Head South to Work for the Winter

Stuck in the city with little work in these dreary, cold months? If you work in construction, remodeling, or professional painting, it might be a good time to head south for the winter or at least East. Tourist towns up and down the coast practically come to a standstill when temperatures drop.

Everyone packs up and goes in when the sun goes away. That’s when the crews come out. Road work, remodeling, demolition and construction are best taken care of when tourist traffic and the income that comes with it, won’t be affected.

In an unsure travel market, towns that depend on tourists are making the means to provide picturesque places for travelers to take their vacations. Coastal communities are moving past the tacky souvenir stigma and aiming for upscale updates to add an air of luxury for visitors and hopefully persuade them to purchase time shares.

Instead of a mismatch of shops, stops and spots, cities are coming together to brand the region and bring in the revenues by encouraging return visits from vacationers near and far. This means:

• Knocking down old, outdated, or unsafe structures


• Constructing new commercial and residential spaces


• Redefining traffic patterns for function and flow


• Adding a color palate to businesses and homes in the area


• Updating attractions like aquariums and amusement parks

Crews that come to work the winter months can often find fully furnished off-season accommodations for next to nothing. The inflated summer prices subside when the wave of out-of-towners head home. This leaves the authentic opportunity to experience the area with only the locals left. While you won’t be sun bathing and jet skiing, winter weather on the cost is usually warmer than the inland alternative. It will likely be wetter though when the time comes to get the job done and winter wanes into spring.

Before you know it you’ll be back in the city but while you’re away you can see a side of the country not everyone gets to experience. At the same time you can add a contract job to your resume and pocket the paychecks while you continue to look for work back home. Or maybe you’ll like it so much you will decide to stay.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Be sure to visit PhillyJobs.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.