What happens in a Camp America interview? Sophie has been interviewing applicants for 10 years, so we asked her what to expect, how to prepare and what your interviewer actually wants to know.
Your Camp America interview is an important part of your application, but it doesn’t need to be scary.
In this episode of The Summer Camp Rookie Podcast, Zoe and George are joined by Sophie, who went to summer camp for five summers, worked at Camp America and has spent the last 10 years interviewing applicants.
From what to wear and where to take your interview to the experience you should talk about, Sophie shares her advice for making the most of your Camp America interview.
We also talk about what happens after summer camp and how the skills you gain at camp can help with your future career.
What happens in a Camp America interview?
Your Camp America interview is a chance for us to get to know you beyond your application.
You'll talk about your experience, skills and reasons for wanting to work at summer camp in the USA. It's also your chance to ask questions and hear about camp from someone who has experienced it themselves.
Camp America interviews are held online, making it easier to interview wherever you're based.
And while the interview is friendly, it's still worth treating it like a job interview. Find somewhere quiet, avoid distractions and give yourself time to prepare.
How should you prepare for your Camp America interview?
Sophie has interviewed Camp America applicants for 10 years, and her advice is simple:
- Find a quiet place without distractions
- Come prepared with questions
- Wear something you feel comfortable in
- Think about experience you want to tell your interviewer about
- Ask your interviewer about their own camp experience
- Be open to different types of summer camp
- Most importantly, be yourself
You don't need to wear a suit or have perfectly rehearsed answers. Your interviewer wants to get to know you and understand what you could bring to camp.
One thing we'd probably avoid? Cutting your toenails during the call.
Yes. It's happened.
What experience should I talk about in my Camp America interview?
Don't assume something isn't relevant just because it wasn't a formal job.
Volunteering, hobbies, sports, clubs and experiences from school or university could all help demonstrate skills that are useful at summer camp.
Your interviewer can help identify experience you might not have thought to include in your application, so tell them about it.
Does Camp America look good on your CV?
Working at summer camp can give you plenty of real examples to use on your CV and in future job interviews.
Sophie talks about returning to camp in a leadership position and unexpectedly having to take on additional responsibility while her camp prepared for the summer.
Experiences like this can help you develop transferable skills including:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Resilience
- Confidence
- Teamwork
- Public speaking
And those skills aren't limited to careers working with children.
Can Camp America help your future career?
Summer camp puts you in situations where you have to communicate, adapt, solve problems and take responsibility.
For Sophie, camp has influenced several different parts of her career – from working with children and writing for Camp America to interviewing applicants and public speaking.
The job you do after camp doesn't have to be directly related to working with children. The skills and experiences you take home can be relevant across loads of different careers.
Ready for your Camp America interview?
Prepare a little, find somewhere quiet and bring your questions.
You don't need to have everything figured out. Your interview is there to help us learn more about you – and to help you learn more about Camp America.
And please, leave the toenail clippers for afterwards.
