Why Former Summer Camp Staff Will Be Your Best Employees
I attended summer camp for 16 summers as a camper, counselor & supervisor. The best moments of my life happened at Emma Kaufmann Camp (EKC), located in the hills of Morgantown, West Virginia. I am a member of a family that only those who attended summer camp would understand. The experiences I had at EKC from 1998-2012 & 2014 without a doubt have molded me into who I am today.
Our society is continuing to face a pandemic that we never imagined we could experience. Sadly, this means that summer camps around North America have started to announce that they are cancelling their summers due to COVID-19. It is heartbreaking. Campers & staff begin counting down to “next summer” the moment the prior summer ends. Camp experiences are unlike anything else.
There is something special about camp, especially for those who grow through the ranks from camper to staff or those who are introduced to camp for the first time as a staff member. Either way, the passion becomes real very quickly and the bonds made over camp are unbreakable.
The timing of this post is unfortunate, but I’m going to do everything in my power to help those displaced staff members who were supposed to spend a meaningful summer at camp, find a working opportunity elsewhere this summer. I’ll be introducing “My New Summer: Helping camp people prepare for what’s next,” but first, let me tell a quick story.
During my senior year of college at Ohio University in 2012-2013, I began my job search process. In late 2012, I received my first opportunity for an in-person interview for a sales position with a team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Though my expectations were low as a 21-year-old, I was excited to experience my first interview and learn more about the process. I worked very hard to get to that point. I’ll never forget this moment. I’m sitting in the room where various employees stopped in to speak with me in scheduled blocks and in walks an employee of this organization who I later learned was known not to be the nicest person in the world. That person walked in, sat down, looked through my resume, began to laugh, looked me in the eyes and asked, “so where is your real resume?”. As I uncomfortably laughed not knowing how to respond and eventually saying that was my resume, they continued to berate my resume which at that time included two internships with the athletic departments at Ohio University & the University of Pittsburgh, as well as 5 years as a staff member at Emma Kaufmann Camp as a counselor & unit supervisor. I was a 21-year old college senior already in my first job interview and rather than getting advice, insight, or any sort of helpful conversation, I got berated by someone who thought my experience at summer camp was worthless. The rest of the conversation was shot due to that employee talking down to me the entire time. That was the moment I learned what type of people I wanted to work with, and those that I didn’t. I didn’t use this as a reason to be down on myself and try to fluff my resume in an unrealistic manner. Instead, I chose to pivot how I sold myself as a candidate to employers. I started to explicitly share the skills I learned in life & at summer camp, which eventually led to me landing my first job with the Columbus Blue Jackets. I was able to express how the skills I learned through my life experiences set me up to be a great candidate for any employer.
I’ll say this right now and stand by it until my final days: those with summer camp experience WILL BE your BEST employees. If you come across a resume with summer camp experience listed, set up a conversation with them.
Here are a few reasons why:
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Reliability
Camp staff have no choice but to be reliable. Not only are they tasked with taking care of someone else’s child, but they have to provide engaging experiences 24/7 while also ensuring the safety of children. Camp staff can handle any situation while coming out of it all with a smile. This will translate as an employee of your organization because you will be able to count on them.
Communication Skills
Communication skills aren’t something someone at camp can just be “ok” with. Communication is the KEY to a successful summer at camp. If you aren’t a good communicator at the start of camp, you will be by the end of the summer. Not only do camp staff have to communicate with children of all ages, but they have their co-staff, supervisors and sometimes parents that they need to communicate with, 24/7.
Passion
Are you looking for someone to attend a job fair as a representative of your company? The former camp staff member that you hired is going to be the best person for the job. Though you shouldn’t expect them to write a cheer about how great the work environment is at your company, their passion will shine through as they speak to other potential candidates looking to work with your company. Camp staff don’t work at camp because they are forced to. They choose summers at camp over spending summer on college campuses partying because their passion for camp drives them. This will be the same as your employee. If your staff are bought in to your mission & core values, they will be the shining stars that your clients will rave about.
Problem-solving
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where it is pouring rain & you are tasked with coming up with an on-the-spot activity for 300 7th graders? If you went to camp, you’re laughing at how many times you have dealt with this situation. Camp staff are always working on the fly, keeping others busy at every moment & finding solutions for any problem that arises. Camp staff have a trait within them that cannot be found everywhere, and that is that they always can find a solution to a problem. They don’t ask, “what’s the issue?”, they say, “let me resolve this!”.
Empathy
Do you want to find someone who has felt every emotion possible in a span of 12 hours? Talk to a camp counselor. They have been through it all. Whether dealing with a homesick child, settling disputes, assisting in a grieving process, consoling the kid who got dumped at the big dance or the child who lost the championship basketball game, they know how to handle any emotion and can do so with a level-head. They’ll be able to create wonderful working relationships with their colleagues & clients because they know how to relate to others.
Time Management
I saved the best for last. When you are looking to hire someone for your business, you NEED someone who is efficient & has their time management skills locked down. Look no further than a camp counselor who had to balance 10 activities in one day, while making sure everyone is showered, dressed, teeth brushed, beds made. Not just that, they are constantly settling disputes, coming up with program ideas on the fly, dealing with their sore back from piggy back rides and definitely joining in for an early morning instructional swim with their cabin. Camp staff have no choice but to have their time management skills perfected.
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To that person who berated me in my first job interview (you may be reading this because we are connected on LinkedIn) - thank you for berating my resume & I in 2012. Truly. Thank you. Without that experience in my first job interview, I never would have learned that highlighting WHY my summer camp experience made me a great job candidate was the best decision I would make. Thanks to you, I learned to explain why the skills I possess such as being an effective communicator helped me in my roles to build great relationships with my clients & colleagues. I was never more proud of my camp experience than I was after that interview.
Fast forward to today. May 2020, we are facing a pandemic of epic proportion and camps are forced to close for the summer. Unlike that person who berated me, I am here to provide any insight & guidance that I can to those of you who planned to spend your summers behind the gates of your favorite summer camp home. I know firsthand that camp staff possess the qualities to make the perfect employee. Whether I can assist by hiring you, making an introduction or generally talking you through your questions, I’m here. Contact me at any time via email at andrew@andrewexler.com.
Right now, the best thing we can do is help each other. No strings attached. Let’s act quickly to make this work for everyone. Please contact me with questions at andrew@andrewexler.com.
- Andrew
