Hiring staff is an ongoing process for summer camps, and should be viewed as a year round project.  That includes planning on working on your staff now, during summer camp for next year.  We have listed a few things for you to consider, that may help you get a jump on staff hiring for next year.

Make this summer special

• Conduct a meaningful evaluation at both mid and end of summer.  Show them that you are paying attention to them by sharing more than a generic evaluation.  Identify areas of opportunity and why you feel they could improve in those areas.  Be sure to identify their strengths and give them positive reinforcement for them.
• Allow staff an opportunity to lead above their regular responsibilities.  Allow them to manage a project, work crew or special activity at camp.
• Staff appreciation goes a long way.  Gifts are nice, but one on one time with the Director is also really appreciated.  Get to know them and show that you are interested in them.
• Plan a staff outing.  Something fun where they can bond together as a team. 
• Allow time for the staff to interact without campers.  Their relationships are important to them and a large reason that they would consider returning.  Let them have time to develop those relationships.
• Show them the impact they are having.  Share emails, phone calls and other feedback you get from parents.  Line up a testimonial during a staff meeting.  They want to see that they are making a difference.
• Offer ongoing training and tips to help them be successful.  Everyone wants to be successful.  Short training opportunities to develop their skills between sessions is meaningful.
• Be sure to get out of the office and make connections with staff while they are on property.

Benefits

• Pay the best you can afford.  Be willing to pass some of the cost on to families through increased fees if possible.  Staff typically don’t stay additional summers because of pay, but the more they make, the less they have to sacrifice to be at camp.
• Offer sessions with successful alumni presenting to staff on what they learned as a summer staff and how it has helped them find success in their careers.
• Offer alumni resources for internships, resume review, practice interviewing or simply discussing their professional futures.  Alumni can be great resources for college students working on developing a future career.
• Allow staff to take online courses during summer.  You obviously need to manage how many they take, but if at all possible work with them to have access to wifi and time to take an online course. 
• Develop a written internship plan. Having a written curriculum or plan for internships makes it more attractive for the student and school to consider camp as a reliable internship site.  Responsibilities should exceed that of other paid staff.

Last two weeks of summer

• Announce to the staff that over the next two weeks you will be discussing positions for the next summer.  Ask staff to understand that you cannot speak to everyone right away, so please be patient.  They will be spoken to.  This gets staff to start thinking about returning and discussing it with their friends. 
• Create a commitment form.  Not a contract.  If staff agree to return next summer, have them sign the form.  It will help them feel like it is more official.  Asking staff to commit before they leave may be hard at first.  In time, they will begin to expect it and it will grow into culture.  Staff are often more likely to say yes when they are still feeling the emotions of summer versus when they are juggling the daily life of school or work.
• Offer positions before they leave camp.
• Allow staff an opportunity to try a new position or role at camp, even if just for a few hours.
• Plan a fun and meaningful last night banquet after the kids leave.  Make it a night to remember.  A banquet, summer photos slideshow or video of staff moments, staff photo in a frame, keepsake from camp and lots of stories. 
• Have each staff member fill out a questionnaire answering fun questions about themselves.  Also give them a list of other staff and ask them to write a sentence or two message to the other staff.  Combine all the answers to create a memory book that you give to each staff member at the end of summer.
• Let them leave their mark somewhere on camp.  Signing a paddle, or plaque, etc.

 After Camp