New Twist on an Old Scam?

My winter RV workamping situation in central Florida,  fell apart due to the government, so at Christmas 2010, I was suddenly jobless, park-less. I am searching high and low for a position somewhere east of the Mississippi. I need partime, not fulltime work (unless it pays ridiculously well, I might consider fulltime.)  I don't have a toad, so that factors in somewhat.

Is the following a scam or what? It smells like a scam to me.

A certain RV Park has been advertising for workampers in Florida.  I contacted them several months ago, they were vague about when the position started, claiming I needed to come stay with them awhile (rent a spot a for a few months)  to see if we were a good fit. Meanwhile I stumbled into a good rental situation on a monthly basis, far cheaper, so I took it since it was in Florida and my rig is not set up to survive brutal winters. I don't have a home anywhere else.

Two months later, I am still looking for workamping. The only semi-offer I received so far was backbreaking work of vague hours (20-25-30 week) in Georgia.  I can't offer a park "vague rent" (Hey I'll pay you $300 or $600 per month etc.)  so I am skeptical of parks that offer vague hours for barter only.  This one when I compared rents in the area, worked out to a barter of about $2.50 an hour, not much for backbreaking work.

I can understand government parks that clearly state "volunteer" opportunities but these privately owned, for profit, businesses that offer vague hours, seems a bit incomprehensible to me.

Or is this the norm, to offer vague hours in their favor?

Is it normal when dividing rent exchange by hours worked to only come up with a few dollars per hour?

Now I see, same ad, still up at same RV park in Florida. Contacted them again.  He gave me basically same spiel, claiming he can't just hire over the phone. I told him I didn't mind coming by in person to meet him (less than 100 miles away) but I wanted to know if this workamping position truly existed or not.

He mentioned now I needed to spend a few days there. I explained I am really seriously looking for a position, I am already paying monthly rent elsewhere, and can't really afford to pay double rents, he claimed he still wanted me to come up and meet with him for just the day. I am toadless, I drive my RV where ever I need to go. (Working on getting an E-Bicycle, but that requires money...)

He also claimed he has the best rent in the area, but turns out he is nearly 50% more than I am currently paying.

I am thinking it may not be worth the drive up there to check this out, but rather he is scamming folks, in order to fill up his park for the winter. I give him an A+ for creativity in filling up his park. *giggle*

Anyone else run across a mess like this?

As a newbie, I figure the first year, I may be stuck with a rotten job, no one else wants, but I do have fantastic skills in business management, accounting and hospitality.  The big downer seems to be that I am single and the vast majority of positions seem to go to couples only.

Also, I've quit emailing my resume and personal information out, but rather making an inquiry first to see if the position still exists before turning over my detailed information.  I don't like the idea of my personal details just floating around all over creation, especially since most places never even respond back, after receiving my info, to indicate whether they are intersted or not, or if the position even still exists.

I must be doing everything all wrong, I am new at this.

My last workamping position was quite reasonable ,I felt the perks and work were a fair exchange, we were all very happy with our arrangement,  until the government stepped in and mucked it all up.

Any help here is greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly.

Have you signed up for Wrk Camper News?  There are jpbs posted daily, not all are suitable, but one of the best clearinghouses out there.  I have never heard of this, come stay with us, see if we are a amtch deal.  I can see it now, pay the CG to stay, try out sweeping the lot and emptying cans, then maybe greeting folks, and then, guess we aren't a match, want to stay another month?  I have a new audition coming in!  Yeah, right.

Pennsylvania.  Campground located in the Pocono Mountains - smaller, family oriented campground seeks motivated, outgoing couple or individual for the 2011 season.  Work mid Apr. to Columbus weekend.  Duties: computer reservations, customer service, general maintenance and cleaning of restrooms, laundry, store, pool and grounds.  FHU site with amenities in exchange for 20 hours per week. Flexible scheduling.  If extra hours worked (not guaranteed) paid at $7.50/hr.

This is a post I received yesterday.  This is typical of what you will see. 

LMM: It may be getting that way. I heard this one hires workampers from some people who did. Beech Bend Park and Splash Lagoon # 270-781-7634. They are at 798Beech Bend Rd. in Bowling Green Ky. Worth a try,  Most of the Campgrounds  in the South only want People to work for site only. That Ga. place, if the same one also gave me a run around. Told them My time was to valuable to play head games to get a job. These are a few sites I have used: Work for RVers; Coolworks; Happy Vagabonds; Job Monkey; Backdoor Jobs. Best Of Luck! Irover ;D ;D

Sounds like you have checked the federal government sites, such as volunteer.gov/gov, but thought I'd mention it anyway. And check the US Army Corps of Engineers (they're great to their volunteers). If you decide to head out west, there are a lot of workamper jobs, private and government (don't know whether there are more or less in the east, just seem to be a great many jobs west of the Mississippi). Also, another vote for Workamper News.

We joined workamper.com at the beginning, thinking we would be want the option for my wife, since I was already working full time from the coach, and she would like to stay busy.

I have read the ads religiously since last summer, getting a feel for what that world is like, and yes, there are some goofy ones out there, but several that looked like great opportunities. I also use the updates to scout various campgrounds, assuming there may come a time where want to visit those places while on the road, and who knows? we might really want to work there! At the very least, we could meet these people and see if they were bona fide positions.

I thought the investment in the dues was minimal, and the offers run the gamut from paid for the hours, site only, to volunteers. Most of the time, the math indicates just a trade-off, you work, you get a site. Nobody is getting rich at those labor rates. But depending on the work schedule, some look to be a great way to enjoy the local area.

A vote for a cetain type job.  Jolene and I have been working in the non-profit park association field for a couple years.  In the east there are a number of them.  Nice work, in a bokstore, selling books and memberships.  Get treated great, nice perks, and depending on the group, hours can be from full time to part time.  GSMNP has one, but these are plum jobs and go fast.  Check online and apply.  With your literary background, I am sure you would be scooped up. 

Any particular reason to stay east? 

If only east, an particular area? 

No pay but free parking can be found from the Army Core of Engineers.. I'm parked just now in one of the COE parks on Lake Hartwell (South Carolina) and they tell me they are indeed looking for work campers for the summer to supplement the rangers.. Duties are a bit on the light side, basically 4 hours a day in the gate house and a couple of walks around the park.

You might want to look into it.. NOTE: this information come from one of the work-campers here.

Corp of Engineers also has fully paid positions, but they are basically full time positions, with two couples sharing gate duty at major parks.

I've never heard of a workamper position that did not state a specific number of hours to be worked in exchange for the site. That  number i needed to protect both you and the campground. It's the minimum labor you owe for the site. It is not unusual for there to be additional hours of work optional or required, but they are normally paid at minimum wage (or sometimes more). We've workamped from Maine to Washington and that is always the way we've done it. On the other hand, we've also turned down some jobs that asked for far too much work for the use of the site (down in the $2-$3/hour range). We enjoy workamping, but not peonage.