Camp Counselor Resume Example
Starting a career as a camp counselor gives you the chance to gain experience in leading group activities and facilitating conflict resolution. A professional resume for camp counselor applications will showcase your relevant skills and career achievements, to help you stand out from the crowd. In this article, we'll showcase resume tips and examples that can help you create a professional camp counselor resume that catches the eye of hiring managers.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your camp counselor applications. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Read on to learn how to write a perfect camp counselor resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
Main elements of a camp counselor resume
A successful camp counselor resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections. For junior candidates with little work experience, other sections of the resume take on more prominence and might be placed before the work experience section. These could include education, skills, projects, hobbies and volunteer work.
While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:
Header and Personal Information
The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.
Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.
Everly Lee
everly.lee@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
666 Park Avenue, New York, NY
linkedin․com/in/everly–lee123
Resume Summary
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in camp counselor roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. Additionally, make sure your resume summary reflects the job description and focuses on qualities that are relevant to working as a camp counselor.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. See below for some great examples of how to approach your camp counselor resume.
Enthusiastic and dedicated camp counselor with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies. Previous experience as a Youth Development Specialist, adept at creating engaging, safe, and inclusive environments for youth. Skilled in program planning, team collaboration, and fostering positive relationships to promote personal growth and development among campers. Proven ability to manage diverse groups and handle challenging situations with a calm and supportive approach
Camp counselor with a degree in recreation studies, having worked with young people before. Created activities and worked with others to make a good place for kids. Can plan programs and work with teams, aiming to help campers grow. Managed different groups and stayed calm in tough situations
On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.
Skills
Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for camp counselor jobs. These could be CPR certified, CPR and first aid or various other relevant skills. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key camp counselor skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.
How to include hard skills on your camp counselor resume
In your hard skills list, include any specific abilities related to the role you're applying for. These could be technical skills or industry knowledge that showcases your expertise in your chosen profession. Furthermore, these skills are essential for a camp counselor resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. Include around four or five key hard skills that are listed in the job description. These skills will help to convince the hiring manager that you're a good fit for the position.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a camp counselor resume, see below.
- First aid certification
- Outdoor survival skills
- Activity planning
Adding soft skills to your camp counselor resume
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.
Your soft skills section should make the most of your unique personal qualities and strengths, while also reflecting the requirements laid out in the job description. See below for some examples of useful soft skills for a camp counselor resume.
- Communication skills
- Problem-solving abilities
- Teamwork and collaboration
Education
Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for camp counselor roles.
Typically, working as a camp counselor requires a university or college degree, which you'll need to list on your resume. If you're working in this sector, it's usually a good idea to highlight your Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Studies degree or other relevant qualifications. Focus on qualifications that showcase your first aid certification or outdoor survival skills.
For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies, 2017 - 2020
University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
Certifications and Training
In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a camp counselor. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.
Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a camp counselor resume:
- CPR/AED Certification, 2022
- First Aid Certification, 2022
- Lifeguard Certification, 2022
Work Experience
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a camp counselor. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. There are some examples of strong resume work experience sections below.
Youth Development Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Campfire Adventures Leadership Institute, Santa Ana
- Designed and implemented a comprehensive youth mentorship program, increasing participant engagement by 40% over two years
- Secured $50,000 in grant funding to expand after-school activities, benefiting over 200 at-risk youth annually
- Developed and facilitated workshops on leadership and life skills, resulting in a 30% improvement in youth self-assessment scores
Youth Development Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Campfire Adventures Leadership Institute, Santa Ana
- Assisted with various camp activities and programs, ensuring a positive experience for all participants
- Worked with a team to enhance camp operations and improve camper satisfaction
- Contributed to the development of youth programs, fostering personal growth and teamwork
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. A poor resume work experience section would typically use vague descriptions of activities in previous jobs, while focusing too much on responsibilities rather than achievements. Failing to focus on the skills and experience that match the job description is likely to harm your chances of success.
Expert Tip:
Emphasize hands-on experience and relevant skills, such as customer service, teamwork, or problem-solving, to showcase your readiness for the role. (1) Use bullet points to organize your resume and keep it easy to read, especially for hiring managers scanning for key qualifications. (2)
Optional Information
To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a camp counselor resume. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Personal Interests
Adding your hobbies and interests is a legitimate way of showing off your skills and personal qualities. Consider listing hobbies and interests to help your resume stand out, or to provide the employer with some insight into your personality and wider interests. They're perfect for candidates who might lack genuine work experience as a camp counselor. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Volunteer Experience
If you're lacking relevant camp counselor work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Add any voluntary roles, including your position, the name of the organization, the dates of your voluntary work and a brief explanation of your responsibilities and achievements.
