Ode to the Camp Counselor

You Should Be So Lucky to Hire Such Exceptional People

I am in awe.  No, really.  I am awed by the spirit and energy and bottomless commitment that I saw amongst the camp counselors that I worked with this summer. 

It’s that time of year when summer camps are ending their season. Happy campers are returning home to their families, counselors are moving on to their “other life”- school or work or travels.  The last few days of camp are a crush of creating those last special memories, packing up trunks and putting camp to bed for the winter.  It’s exhausting work but it’s part of what camp counselors do.  They pitch in.  The share in the work and the fun of being part of a community. They have learned about stepping up to help, about being resourceful and being cheerful in the face whatever comes their way.  They have spent buggy nights on an overnight in the woods with their campers.  They have weathered the drama and excitement of a sudden summer storm from the inside of a tent or cabin.  They have thrown themselves into “Harry Potter Day” or “Mississippi Mud”,  a once-a-summer decadent chocolate dessert that is met with nothing short of pure mayhem.  They have jumped onto the stage in the annual talent show and performed a goofy skit or song.  They have learned how to “make their own fun”. 

This was my 17^th summer at my camp in Vermont.  I have been lucky to be there whenever my life and schedule have allowed. And as one of the older people at camp, I too take home valuable lessons every summer.  I create special memories and push myself in new ways.  But with the benefit of experience and of a long and successful business career, I think often about the quality of the people at camp and the skills that they are building.  I think about why I would want to hire them, no matter what organization or business I am working for.

If you are running a company that is moving fast, wouldn’t you want to hire folks who are hard-working and flexible and cheerful; who can roll with the punches when the direction changes?

Wouldn’t you want to hire people who will pitch in and say yes, who will not complain but will meet each challenge with a can-do spirit?  Wouldn’t you want to hire people who have learned how to be a contributing member of a community; who will say yes to starring in the holiday video or being on a taskforce to tackle some thorny cultural issue inside the organization?

I have spent a lot of time in my business life thinking about company culture.  I have managed teams and have hired lots of folks at different levels.   Like many executives, I hire for cultural fit and for character.  Sure, skills are important, but hiring the right kinds of people with a moral compass, with a strong work ethic, with an ability to collaborate and cooperate is more important than any one skill.  I look for life experience and a sense of humor.  What kind of people do you want around you when things get difficult and challenging?  For me, I want people who will keep slogging through whatever challenge is in front of them, who will laugh and see the humor in it, who will support their colleagues, without judgement. 

This is what we learn to do at camp.  The next time you see “camp counselor” on a resume, consider the possibilities.  This person might be the best hire you will ever make.  And if you’re thinking about trying something different next summer, I highly recommend being a camp counselor.  It’s the hardest work you’ll ever love.