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Staff Recruitment Ideas
- Advertise in Summer Jobs @ Camp
- Advertise in Year-Round Jobs @ Camp
- Pay current staff to refer their friends
- Provide a dynamic CIT (counselor-in-training) program to "grow your own"
- Advertise on other Web sites
- Advertise in a local newspaper
- Contact your local ACA office
- Create a video for potential staff to "virtually see" your camp
- Create a brochure specifically for staff
- Provide more benefits (e.g. health)
- Consider hiring international staff
- Provide unique/valuable benefits:
- Internet access
- Satellite dish
- Transportation
- ACA membership
- Travel to camp conferences
- Specialized training
- Pay higher wages
- Survey staff from the previous season and ask questions such as, "Why did you choose to work at camp?" and "What sold it for you to take the job at my camp?"
- Consider hiring people who are retired
- Develop "corporate press kits" to educate non-camp industry employers about the experience gained by applicants who worked at camp
- Create Web streaming video for staff to see why they should work at your camp on your camp's Web site
- Provide valuable training for their resume
- Respond quickly when you hear from potential applicants
- Read Camping Magazine articles about staff recruitment
- Allow children of staff to participate in camp for free or at a discount
- Ask parents of campers to help you find quality staff they may know
- Consider approaching high school seniors
- Rename job titles to be more enticing ("chef" instead of "cook")
- Provide a staff application on your Web site
- Ask camp alumni to help recruit staff
- Provide upgraded housing for selected staff
- Provide opportunities for certifications for staff to earn for their resume
College/University Related
- Build relationships with local college/university educators
- Advertise in college/university newspapers
- Encourage colleges/universities to provide internships
- Visit or contact college/university placement offices
- Ask to briefly speak at appropriate courses at your local college/university
- At random times, visit colleges/universities and simply go to the Union
- Ask to speak to various groups or clubs at college/university campuses
- Encourage colleges/universities to provide college credit for working at camp
- Develop information for educators to help them understand the value of camp related to their field so they can communicate the value to their students
- Go to job fairs
- E-mail targeted groups asking for help at local colleges/universities
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The benefits of working at camp
- Have a significant and positive influence in the life of a child
- Live, play, and work in the great outdoors
- Develop a network of friends and colleagues
- Gain practical experience to further your education
- Develop hands-on, relevant leadership skills
- Participate in experiences that enhance personal growth
- Build your resume with varied skills:
- communication
- problem solving
- critical thinking
- teamwork
- management
- leadership
Staff Retention Ideas
- Reward performance with bonuses
- Use mentoring to help retain staff
- Give staff from the previous season a copy of your staff video for them to give to friends
- Provide bonuses to staff who return next year
- Focus on keeping current staff happy to increase the return rate
- Provide valuable training
- Maintain year-round contact with counselors
- Have a reunion weekend to get previous staff to continue relationships
- Send a note on the birthday of previous staff
- Send gifts during the holidays
- Create opportunities for past staff to work for a week or two of their vacation
- Send pictures of the last camp season
- Take a genuine interest in their lives
- Have a special area on your camp's Web site for staff and alumni with news and photos
- Simply ask staff, "What would it take for you to come back next year?"
- Provide assistance to staff in adding to their resume the skills they learned at camp
- Increase pay each year a person returns as staff to encourage them to return
Ideas for Recruiting Volunteers
- Leaders involved in other program leadership roles i.e. troop, youth fellowship, etc.
- Alumni and/or parents willing to give vacation time
- Senior citizens, i.e. program areas, clerical, maintenance, purchasing, registrar, storytelling, sharing hobbies, etc.
- Retired professionals, i.e. naturalists, teachers, nurses, bookkeeping, etc.
- Employee Work release, i.e. companies that provide community service work release volunteer opportunities for employees
- Teens wanting to get work experience
- Home school parents
- Working parents or interested adults that can help with pre-/post-camp tasks or things that can be done in the evening or during other non-working time
- Parents with young children that can be placed in a toddler program while they volunteer
- Visit volunteering Web sites
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