5 tried and tested tips to help you get hired at summer camp

Hey, I'm Victoria a Brit born and raised currently on a working holiday in Australia. But when June-August hits a sleep-away camp in Pennsylvania is where I call home.

As a four-time (soon to be five) summer camp employee, I know a thing or two about the application process. So let's get straight to it shall we - here are my five tried and tested tips on how to make your application stand out AND get you hired at camp next summer!

Choose the right profile picture

A profile picture on your application is the first thing a Camp Director is going to see when they look at your application. It’s essentially a window into your application so have a think about which photo you plan on using. Pick one that speaks volumes about you - choose a happy, welcoming and smiley photo that gets your personality across.

1. Toot your own horn

When applying you’ll be asked to talk about any skills or experience you have that could be transferred to a job at camp - think about this carefully. If you’re keen for a specialist role, make sure you only talk about the skills that you are comfortable with teaching AT camp, don’t say you love archery and have heaps of experience doing it, if you don’t have any interest teaching it at camp. Use this section to highlight all of your experience and provide lots of detail on how you can bring these skills to a camp setting. Don’t shy away from mentioning soft skills that are transferable too

PS. I think I won the award for the most amount of times someone has said skills – but hey you get the jist.

2. Take time on your 60-second video

I know this can seem daunting, to sit in front of a camera and talk about yourself for a full minute, but trust me when I say this video plays a big part in whether that particular camp dives deeper into your application. Take your time on this part, have fun with it and make it your own. Let your individuality shine through and don’t be afraid to big yourself up. If you’re struggling to film it solo have a mate or family member interview you about yourself to help it flow.

3. Be specific and add detail

Don’t be afraid to go into detail! The applications can be long but try to avoid putting one-word or one-sentence answers to the questions, a camp director is going to spend as much time reading your application as it takes. If you fly through your application, they will only end up looking at it for a few minutes, but if you write more in-depth info about yourself, they will spend more time reading through your application which is more likely to stay in their mind. The longer a camp spends looking at your application, the more likely they are to offer you an interview!

5. Make a lasting impression.

At the end of the day, the best advice to give is to just be yourself. You have been accepted into this program because you have the potential to be an amazing Summer Camp Counsellor, so show off! Don’t be shy or afraid to humble brag about your experiences, this is your first chance to really sell yourself to the camp hiring team. Leave that particular camp wanting to know more about you, or wanting to offer you an interview. Go big or stay home.