INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Camp Counselor positions are at a 16% growth rate, which is much faster than average. With that said, there are currently 354,100 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 57,800 to 411,900 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Camp Counselor jobs was $28,440 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $19,510, and the highest 10% more than $46,510.
Our conclusion? The Camp Counselor job market is wide open for candidates.
Top Camp Counselor sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a Camp Counselor resume experience section
Camp Counselor Resume’s Job Experience Checklist:
- Use 4-6 bullet points per job title;
- Don’t go further than a decade behind when describing your job history, unless you’re applying for an executive position;
- Combine job responsibilities as well as achievements with numbers in results when you describe your past work;
- Start each sentence with a power verb and avoid overused buzzwords;
- Use either C-A-R or S-T-A-R methodology, when describing your experience.
The work experience samples below come from real Camp Counselor resumes that got people hired at top companies. You can use them as an inspiration to build your own resume:
- Supervised group of pre-teens to follow schedule per day.
- Prepared a number of lesson plans for musical ensemble weekly.
- Organized small musical ensemble to prepare and perform for summer showcase.
- Supervised & supported cancer survivors ages 6 – 40.
- Supervised, supported & directed Peer Mentors & Cabin Counselors.
- Counseled campers one on one as well as lead group discussions.
- Encouraged personal empowerment regardless of ability level.
- Ensured my campers had the experiences they were seeking.
- Worked summers only .
- Efficiently worked with other counselors to facilitate camp functions and guarantee campers safety.
- I worked with ages 3 through 7.
- Implement camp policies, procedures, and philosophy as stated in the Camp Staff Manuel, and preformed the role of the camp counselor.
- I was a summer camp counselor for 4th graders.
- I was in charge of 8 children at a time and led them through various camp games and activities.
- I assisted on field trips to nearby locations.
- Directed daily functions for a summer camp dedicated to creating engaging recreational opportunities for children
- Designed and implemented weekly schedule, activities, and programming for camp group
- Organized and led small and large group activities such as crafts, games, swimming, and opening and closing ceremonies
- Communicated with parents regarding participant experiences and expectations
- Maintained accurate program records, including incident reports, logs, and daily attendance reports
- Supervised 2 young adults with a variety of disabilities during various camp activities such as, swimming, field trips, and independent time
- Modified activities to accommodate the needs of the campers
- Facilitated group instruction and activities
- Directed and supervised 10 campers ages 12-13
- Planned, coordinated and executed 75-minute instructional basketball activities for groups of 15-25 boys
- Contributed to verbal and written evaluations and administration
- Supervised 15 kids aged 9-10 years old for roughly three and a half weeks.
- Ensured that all kids were where they needed to be and on time throughout the day.
- Provided entertainment and enthusiasm to group on a daily basis, while also displaying leadership skills.
- Worked with co-staff and supervisors in order to ensure best possible experience for campers.
- Monitored and helped children throughout the day, while ensuring their safety and comfort.
- Created fun and stimulating games and activities for my campers.
- Diffused situations of conflict between campers in a calm yet assertive manner.
- Gave each child my undivided attention and care.
- Supervised a group of 150 children on a daily basis
- Created and managed camp programs and activities specifically with engaging children in physical activity
- Cooperated with other counselors in my division and within camp to create and implement group activities
- Practiced listening and counseling skills by helping campers learn to live together
- Led groups of 4-year old boys
- Acted as a role model in all areas of camp activities including cleanliness, punctuality, chores, rules, and sportsmanship
- Created a comfortable atmosphere for campers through communication and friendliness
- Took care of 20 to 30 campers per week of 8 to 17 year-olds
- Stayed at dorms with campers and Enforced discipline at residence halls
- Created and managed daily activities for campers ranging from instructions to fun games
- Led groups of 4-year old boys
- Acted as a role model in all areas of camp activities including cleanliness, punctuality, chores, rules, and sportsmanship
- Created a comfortable atmosphere for campers through communication and friendliness
- Used my passion for technology and coding to teach and help children with their coding assignments.
- Assisted implementing and teaching new curriculum for younger children using 'Blockly' programming to create Minecraft mods.
- Assisted implementing and teaching new Robotics curriculum to get children to build and code their robots. (2016)
- Used other curricula to teach children how to code, such as Java, Blockly, Javascript, and some Python.
