Camp counselors have a job that’s a lot of fun (we’ve all seen the movies, right?) but also bears a weighty amount of responsibility. Counselors oversee large groups of children actively engaged in sports, crafts, and more, ensuring that all of the kids’ needs - emotional and physical - are met.
Sound like the right job for you? If you are applying to be a camp counselor, review recommendations for the skills, talents, and experience to emphasize in your resume, as well as reading through the sample resume and cover letter below.
What to Highlight in Your Cover Letter and Resume
Highlight any experience with children on your resume - whether as a counselor, or in another role such as tutor, babysitter, or teacher - as well as any work history that demonstrates that you are responsible and can control and motivate large groups of kids.
Strong communication skills are also important: counselors need to clearly tell kids about rules and explain activities, and also need to be able to share important details with other staffers, the camp director, or even a child’s parents.
Many camps require certain classes or certifications; you may, for instance, need to be certified to do CPR. List any relevant certifications clearly in your resume.
The following are examples of a resume and cover letter for a camp counselor. Review them for inspiration before writing your own job application documents.
Cover Letter Sample
This is an example of a cover letter for a camp counselor. Download the camp counselor cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.
Download the Word Template
Cover Letter (Text Version)
Luke Jamison 121 Blaine Street Hartford, CT 06115 999-909-0012 luke.jamison@easton.eduSeptember 1, 2018Barbra Chandler Director, Human Resources Sunny Days Summer Camp 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321Dear Barbra Chandler,Please accept my enthusiastic application for the position of summer camp counselor. I would love the opportunity to be an enthusiastic, energetic counselor for Sunny Days Summer Camp. I believe that my experience with children and leadership skills would make me an excellent camp counselor for your summer program.I am comfortable working with children of all ages. As a lifeguard for three summers, I led swimming lessons for children ranging from six to ten years old and learned to cater my lessons to each age group. For example, I played instructive water games with my youngest students, and ran organized drills with my older clients. As a volunteer for the Special Olympics, I have experience working with children of different physical and mental capabilities. I am therefore confident that I can provide a fun but safe environment for campers of all ages and abilities.I also have extensive leadership experience, which you state is necessary for any applicant. As captain of my high school football team for two years, I learned to be confident in giving direction to others while still remaining a friendly presence. I have gained further leadership as a tutor; once a week, I am in charge of leading a group of five students in a literary discussion. These experiences will help me be an excellent leader at your summer camp.I am confident that my experience with children and my leadership abilities are the qualities you are looking for at Sunny Days Summer Camp. I have enclosed my resume and will call within the next week to see if we might arrange a time to speak together. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.Sincerely,Luke Jamison
Resume Example
This is an example of a resume for a camp counselor position. Download the camp counselor resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.
Cover Letter (Text Version)
Luke Jamison 121 Blaine Street Hartford, CT 06115 999-909-0012 luke.jamison@easton.eduSeptember 1, 2018Barbra Chandler Director, Human Resources Sunny Days Summer Camp 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321Dear Barbra Chandler,Please accept my enthusiastic application for the position of summer camp counselor. I would love the opportunity to be an enthusiastic, energetic counselor for Sunny Days Summer Camp. I believe that my experience with children and leadership skills would make me an excellent camp counselor for your summer program.I am comfortable working with children of all ages. As a lifeguard for three summers, I led swimming lessons for children ranging from six to ten years old and learned to cater my lessons to each age group. For example, I played instructive water games with my youngest students, and ran organized drills with my older clients. As a volunteer for the Special Olympics, I have experience working with children of different physical and mental capabilities. I am therefore confident that I can provide a fun but safe environment for campers of all ages and abilities.I also have extensive leadership experience, which you state is necessary for any applicant. As captain of my high school football team for two years, I learned to be confident in giving direction to others while still remaining a friendly presence. I have gained further leadership as a tutor; once a week, I am in charge of leading a group of five students in a literary discussion. These experiences will help me be an excellent leader at your summer camp.I am confident that my experience with children and my leadership abilities are the qualities you are looking for at Sunny Days Summer Camp. I have enclosed my resume and will call within the next week to see if we might arrange a time to speak together. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.Sincerely,Luke Jamison
Luke Jamison 121 Blaine Street Hartford, CT 06115 999-909-0012 luke.jamison@easton.edu
Resume Example (Text Version)
Luke Jamison121 Blaine Street • Hartford, CT 06115 • (999) 909-0012 • luke.jamison@easton.edu
