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The most important part of the search
The most important part of hiring starts before you post the job.But wait, isn’t the whole goal of a search to get applicants in the door? Yes, of course, but that’s not where it all starts. I’ve seen too many camps and nonprofits do things backwards. They rush to get a job posting live, blast it across every available platform, and then wonder why they’re sifting through seemingly infinite applications from “candidates” who don’t understand their mission or fit at all in their culture. And then, sometimes, the organization has no choice but to start all over from the beginning. The Rush-to-Post ProblemHere’s what typically happens when a camp is searching for new leadership:
The very predictable result? Floods of generic resumes from people who may (or may not) be qualified on paper, but don’t understand what makes your camp unique. Then the “work” becomes weeks of sorting through prospects who never came close to matching, conducting interviews that go nowhere, and saying to yourself, “Nobody good is applying.” How Camps Get The Right PeopleThe best hiring outcomes start with something that sounds counterintuitive: slowing down. Before writing a single job description, we sit with summer camps to invest time in deep discovery. That means talking with key stakeholders (board members, senior staff, donors, and yes, even their camp families) to understand the real needs. Anyone can make a list of required skills. We want to go well beyond that. Understanding culture, uncovering unspoken concerns, and identifying the temperament and philosophy that will actually succeed in your specific environment. What makes someone thrive at your camp? What’s your organization’s ideal leadership style? What are the real challenges that aren’t obvious from the outside? What comes from these questions and answers (and many more) is a clear, aligned vision of success that everyone can rally behind. It’s Step 1 of our four-step process, and it’s crucial. Why Most Recruiters Skip This StepSome recruiting firms treat hiring like a numbers game. They want to post jobs quickly and present you with a stack of resumes as fast as possible. It looks like progress. It appears as if something is happening. Taking time for stakeholder conversations and cultural discovery doesn’t scale the way they want it to. But camp leadership isn’t a commodity. You can’t capture the true organizational DNA with keywords and algorithms. What This Preparation Actually DeliversWhen you invest in this upfront discovery, everything else becomes easier. The job description attracts the right people. Your interview process is laser-focused. Candidates can tell the difference, which means serious people come in looking for the right fit, not just any job. Oh, and most importantly, your board and stakeholders feel heard and aligned. Instead of months of second-guessing and resume sifting, you have a unified hiring team moving in the same direction. The camps and nonprofits that make the best hires don’t rush to post jobs. They invest time upfront to understand what they actually need. The recruiting is around a shared purpose. Sometimes the best way to speed up your hiring is to slow down at the beginning. Sincerely, Senior Consultant at Immersive1st Learn more about Immersive1st's Approach |
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Subscribe to the Immersive1st newsletter for new openings and smart job search tips. Hiring? The next issue will show how your organization can reach the right candidates.
Sounds obvious, right? I shouldn’t even have to say this. But so many camps struggle to answer this clearly. They know what activities they offer. They know their schedule. They can tell parents about facilities and staff ratios. Ask them “Who are you? What makes you different?” and the answer gets fuzzy. Clear identity means campers want to come back summer after summer. The Retention Paradox A summer camp approached us with a puzzle. Program quality was extraordinary. Survey results showed...
“I never got any feedback.” When listening to or surveying camp staff after a summer, this is the phrase that comes up over and over. When asked what was missing from their experience, what I most commonly hear is… Not, “The pay was too low.” Not, “The hours were brutal.” Not, “The kids were tough.” Nope. No much of that. It is this: “I never got any feedback.” The numbers back up this sentiment. 80% of employees who quit a gig cite their direct supervisor as the reason. Meanwhile, that...
Some of the best camp directors I know aren’t parents themselves. And even without little (or big) ones running around at home, they’re also exceptional at building deep, trusting relationships with families. Because the question isn’t whether a camp pro has kids of their own. The question is whether they genuinely care about the parents who trust them with theirs. Follow that? Boards and owners who are evaluating leadership candidates have to know the distinction is critical. Understanding...