How to increase your chances of placement

Jay enjoying camp...

It’s quite difficult to ‘make the cut’ for Camp America – you need to be dedicated in your quest for ‘heading to camp’ – as we only want those who really want this.We don’t just take anyone. We only accept the best.

In saying that – it’s not out of anyone’s reach – just takes some effort from you – and for you to do what we say – we’ve been placing people at camp since 1969 – we know the Camp Directors, we know the camps, we know what they like, what they look for and what they don’t like to see.

So – here’s a quick guide to getting in to Camp America and getting placed.

Flexibility – be flexible in your camp types to consider – and your attitude. The Kiwi ‘can do’ attitude sells well overseas – adapt that into your application.

Enthusiasm – we can’t get past an applicant who oozes enthusiasm – it’s contagious – and we love it. Incorporate your passion for this into your application and your video.

Maturity – if your Mum or Dad calls us – that does not show us how mature you are! We really think it’s important (as do camps) that you are mature enough to handle the application and placement process alone without the need for your parents to help you or intervene if it gets too hard for you – this is a job after all. It’s part of the overall test – if you can’t handle that alone – you sure won’t handle Camp.

Skills – obviously some skills are more sought after than others – you can see a list here – and if you are 18 or younger and planning to apply – please look into certifying yourself in one of these. The more skills you can LEAD the better. Be confident in your ability to teach children the skills you are good at. A camp Director will most likely not hire someone you can only ‘assist’.

Teaching tennis to a child is very rewarding

Types of camps – quiz up on the types of camps and then try and say yes to all – this will open up your placement chances considerably. The one type of camp we get alot of applicants syaing ‘no thanks’ to on their application form – is those with some degree of Christian Emphasis. Read on for why…

For many faith camps, a belief in the practiced faith is not a pre-requisite for counsellors, however, being open-minded, respectful and willing to learn about the lives and faith of others is essential. They won’t be hiring you to teach bible study if you know nothing about it… you’ll be employed to teach what it is you do know. So you’ll be teaching tennis (for example) to kids from a family of that faith. You won’t be teaching bible study!

Unless that’s your skill.

Photos – choose two photos (you only get to show us 2 – so make sure they are the best you can find) – recreate them if you don’t have any, make sure they show ACTIVITY – hence the name Activity Photo – and make sure it’s preferably of one of the high demand skills and not rugby, netball or cricket. No team shots with you standing doing nothing. It must show activity and must show you clearly.

Here’s a great example…two activity photos…can you tell who the applicant is and the activity in each (hint – one’s good – other not so)

Great - we can see the applicant AND the activity - and that she is doing it

Whats the activity at a glance?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video – this will make or break your application – if you get creative and have fun with it – the camps will absolutely love it.

Here’s a great example. And yes – she is placed now.

If you are not technically minded here’s a few tips;

• Small Digital Photo cameras often take video – use one of those if you don’t have a video camera
• Make sure it’s smaller than 16MG and meets the following criteria (movie file types)…
• Get a techie friend to help you

 

 

Grammar/Spelling/Presentation – it’s all about presenting yourself as best as you can – so that means no text language in your application. Use capitals. Proof read it 4 times. Check your spelling. Americans don’t look too fondly on typos and spelling errors.

Facebook – clean up your Social Network pages – Camps WILL look for you online.

We give you a full two pages of tips once you start applying, if you’ve applied and haven’t read them or haven’t followed them – and are not placed yet – now might be a good time to review them and make some changes to your application.

Applications are still open for High Demand Skills.

Placements happen all the way through to June.

Superstar

You don’t have to be a superstar to apply to go to Camp America – but you do need to have something you can ‘bring to camp’  – and I don’t mean Vegemite.

Swim teachers at camp

We like enthusiasm and flexibility the most – those applicants who say “Yep – I’ll give that a try!” – we like you.

The kids are kids – you know – aged between 5-16 mainly. So – 9 times out of 10 you don’t need to be Olympic Level at your top skills to teach it to the kids.

Teaching – if you’ve taught others your skill (even just friends or family) that’s “teaching experience” – make sure you list it – how long for, how many times?

Teaching or Coaching Experience – doesn’t mean you’ve been taught or coached by someone else. Nope. It means – you have taught or coached others in this skill. If you have taught or coached – tell us all about it on your application form.

While looking through applications this week for the Camp Directors Recruitment Day – I have found that often an applicant hasn’t mentioned enough detail about their experience so the camp has said “no thanks”.

For example one application came across as not having alot of experience with children so the camp said no thanks – we spoke to the interviewer who said yes he did – but he hadn’t conveyed it on his application well enough.

Fact: Camps cannot read minds.

Myth: Camps will call you anyway and find out

No – they have so many applications to look through – if they don’t like what they see they just move on to the next one.