References
Although it's rare to include references on a camp counselor resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Before adding any referees to your resume, ask them for their assistance and prepare them for contact by the employer.
References can be provided upon request.
Best action words for your camp counselor resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Led
- Organized
- Coordinated
- Facilitated
- Supervised
- Instructed
- Motivated
- Planned
- Communicated
- Resolved
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Sample camp counselor resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your camp counselor resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
666 Park Avenue, New York, NY
•
everly.lee@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/everly–lee123
Dynamic and dedicated camp counselor with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Studies and extensive experience as a Youth Development Specialist. Proven ability to create engaging, inclusive, and safe recreational programs for diverse groups of young people. Skilled in leadership, program planning, and conflict resolution, with a strong commitment to fostering personal growth and positive development in youth.
Youth Development Specialist
2020
-2022
Aspire Youth Innovations (Cincinnati)
- Implemented youth mentorship programs increasing participant graduation rates by 25% over three years
- Coordinated community outreach initiatives, enrolling 200+ youths in extracurricular activities annually
- Developed life skills workshops, leading to a 30% improvement in youth self-reported confidence and goal-setting abilities
First aid certification
Outdoor survival skills
Activity planning
Communication skills
Problem-solving abilities
Teamwork and collaboration
CPR/AED Certification
First Aid Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Do's and don'ts of a camp counselor resume
- Mention your key educational achievements, such as degrees and professional qualifications, along with grades such as your GPA, if they're high.
- Proofread your resume before sending it, to avoid any unnecessary mistakes that may harm your chances.
- Keep your camp counselor resume as brief as possible. A single page is ideal for junior applicants, while two sides is acceptable for senior jobs.
- Use a professional resume format with clear headings, a defined structure and consistent marginsfor optimum readability.
- Use strong verbs to help show the actions you've taken in different camp counselor roles (e.g. communicated, resolved, led).
- Don't add personal information such as your age, gender, a photo or marital status, as these can lead to bias in the hiring process.
- Don't lie or exaggerate about your camp counselor experience or achievements as it can harm your chances in the long term.
- Don't use passive language because it can switch off the reader. Adapt phrases like 'the work was completed' to 'I completed the work'.
- Don't forget to keep your contact information up to date, to ensure the employer can contact you if necessary.
- Don't fill your resume with unnecessary details. Focus everything on showing you're right for the job.
Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When writing your camp counselor resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Use clear headings that break your resume up into readable, scannable sections that match the standard content employers expect from a resume.
- Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
- Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions for a camp counselor resume
Alongside your camp counselor resume, it's important to produce a professional cover letter that creates a similar positive impact on the reader.
Check the job description to see whether a full, formal cover letter is necessary. In some situations, it might be more suitable to simply send a brief email to introduce yourself and accompany your resume.
For a full, traditional cover letter, follow formal letter-writing conventions with your header, address line and greetings. The main text of the letter tends to be split into three short paragraphs. Firstly, introduce yourself, confirm the role you're applying for and explain why you're applying for the camp counselor role. In the second paragraph, highlight your skills and experience that are most relevant to the job description. The third paragraph gives you the opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the role and your gratitude to the employer, while leaving a call to action which encourages them to make contact with you.
Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates were created by experts to help you make a strong impression with your applications. Follow the simple steps to create a winning cover letter today.
If you have plenty of experience as a camp counselor, you'll want your resume to showcase your extensive career history and achievements. As a camp counselor with a wealth of experience, you'll want to showcase this in your work history section. Consider going back beyond the standard 10 to 15 years of employment history to show employers your experience levels. Include any optional sections that help to show your credentials and reputation in your industry. These could include awards, achievements and successful projects you've been involved in.
You can use a resume headline to introduce your document and set the tone for your camp counselor applications. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Take the time to draft a concise, eye-catching headline which includes the job title, one or two key skills and reference to either your experience level or track record.
See an example resume headline below:
- Aspiring Youth Development Specialist
- Dedicated Youth Program Activity Leader
- Experienced Senior Camp Counselor
The best format for your resume depends on two key factors. Firstly, the amount of relevant work experience you have. Secondly, the type of role and its level of seniority. If you're applying for a junior position or changing careers, you might want to consider a functional resume. This highlights your skills and education over your work experience. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Takeaways for your camp counselor resume
An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.
Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
