Seasonal Parks & Recreation Employment Opportunities

Parks & Recreation jobs offer invaluable skill-building, leadership, training,  and enrichment opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else!  Regardless of your college major, camp experiences allow you to learn and develop skills that will enhance your job marketability. The benefits go far beyond a paycheck, too. Business executives often note that experience as a camp counselor translates into excellent management  and personnel skills. College credit can sometimes be obtained from  working at camp. Check with your college advisor to see if you qualify. Countless individuals fall in love with the camp experience each summer, and many make it part of their lives year after year. Campers remember their counselors for many summers and often return because of them. ​

1. You get to be a role model

For however long you have the opportunity to interact with the campers, you  quickly become one of the coolest (and most influential) people in  their lives. Camp counselors especially have the opportunity to impact campers because of the amount of time spent with their kids. 

2. You get to unplug

Among  the woods and lakes, you might not find much Wi-Fi, but you’ll find  plenty of nature just begging you to unplug and enjoy. Surrounding yourself with the beauty of the great outdoors only helps with this. 

3. Crafts to the max

Never tie-dyed a shirt before? No problem. Camp is a great time to learn (or  perfect) tie-dying skills, tie thousands of tiny knots until your wrists are loaded with friendship bracelets, and make too many dream catchers.

4. Boost your resume

Through  the experiences you have working for a camp, you will be able to proudly put on your resume that you not only survived a summer working for a camp but thrived in the environment as well. 

5. Life-long friendships

Within  just a few days of arriving at camp for the beginning of the summer  training sessions, you will meet some awesome people. Just think, your  co-workers are some of the best, simply by them being there: they gave  up their summer (just like you) to learn, grow, and impact others’ lives  as well. Life-long friendships are bound to develop as you live and  work alongside other college kids for three solid months.

6. Interview material

After  spending a summer at camp, you will surely find out some strengths and  weaknesses for you to talk about in an interview, not to mention the crazy stories you can share

7. Peer networking.

Not all of your co-workers will be elementary education majors. In fact,  you will meet a plethora of majors who have done the same thing you  have: sought out a beyond-the-typical summer job. An awesome time to expand your peer networking to individuals from all over the country and  from all walks of life.

8. Fresh air.

Believe it or not, the great outdoors can give you a sense of relaxation and recharge. Isn't this better than pouring coffee or working in retail? 

9. You get paid to be crazy

Now, our definitions of crazy may be different, but as a staff member for a camp, you get to participate in Wacky Camp activities, dress up crazy for skits, be the leader in the daily dance party, and genuinely show your  campers how to have a good time.

10. You hone your leadership skills 

There  are plenty of opportunities to improve your leadership skills by working for a camp because, at one point or another, you will be asked  to lead. Whether you are leading other staff members or a handful of  campers, you will be looked up to for direction and wisdom.

13. You will learn so much about yourself

As awesome as camp life is, it also is challenging. You may not know how  to deal with a situation with a camper, your co-counselor for the week  might not be the most compatible with your sense of humor, and some days  might seem like they drag on forever. However, it  is moments like these where your true colors shine. You will learn so much about yourself and, at the end of the summer, will be able to look  back and be proud of all that you made it through. 

​SOUND GOOD TO YOU?

Ready to work  hard, make a difference, build your resume, get paid, and have the best summer of your life? Apply to work for a camp for a summer—you won’t regret it.