Everyone has skills and abilities. Some are your unique aptitudes and talents that come to you naturally and easily. Other skills and abilities will be added or improved upon through education, training, and experience.

You will need many skills in the 21st century job market.

The experience gained from working a camp is a stepping-stone on your long-term career path. You have the opportunity to acquire and practice critical 21st century job skills at camp that will be transferable to all of your future environments — professional and personal.

Translating these might be as difficult as getting campers to bed each night, but if you can identify the skills you have developed, then you will have those important items that fill a resume and carry you through interviews.

Many human resources managers in lots of different fields find summer camp experience very impressive because of the level of dedication and commitment required. Summer camp also demonstrates that you can adapt well to new cultures, which is essential for success in many corporate environments. In fact, many corporate executives were once campers and/or camp counselors themselves.

If you’re an education major, it goes without saying that experience working directly with children is a huge plus on a new teacher’s resume.

EMPLOYERS LOVE REAL-WORLD CONTEXT!

The camp experience is unique. Participants eat, sleep, work, and play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Since it's a small community, counselors must work collaboratively with the administration, camp nurse, maintenance department, waterfront director, other staff, and kitchen help. This experience can't be duplicated in a normal 9–5 summer job.

What you’re doing is important!