evenings, weekends and holidays, as needed. Excellent oral and written communication skills, and attention to detail. Knowledge of hostelling and previous hostelling experience essential. Computer savvy; must maintain and train staff on a computerized reservation/registration system. managers must be available full season. Managers for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket must give at least a two year commitment.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary commensurate with experience, but no lower than $455 a week, own apartment with free utilities. Benefits if you work full time for more than six months. Free nights at other cape and islands hostels. Potential for advancement within the organization.
Before applying for a Manager's Position, please read full Job Description and ensure that you are qualified. Thank You.
Manager Trainee
Manager Trainee positions are given to people who have the potential, desire, and motivation to become future managers for the Eastern New England Council. Manager Trainees will be trained in all facets of running a hostel, and will be responsible for different aspects at different times. If you think you have what it takes, can convince us of that, and are willing to commit to coming back next year to work as a manager, you may apply for this position.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Live-in job experience desired. Prior hostel employment or similar experience necessary. Demonstrated ability in financial and staff management. Demonstrated public relations skills. Willing to work evenings, weekends and holidays, as needed. Excellent oral and written communication skills, and exceptional attention to detail.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary commensurate with experience, but no lower than $350 a week, plus possibility of accommodations. Benefits if you work full time for more than six months. Free nights at other Cape and islands hostels. Potential for advancement within the organization.
Hostel Support Staff
The very important position of Support Staff encompasses about 50% front desk work and 50% housekeeping, with the responsibilities outlined below. Support Staff really make or break a hostel's atmosphere. Can you sincerely keep a smile on your face when faced with piles of laundry or a jet lagged, grumpy guest who doesn't understand English?
Front Desk
Responsibilities include checking people in and out; using a cash register and handling cash and credit card transactions; setting up breakfast (no cooking); answering phones and replying to emails; processing reservations via phone, email, online reservation system, and in person; answering loads of questions about what to do, where and when; entering data in the computer using excel; sometimes helping with housekeeping and laundry; minor maintenance, like unplugging a toilet; welcoming groups; acting as social director....all while having fun!
Housekeeping
Housekeeping tasks may include, but are not limited to: laundering lots of sheets and towels, making beds, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen, sweeping and/or vacuuming, mopping all bathroom and kitchen floors, emptying garbage in rooms, bathrooms and kitchen, cleaning the bathrooms including sinks, showers and toilets everyday, keeping all common areas looking neat, yard work and gardening.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Fluent spoken and written English. Ability to work in a hectic, fast paced work environment. Strong written and verbal skills. Ability to keep calm and multi task. Cash handling and reconciliation skills. Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team. Exceptional customer service. Must be very detail oriented, we run very clean hostels! Willing to work evenings, weekends and holidays, as needed. Ability to live in a situation with little privacy. Sense of humor is required.
Salary and Benefits:
Shifts are 4-8 hours, between 8am - 10pm, with two full days off a week, enabling a second job if desired. Support Staff positions start at $8.00 an hour and go up for returning staff. Accommodations are possible for full time (30-40hrs.) employees, or long term employees. Free nights at other cape and islands hostels. Potential for advancement within the organization.
Volunteer Opportunities
So you want to know what it's like to work at a Hostel? Maybe you'd like to travel vicariously through the tales of others? Have you just come back from traveling and want to stay in the circle of hostellers? Or, perhaps, you feel a call to service and want to donate some of your time to a non-profit organization dedicated to helping others gain a greater understanding of the world, its people and cultures?
Hostelling International is founded on the principle of learning and respecting other people and cultures by sharing space and work. As a volunteer, you'll gain valuable service experience, get a glimpse of the inner workings of a hostel, and meet lots of great people. Our goal is that you will be inspired to travel, and that you will become a lifelong member of Hostelling International.
We offer several Volunteer Programs, lasting from a weekend to three weeks, with memories, friends and inspiration that will hopefully last a lifetime.
Work Weekends
Before opening for the season, each one of the four Cape and Islands Hostels has a two day Work "Weekend" - not always held on weekends! This is where staff and volunteers get together and dust off the hostel to get it ready for opening day. Meals and accommodations are included during the weekend. Work may include cleaning, painting, washing windows, putting up curtains, making beds, carrying and setting up bunk beds, meal preparation, etc.
At the end of the season, volunteers are needed to button up the hostels, which entails packing away dishes and linens, taking down beds, cleaning and perhaps easy maintenance projects.
Volunteers typically arrive the evening prior to the "weekend", and leave the afternoon of the second day. Two breakfasts and lunches, and one dinner are included, but some people choose to hit the town for dinner and nightlife. Free time is given in the afternoons, so you may want to bring your bikes!
Dates:
Martha's Vineyard Hostel: TBA
Nantucket Hostel: TBA
MidCape/Eastham Hostel: TBA
Truro Hostel: TBA
Volunteer for a Workshop
If you feel a call to service and would like to support our staff in helping to provide an awesome hostelling experience for our guests, than this volunteer program is for you.
We are looking for people to help with in-hostel programs. If you have experience teaching yoga, watercolor painting, scrapbooking, facilitating programs or have your own idea for a workshop, we'd like to hear about it.
Volunteers typically work 3-5 hours a day, usually in the morning and/or evenings and have the rest of the day to explore the area - bring a bike! You need to sign up a minimum of two days and a maximum of three weeks. You may volunteer at all four hostels if you'd like.
Accommodations are included, but meals are not. You may use the kitchen facilities to cook and store your food.
Dates:
- Martha's Vineyard Hostel: May thru October
- Nantucket Hostel: May thru October
- MidCape/Eastham Hostel: May thru September
- Truro Hostel: June thru September
Donate a Skill
Our Hostels are old, some dating back to the 1870s! Some are historical buildings; the Martha's Vineyard hostel is the first purpose built hostel in the US, and MidCape consists of small camp cabins built in the '60s. We are always in need of skills like carpentry, painting, flooring, landscaping and basic home improvement skills.
If you have skills and tools, we'd love to have you help out. Projects are usually done in the spring and in the fall, but sometimes can be worked on year round.