Camp Counselor Resume Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Nicole Hickons
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 First Street, Carol City, FL 33055
Profile
Camp Counselor with strong experience leading both youth and adult retreats. Committed to advancing team goals and upholding camp mission and values. Thrive in dynamic and fast-paced work environments. Experienced and confident public speaker.
Key Skills
- Camp Activity Planning
- Lifeguarding
- Public Speaking & Presentations
- Team Collaboration
- Time Management
Professional Experience
Retreat Leader, Gainesville Methodist Retreat Center, Gainesville, FL | September 2021 to Present
- Support logistics for weekend youth and adult retreats with ~75 participants
- Facilitate expert panel discussions during breakout sessions
- Oversee small groups of 6 students during youth retreats
Camp Counselor, United Methodist Youth Camp, Central Park, FL | June 2021 to August 2021
- Co-led groups of 12 on weeklong camping excursions
- Helped develop and plan various engaging group activities
- Oversaw waterfront station with 3 other camp counselors
- Provided emotional support to youth attendees as needed
Education
Counseling Coursework, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL | September 2021 to Present
Graduate, Central Florida High School, Orlando, FL | 2021
Certifications
CPR, American Red Cross | 2022
Lifeguard Certification, American Red Cross | 2020
Jason Hart
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 My Street, San Francisco, CA 12345
Profile
Dedicated Camp Leader with 8+ years of experience. Organize enriching, high-quality education and leisure activities for diverse children age 10-17. More than 3 years’ leadership experience guiding large and small teams to provide fun experiences for all campers.
Key Skills
- Child Health & Safety
- Positive Behavior Management Strategies
- Reporting & Documentation
- Team Leadership & Motivation
- Time Management
Professional Experience
Camp Leader, Camp Galileo, San Francisco, CA | January 2020 to Present
- Co-develop and plan a broad program of athletic, educational, and extracurricular activities to cater to a range of needs, including children with SEN
- Train and manage staff members charged with overseeing enrollment of up to 300 children each session
- Promptly address and resolve queries and concerns from parents and students
- Ensure children’s safety and wellbeing at all points
Camp Counselor, Camp Tawonga, San Francisco, CA | January 2015 to January 2020
- Devised and led sport activities for children age 10-14
- Created a safe and inclusive environment for camp participants of varying ability levels
- Monitored each child’s wellbeing and progress, reporting any concerns to management
Education & Certifications
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Recreation, Hospitality & Park Management, California State University, Chico, CA | 2020
CPR and First Aid, American Red Cross
John Martinez
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
1010 Blake Street, Denver, CO 12345
Profile
Youth Camp Counselor with 11+ years of advancement and experience. Engage campers in safe, fun, challenging activities suited to their interests and ability level. Supervise and motivate other camp counselors to uphold the camp’s mission and values at all points.
Key Skills
- Conflict Management & Resolution
- Creative Problem-Solving
- Program Administration
- Team Leadership & Motivation
- Wilderness Survival
Professional Experience
Head Camp Counselor, Sherwood Forest, Denver, CO | October 2013 to Present
- Direct daily activities for this youth camp dedicated to teaching children life skills, with average enrollment of 75 students
- Conduct age-appropriate wilderness survival training for campers
- Mentor new camp counselors, ensuring they have the skills and resources needed to excel
- Maintain and update database on camper demographic information, including health records and behavior assessments
Assistant Summer Camp Counselor, Sunnybrook Camp, Boulder, CO | June 2011 to September 2013
- Helped ensure children’s wellbeing and engagement at all points
- Facilitated setup of various activities, directing children to their respective classes
- Provided weekly updates to campers’ parents and guardians
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Recreation & Camp Management, The University of Colorado, Boulder | 2011
Certifications
CPR and First Aid, American Red Cross
Entry-Level Program Staff Certificate, American Camp Association
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for Camp Counselor Resumes
Highlighting key skills and action verbs is an important factor in getting your resume noticed by a hiring manager. Hiring managers often use Applicant Tracking Systems to evaluate the resumes they receive. The ATS scans resumes looking for these keywords and phrases and ranks resumes based on the number that match. Highly ranked resumes are forwarded to the hiring manager for further investigation, so the more skill words you include, the greater your chance of being invited for an interview.
