Recruiting And Retaining Camp Staff
Staff members are a camp director’s most valuable asset, so it is important to get the right people in the door and, once they’re onboard, keep them around. It can be a challenge to not only recruit enough staff, but recruit quality candidates who can be retained. The following are some tips to help leaders with recruitment efforts:
1. Research similar pay structures in surrounding areas to ensure the camp is paying at or above market rate. Don’t hide or be vague about pay. Be forward about rates, and use them to sell the position.
2. Be creative with job descriptions, and ensure they are as accurate and informative as possible. Each one should stand out in order to get potential applicants excited about the position.
3. Sell the camp and the camp experience when posting an ad. Posting a job description and work-related duties is generally not enough to catch the eye of potential hires. Leaders must sell them on the experience and benefits of working for a camp.
4. When finding the right outlet to reach potential staff members, go where they are. Generally, camp staff members will be younger adults in the 18-25 age range. Recruit through colleges in the area, on social media that appeals to that group, and in local places that are frequented by ideal candidates. Similar to narrowing marketing efforts to find campers, directors should narrow staff-recruiting efforts to the channels with the best odds of reaching applicants.
5. Run a referral program with current staff members. Sometimes, the best new staff members are those who have been referred by the current staff. Incentivize team members to bring in more staff and act as recruiting advocates.
6. Make it easy for candidates to apply. Many larger companies have drawn-out application processes that can frustrate applicants. Leaders should save all paperwork for the hiring phase and streamline the application process to make it as easy as emailing a resume or cover letter.
7. Start a counselor-in-training program. These are generally high school students who can be hired as volunteers for their first year and moved into permanent staff positions when they become of age. This can be a great program for those who age out of a camp program. Transition them to a CIT and then to a staff member to have an ongoing pool of trained staff members season after season.
8. Market open staff positions through participants’ families. New hires who are already familiar with a program are generally the best staff members.
9. Host a job fair or attend others at area schools. Hosting a job fair can be beneficial because it gives community members a chance to see a camp’s facilities and apply for open positions. This approach is especially helpful if a camp has several vacancies. Attending job fairs at schools within the community can also help camp directors reach the right applicants.
10. Be persistent. If potential staff members aren’t crashing down the doors to work at a camp, directors must take the initiative to get out there and find them. Send follow-ups and check in periodically with each marketing channel to ensure the job opportunity is being seen by the target audience.
Recruitment Best Practices
When new hires are on-staff, it is just as important to focus on retention. Turnover is very costly for organizations not only through recruitment but also through training and the associated administrative work. Below are some tips that leaders can implement to help retain staff members:
1. Be as flexible as possible with scheduling. Camp is a commitment, but it is becoming more and more difficult to find staff members who can commit to an entire program without missing a day or taking time off, especially in the summer or over the holidays for winter camps. If directors can allow some flexibility with schedules and keep the camp fully covered, it will go a long way with the staff.
2. Throw in staff-member perks and benefits. Time off, use of the facilities, rewards for good performance, etc. are all things leaders can add to a benefit package to keep staff coming back each season.
3. Provide paid training, education, and certification. Staff members who are interested in a career in the camp industry, childcare, education, or related sectors will be the best and most engaged staff members. Providing training that helps them in the program, as well as in their careers, will keep them coming back until they move into their chosen full-time profession.
4. Create a fun, positive, and inclusive culture. A great culture can take years to create, but leaders can flip the switch in just one season to create a strong cultural framework that makes people want to work for a director and a camp. Start with what makes working at camp great and engrain that in staff members from the moment they step foot onto the campgrounds.
5. Be a great camp leader and manager. When it comes to retaining staff, camp owners, directors, and/or managers are where it all starts. Leaders must invest in themselves to learn how to manage people effectively and model great leadership traits. This personal development will go a long way in creating a successful culture. Potential staff will not only want to work at camp, but will want to work for a camp’s leaders, which will keep them coming back.
The more desirable a job looks compared to others, and the greater a camp’s ability to reach the right staff members, the greater the chance that leaders will attract the right candidates. Retain staff year after year by maintaining a great culture, adding perks and benefits, and showing team members that they are an essential part of the overall operation.