Decided to move to Colorado to work for a year or two after finishing undergrad, but was worried I would be late to the game because I couldn't make it out until early January, and much of the hiring takes place in October/November. Applied online using the standard application process. Turned out I needn't worry, as there is constant turnover in almost all the on-mountain service departments throughout the season. My application was seen quickly and I received a call the same week I submitted the app...apparently they had an immediate need for about 15 more Lifties. The call I got from HR seemed to double as a quick phone screening interview, so just be ready for that if you apply for a seasonal job with Vail and receive a call shortly after from a number you don't recognize. It's nothing daunting, the person on the other end will just ask you briefly about your situation and what you're looking for (part-time/full-time, seasonal/year-round, etc)...I believe they also asked me at that time whether I would need housing or not if hired. Housing is somewhat limited and they can't always offer it. Anyway, the in-person interview is extremely basic. As I recall, they didn't even ask too many questions, they mostly just described the nature of the job. I remember being asked if I minded the physical nature of the job or working outdoors in extreme conditions. No and no. They also want to know what your skiing ability is, since most of the lifts are in areas on accessible by skiing/snowboarding. Yes, of course, I'll never understand people who apply to this job but have no interest in skiing or snowboarding, and who don't even want to learn...surprisingly, those people do exist. They also described Vail's dress and hygiene code and drug policy, and asked in passing if you were willing to comply with these rules. Again, yes, of course...but some people who worked there genuinely had a problem staying inside the lines. The general impression I got from the interview is that they wanted to make sure you weren't a complete dingus, crazy person, or someone who's completely averse to physical work in harsh weather. If that's you, you won't have a problem with the interview. Honestly, if you're even on this site and reading this, you can get through the entry-level hiring process for practically any job at Vail Resorts, assuming you're willing to work hard and can speak to that without sounding like a liar. Lift ops seemed to be a bit like the military, insofar as their threshold for hiring probably fluctuates based on their needs. If the season is approaching and they still need to fill 20 spots on the roster, they'll probably hire anyone...if they have more time to work with and they only need to fill a couple spots, they'll probably be a lot more selective. Again, if you've got it together to the point where you're on GlassDoor trying to figure out how to pass an interview for Lift Operator, you're probably going to be fine...I did zero prep for this interview, I just put on some clean clothes and showed up in a good mood with an air of enthusiasm for the position and the idea of living the Liftie Life for a season. That was plenty. Also, if you care, there is no drug test when you get hired. Vail Resorts doesn't overtly allow marijuana use even though it is legal in Colorado. I presume a variety of insurance and litigation-related issues conspire to cause them to take this position. If you get hurt on the job or try to claim worker's comp for some reason, or you screw up and cause an accident or some other situation that needs to be reported, you will almost certainly be drug tested. If you test positive for anything, including marijuana, you can and will be fired and have all of your benefits revoked.