| Key Skills & Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Behavioral analysis | Build relationships |
| Child care | Communication skills |
| Compassion | CPR/first aid |
| Creativity | Crisis intervention |
| Customer service | Daily activities |
| Direct supervision | Games |
| Good with kids | Initiative |
| Instruction | Lifeguard skills |
| Patience | Positive energy |
| Problem-solving | Recreational activities |
| Role model | Staff meetings |
| Team player | Youth worker |
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Adapt | Administer |
| Assign | Camp |
| Collaborate | Communicate |
| Create | Develop |
| Direct | Facilitate |
| Mentor | Organize |
| Plan | Play |
| Prepare | Solve |
| Supervise | |
Tips for Writing a Better Camp Counselor Resume
Highlight your relevant certifications
Some camp counselor positions may require specific certification. For example, a role directing water sports at a camp may require applicants to have a lifeguard certificate. It’s good to mention any relevant certificates you have as they help enhance your resume and demonstrate to employers that you intend to take the position seriously. Camps look highly upon applicants who have first aid and CPR certifications. There are also certifications aimed at camp staff to prepare them for the work. Be sure to include where and when you received the certificate or how long it will remain current.
Example #1
Good
- Lifeguard Certification, American Red Cross, 2020
- CPR Certification, American Red Cross, 2020
- First Aid Certification, American Red Cross, 2020
Bad
- Lifeguard and CPR certificates
Example #2
Good
- Entry-Level Program Staff Certificate, American Camp Association, 2019
- CPR Certification, American Red Cross, 2020
Bad
- Certificates in camping and CPR
Feature your camp counseling soft skills
Camps look for a strong complement of soft skills when hiring camp counselors, as counselors spend much of their time interacting with children and other staff. Counselors need patience, initiative and a positive attitude. Camps also look for people with strong communication skills who can collaborate and work as part of a team and well-developed leadership skills. Make sure you emphasize at least one of your soft skills that’s relevant to the position.
Example #1
Good
Lead groups of up to five teenagers, ensuring they complete required tasks, redirecting attention when they’re distracted and helping the entire group maintain a positive attitude
Bad
Worked with teenagers helping them complete assigned tasks
Example #2
Good
Collaborated with a team of 10 day-camp counselors to create fun and engaging activities and communicated plans to campers and their parents
Bad
Designed activities for a day-camp program
How to Align Your Resume With the Job Description
Hiring managers have specific requirements in mind when they start looking for a candidate and use the job description to define their needs. You can stand out from other applicants by tailoring your resume to ensure it includes the skills and experience the job description says are essential.
The most important requirements for the job are generally listed at the beginning of the job description or mentioned more than once. These are the key priorities that you should address in your resume. Include notable contributions that describe how you meet these needs, and avoid copy and pasting so that your resume doesn’t sound generic.
Example Camp Counselor Job Description
Camp Thoreau is looking for a positive and creative camp counselor to join our growing team. The successful candidate will take primary responsibility for a group of 6-8 campers for their stay and support, lead and motivate them to ensure they enjoy their time at camp. You will also work with other team members to plan and lead activities and educate campers on activities and projects. The ideal candidate will be organized, responsible and have a positive attitude.
Responsibilities:
- Plan and lead activities for children and young teens
- Guide and teach a range of indoor and outdoor activities such as crafts, hiking and swimming
- Monitor camper activity and ensure safety
- Supervise campers during meals, daily routines and clean-up tasks
- Support campers and help resolve conflicts
- Clean, maintain and ensure proper use of camp facilities and equipment
- Record details of incidents, such as accidents or behavioral problems, and report to parents and camp staff
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Experience working in camps or with children
- First aid and CPR certification preferred
- Ability to pass a background check, a physical and have proof of immunizations
- Strong communication and leadership skills
- Upbeat, positive attitude
- High level of responsibility and safety awareness
The job description shows that the following skills and experience are essential for the position:
- Safety-conscious
- Communication skills
- Leadership
- Conflict resolution
- Teamwork
- Plan
- Educate
- Positive attitude
- Provide support
- Supervise
Take what you highlighted in the job description and use that information to build your resume by including skills and experience that meet those needs. Below you can find an example of how best to incorporate these details in your resume.
Camp Counselor Work Experience Example
Camp Counselor
Noah’s Nature Camps, June 2019 – September 2019
- Responsible for a group of 10 campers, leading and supervising group, providing support when homesick and resolving conflicts between the group
- Planned fun events and activities with the counseling team designed to keep campers engaged and educated campers on how to complete projects and activities
- Kept campers safe by following emergency and safety guidelines and intervening to stop unsafe activities; communicated incidents to parents and other camp staff
- Helped campers maintain a positive attitude when faced with a change of plans due to poor weather, quickly adapted schedules and redirected energy to new projects