Fact: Alot of camps have a religious emphasis of some kind

Don’t cut yourself off from these camps – they WON’T hire you for Bible Study Class if you are not religious – they’ll hire you to teach the kids your skill. These kids will be from a religious family. You may have to accompany them to a service weekly and join in for Grace before dinner or sing songs at the service – but the camp understands you are not religious before they hire you.

Myth: You end up Jewish at the end of Camp if you go to a Jewish Camp.

Jewish camps will know you are not Jewish (btw – if you are Jewish we need to see your application asap!!) by looking on your application. Apart from Orthodox Jewish Camps they like to hire staff from all kinds of backgrounds.

I have spoken to loads of counsellors that have been to Jewish Camps and loved it, they find it interesting and really apart from a service weekly the only thing you’ll really notice is you won’t eat dairy and meat together and no pork.

Don't cut off you placement chances

Lastly – be courteous – to camps calling/emailing you… get back to them straight away… and if you are polite and positive every time we communicate with you – you’ll give us that “they are a really nice applicant” feeling and we’ll go out of our way to make sure you get placed.

Some applicants don’t communicate with us, and then decide they don’t want to go anymore, ignore camps contacting them, ignore us…. then finally after many calls and messages from us they tell us they’ve cancelled.

Fact: There is a CANCEL button on your Camp America Direct page.

Fact: We can’t read minds either.

If you do decide not to go – cancel, and let someone else have a shot at the job. I know there are lots of you out there waiting very patiently – we have noticed – thank you.

Til next time – Vicki

Kiwis are modest

Don't miss out, don't be modest

Most Kiwis have to be poked and prodded before they’ll talk about themselves so a Camp America application can prove difficult for them. They don’t like to talk about themselves, rate themselves, sell themselves.

Well…

Just remember – you are up against Australians and Americans and South Africans – THEY WILL… so take advantage of the fact you have grown up near rugged bush walks, dangerous oceans and lakes, and have learnt things that you think are just normal… but to someone from another country – it may not be.

Sell yourself – tell us and the Camp Directors everything there is to be told about every skill you have. Overnight Camping and Hiking (Tramping) are two in demand skills, and we do this growing up, at school, at scouts and guides – it becomes the norm for a kiwi to do. So you get to where you are now and think – “oh that’s nothing” – well – it isn’t nothing – it’s a FAB skill.

Hiking example; How far, how long, how often, what is the terrain like, did you stay overnight, did you pitch a tent, make a fire, cook food, cross rivers, help others, carry a heavy pack. Just saying you hiked on Mt Ruapehu doesn’t convey to the camps exactly how intense that is.

OK – so you’ve kayaked all your life, – grab some kids (that you know :-)) and teach them (with parents permission and a life jacket of course), see what it’s like to teach a skill you know inside out – it can be different. But then GUESS WHAT?
You’ll have teaching experience!!!

Golf – we want to know your handicap.

We don’t want to know what you can’t do.
Don’t write – BUT I can’t do this that or the other…

Referring to stuff you did at highschool is all very well but it’s continually reminding the camps how young you are – try and refer to club based experience instead. Taking a class at school and being ‘taught’ it – does NOT mean you have ‘teaching experience’.

Have rock-climbing experience? Get down to your local wall and volunteer to help kids climb…

There are so many ways you can gain really valuable teaching experience without it costing an arm and a leg.

Have fun too.

Moral of this blog – don’t be shy, don’t be modest – this is your once in a lifetime chance to get to Camp America.

Camps..

the big bounce

Most people ask us what camp is like.

 

Well – it usually has a lake. The privately owned camps (including Jewish and Christian camps) can be quite flash, while the agency camps and scout camps are more traditional rustic camps.

What we do know is – every likes THEIR camp best. No matter what type.

So keep your options open – don’t rule any type of camp out – this will increase your placement chances because it shows flexibility and open mindedness.

Alot of people also say they don’t want to go to a camp with a Christian emphasis. I would also ask you re-think this too.. camps that have a Christian emphasis are not going to hire someone that does not believe in God to lead Bible Study class – are they…  nope – you’ll be chosen to teach what it is that you DO know something about…. and the kids will be from Christian families…. it won’t effect you – you won’t be converted by the end of camp…..

 

It may mean that you’ll need to go to the weekly service – often more about positive thinking and values than full on worship…and yes, you may be expected to join in the song singing – why? Because you’re there for the kids, they may be shy about singing but if they see you do it they will more likely join in – you’re their role model at camp you see….

Not really so bad hey!

 

Of course if you can lead bible study – GREAT!! Camps will hire you for that or for another one of your top skills…

By the way – I hope you are all busy selling yourselves on your application – there is no room for Kiwi Modesty for Camp America applications.

 

Vicki