Written By Nathan SotoCareer Expert & PR Specialist
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Reviewed By Geoffrey ScottProfessional Resume Writer, Career Coach, & Senior Hiring Manager
Nathan Soto
Career Expert & PR Specialist
Nathan Soto is dedicated to providing practical guidance to job seekers, especially people with nonlinear career paths. Nathan’s articles and career advice have been featured on multiple platforms, including Forbes,...
Kickstart your summer camp application with our counselor cover letter guide. Check out our downloadable cover letter sample and writing tips straight from the experts for all the help you'll need to land the interview!
Copy-paste Camp Counselor Cover Letter (Text Format)
FIRST AND LAST NAME
Email: your.email@email.com
Phone: (123) 456-7891
Address: Street, City, State
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
[Today’s Date]
[Hiring Manager’s Name] [341 Company Address] [Company City, State xxxxx] [(xxx) xxx-xxxx] [hiring.manager@gmail.com]
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [Manager’s Name],
My name is [YOUR NAME] and I was delighted to learn of the available Camp Counselor position at [CAMP] posted on [WEBSITE]. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Education at the University of Oregon with a specialization in Early Childhood Development. I have four years of experience leading interactive, lively, and educational summer camps for youth ages 5-15. I hold valid First Aid, CPR, and Lifeguarding certifications as well as Wilderness First Responder Training. My education, experience, and certifications make me a qualified candidate, but my enthusiastic leadership style, passion for youth development, and dedication to providing a stimulating camp environment set me apart from the competition.
Throughout my previous camp counselor positions, I have played a vital role in planning and executing outstanding youth camps. I worked closely with management and other camp counselors to coordinate programs offering a blend of developmental activities, physical exercise, and entertainment. In my position as Senior Camp Counselor, I refined my teamwork, leadership, and communication skills, allowing me to lead a team of camp counselors committed to providing an environment for children to build memories that last a lifetime.
Highlights of my qualifications from previous employment include:
Planning daily camp activities, ranging from arts and crafts to sports, wilderness education, and interactive games for 40 children ages 6-12
Implementing a three-step conflict resolution protocol for children displaying unruly behavior, resulting in a 15% decrease in conflicts
Leading overnight excursions for 10+ children covering a range of activities such as hiking, outdoor cooking, swimming and canoeing
Providing training for camp counselors to ensure health and safety standards were upheld
I am enthralled to have the opportunity to share my affinity for wilderness, recreational activities, and childhood development with the youth of your establishment. Thank you for considering my application to join the [CAMP] team. I look forward to setting up an interview in the near future.
Yours truly,
[Your Name]
Average camp counselor salaries in the US
The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data is presented based on the top states by downloads in the USA.
Top 10 states by average camp counselor salary
State
Salary / Year
District of Columbia
$48,560
Alaska
$46,400
Washington
$45,260
South Dakota
$43,860
New York
$42,120
California
$41,830
Oregon
$40,710
Massachusetts
$40,110
Minnesota
$39,870
Connecticut
$39,860
National Average
$37,170
3 Cover Letter Writing Tips for Camp Counselors
Need some help getting started with your camp counselor cover letter? Take a look at these tips we’ve put together specifically for aspiring camp counselors:
1. Choose camp-specific hard skills
Not many cover letters require you to reference your arts and crafts, hiking, sports, outdoor cooking, swimming, and canoeing abilities, but these are necessities for your camp counselor cover letter. With so many unique skills to brag about, the hard part is choosing which ones to include on your camp counselor cover letter.
Similar to your camp counselor resume, it is necessary to tailor your cover letter to the type of camp you are applying for. After all, you wouldn’t want to take up precious space on your cover letter for “Willy’s Wild Wilderness Outdoor Adventure Camp” boasting about your skills in the chemistry lab, would you?
Browsing the camp’s website and checking out what kind of activities they offer is a great way to get started. Then, you can choose which experience and skills to showcase on your cover letter.
Match your relevant experience to the focus of the camp and begin crafting your cover letter. For instance, this candidate has done an excellent job of referencing their wilderness expertise:
Leading overnight excursions for 10+ children covering a range of activities such as hiking, outdoor cooking, swimming and canoeing
As a camp counselor, you could have all of the certifications, education, and experience in the world, but to really excel as a camp counselor you also need well-developed soft skills.
Soft skills can be defined as character traits or interpersonal aptitudes that affect your ability to work and interact with others. As a camp counselor, your soft skills are the traits that allow you to successfully interact and connect with children of all ages. These skills might not seem like anything special — but trust us, they’re very important, and not everyone has them.
The hiring manager should have no doubt about your emotional intelligence and ability to relate to children when they reach the end of your cover letter.
Your camp counselor cover letter should focus on soft skills related to the following:
Communication
Teamwork
Adaptability
Problem-Solving
Creativity
Work Ethic
Interpersonal Skills
Leadership
Check out how this candidate easily weaves their impressive soft skills into their cover letter:
In my position as Senior Camp Counselor, I refined my teamwork, leadership, and communication skills allowing me to lead a team of camp counselors committed to fostering an exemplary environment for youth to build memories to last a lifetime.
3. Don’t forget parents, managers, and fellow counselors
You love and excel at entertaining campers — but don’t forget that kids aren’t the only part of the summer camp equation. There are also other key stakeholders:
Parents
Managers
Other camp counselors
In your cover letter, show the hiring manager that you are the whole package by referencing your successful experience working with parents, managers, and other camp counselors.
For instance, this candidate ties their experience working with managers and staff into program development:
“I worked closely with management and other camp counselors to coordinate programs offering a blend of developmental activities, physical exercise, and entertainment.”
Managers are looking to assemble a team of professional camp counselors that can work together to provide safe and exciting adventures for young campers.Your cover letter should aptly demonstrate to them that you are a team player ready to take on the challenge.
Nathan Soto is dedicated to providing practical guidance to job seekers, especially people with nonlinear career paths. Nathan’s articles and career advice have been featured on multiple platforms, including Forbes, MSN, NBC New York, Memphis Business Journal, Newsweek, and Fast Company, offering insights into resume writing, interview preparation, and personal branding. Nathan graduated from the University of Nevada with a double B.A. in French and Music. In addition to writing, he also works as a Mandarin–English translator.
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