Current Position: Park Manager
How long have you been with Mississippi State Parks and in what capacity?
I've been with Mississippi State Parks for 13 years. From 1994-1998, I worked as a clerk at Florewood State Park. In 1998 I was transferred to Holmes County State Park, where I became an Assistant Manager in 2000 and the Park Manager in 2002.
How did you become interested in working as a Park Manager?
I went to the state personnel web site and filled out an application online and took it to Florewood State Park. I had been a dental assistant for 16 years and was ready for something different. When I got the clerk position, I told the manager that my goal was to learn all I could and move upward.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
I'm usually in the office around 6:30 to 6:45am. The housekeeping chart is fixed for incoming and outgoing guests. When cabin guests leave, I check each cabin for any damage or how the cabin was left. I check the housekeepers' work and once a week observe them while they are cleaning the facilities.
I have a maintenance supervisor and give him a list on Monday morning for that week. At the end of each day he updates me on what has been completed and alerts me if any emergencies came up that day. The office staff has a daily list of what they are supposed to do and have a deadline for completion of each activity. I observe how they are performing their duties.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
I average between 50 to 60 hours a week. Time does not mean anything to me. I am the manager. I'll work until I get what I'm working on completed.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy meeting and interacting with the public. I make myself available for my guests in the park. If they need any assistance, day or night, I want them to call on me.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
Getting people to abide by the rules and regulations of the park.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Years of experience as a clerk and assistant manager helped me to become a manager. In-house service training classes included:
- Basic supervisor course
- Drug-free class seminar
- Performance appraisal review
- Reserve America (committee) training classes
- SPHARS
- SAAS
- Background investigation class
- Servsafe
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
No. I feel after 13 years of experience I had adequate experience to carry out my duties and responsibilities as a manager, but I am always open to learning more.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
Getting someone to bid on replacing tile/carpet in the motel rooms and the deck at the executive cabin.
If someone were interested in working in your position, what advice could you give them?
Make sure you are aware that the job description of a manager/assistant means being on call all the time. You need good public relations skills, to be honest and dependable, be willing to take responsibilities, and be able to live in the park. You have to be able to go beyond the call of duty in order to meet the needs of the job.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
I love working with this agency and enjoy what I do.
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