- Honed my skills and patience by working with children ages 5-15 at unique summer camp program for five consecutive summers
- Supervised children in activities including crabbing, canoeing/kayaking, photography and regional day trips to places such as Washington, D.C., Sandy Springs Adventure Park and
- Led a team of middle schoolers in building an environmentally self-sufficient Tiny House that was part of SustainaFest and recognized by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley
- Organized activities and games for campers to participate in.
- Encouraged curiosity and creativity during craft time.
- Promoted positive redirection, set expectations, and provided tender love and care for each child.
- BSA Certified Lifeguard - Waterfront Activities
- Red Cross CPR, AED and First Aid
- Instructor for Small-Boat Sailing & Eagle Required merit badges
- Maintained the safety and well-being of large groups of children ages 5 to 12 both at camp and en-route
- As a bus leader acted as a liaison between parents and the camp organization
- Planned spontaneous games and other activities for the entire camp
- Participated in voluntary week-long overnights at the campgrounds
- Used my passion for technology and coding to teach and help children with their coding assignments.
- Worked 20+ hours per week during summer only for 3 years
- Taught Java, Python, Blockly, and Scratch coding to modify Minecraft.
- Arduino based robotics using Robotic C and Scratch
- Instructing safety and training campers and students in kayaking principles, serving as Lifeguard.
- Running setup and check-in for special events.
- Training new counselors.
PRO TIP
Show off real numbers that display your accomplishments in past roles. Instead of listing out your responsibilities as Camp Counselor, talk about the measurable impact you made to their business. Did you boost their revenue? Increase customer retention? Mention your proudest points on your resume.
Action Verbs for your Camp Counselor Resume
Recommended reads:
Camp Counselor Resume Skills’ Tips & Tricks to Impress Recruiters
Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Skills for your Camp Counselor resume
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Outlook
- Prezi
- Communication
- Self confidence
- Persistence
- Planning
- Time management
- Patience
- Tolerance
PRO TIP
Add a Talent Section to your resume, where you can pick your top 3 soft skills and describe how you used them to complete a project or balance departmental communication.
Recommended reads:
Camp Counselor Resume Header: Tips, Red Flags, and Best Practices
CHECKLIST For Your Camp Counselor Resume Header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your Camp Counselor resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
Camp Counselor Resume Summary Best Practices
Checklist: What to include in your Camp Counselor resume summary:
- Years of experience;
- Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
- One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
- Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
Resume Summary Formula:
PRO TIP
Read the job description carefully and understand what the hiring company is exactly looking for. After that, write your summary accordingly while highlighting your potential and ability to be the best at that job.
Recommended reads:
Listing Your Education, Certifications and Courses
Resume Education Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Certifications for your Camp Counselor resume
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Camp Counselor. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
Camp Counselor Resume: Additional Writing & Formatting Tips
There are three basic resume formats you can choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional resume format;
- Hybrid (or Combination) resume format;
The most optimal format for your particular case will depend on your years of experience, as well as whether you’re switching industries or not.
Reverse chronological resumes are best suited for experienced individuals who are sticking to their industry. The experience section takes a central place, and its bullets contain your responsibilities and achievements, coupled with numbers and results.
Functional resumes are used by less experienced jobseekers or career changers. Note that it’s not a format that recruiters prefer, as most are used to the classic chronological alignment. Instead of a list of job titles, functional resumes focus on your skills, and through what experiences you gained them.
Hybrid resumes are great for both experienced and entry-level candidates, as well as career changers. They combine the best of both worlds - most often in a double column format, where one side of the content is focused on your experience, whereas the other - on your skills, strengths, and proudest moments.
Camp Counselor Resume Summary best practices
Here are more resume tips regarding your layout and style:
- Clear and legible 12p resume font size;
- Use 10’’ resume margins - that’s default for a great resume design;
- Use a one-page template resume length if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- Save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiter.
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company (corporation or start-up; innovative or traditional), job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Camp Counselor resume:
Camp Counselor Resume: How to Make Yours More Creative & Stand Out
When you send your resume to a potential employer, chances are it's the fiftieth one they've seen that day. That's why you need to make your Camp Counselor resume stand out for the right reasons. That means showing your personality, not just your professional experience. Employers are far more likely to remember a candidate who seems like a genuine person and not a robot. Do this by including your passions (which is also a great place to demonstrate skills on a resume), share your favorite books, or even what your usual day looks like.
What Makes a Great Camp Counselor Resume: Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
