One of the most common questions I see on ACA Connect and the Camp Pro Collective Facebook group are “Where can I post this job description to get good candidates?”
There are two challenges to that question.
The first, as our friend Michael Brandwein says, “If we want people to pay attention, we better have something worth selling.” Is your job advertisement really something people want to pay attention to?
The second is that there is a difference between a job description and a job advertisement — and most people don’t seem to differentiate. Your job advertisement (what you are sharing publicly) is not meant to be an all-encompassing job description. This is meant to be an overview of the roles and responsibilities of a job, as well as a brief introduction to your organization. When you hire a candidate, you can give them a more full job description that will serve as the basis for their work.
In these resources, I have compiled some core elements of a job advertisement and why these elements are important. There is a strong sample job posting courtesy of Camp Havaya that I have annotated with commentary and how I interpret different sections of their description.
Resources
We hope this will serve as an inspiration and guide as you build your future job postings.
Photo courtesy of Hoosier Burn Camp in Battleground, Indiana
This blog was written on behalf of ACA's Project Real Job, whose goal is to support camps in their efforts to recruit, hire, and retain staff.
Ari is a consultant with JCamp 180, managing our consulting practice by lining up camps with the consulting services from our team that best meets their needs. He provides consulting and coaching in camp communications, enrollment, and data-informed decision-making. Within JCamp 180, Ari is currently the relationship manager for many of our affiliated Day Camps.
Before joining JCamp 180, Ari worked for 8 years as a communications director, first with Ramah in the Rockies and then Camp Ramah in California, and a brief stint in community care at Camp Tel Noar. During his time with the Ramah camps, Ari participated in iCenter Birthright Fellows Cohort 1, National Ramah’s Kerem cohort, and JCamp 180’s training in effective communications (JTEC). Ari presents regularly to camp professionals via webinars, articles, and at gatherings with the Association for Independent Jewish Camps (AIJC), the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Leaders Assembly, JCamp 180’s Enrollment Program, and the American Camp Association. People who work with me say that I am creative, thoughtful, and curious.
In his spare time, Ari enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, baking, and photography. He has a BA in Art Studio from the University of California, Davis.
The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Camp Association or ACA employees.
