Instagram Questions - How Long Does It Take To Be Placed?

You have submitted your application and you have been accepted. Now the waiting game starts. Many people message me asking ‘how long does it take to be placed at a camp?’ And this is very much a varied answer. You can never get an absolute for this question as every applicant’s experience is different.

What you should know about the summer camp recruitment process:

Generally, summer camps start their staff recruitment in the off-season and this can range from anywhere between November to January. Traditionally, summer camps tend to reach out to their returning staff (and if they have campers transitioning to staff) first. This step takes time as summer camps can range from 40 staff members to hundreds! After that is complete, they can see where staffing gaps are and at that point is when they turn to camp agencies. This is where you come in.

My first time applying with Camp Canada, I completed the application in November and did not get placed until March. This was a whole new experience for me, as my previous year - with a different agency - I got placed at a jobs fair in January, so it was pretty instant. I was getting nervous and constantly checking my emails, my junk and spam folders, to make sure I had not missed that golden email! I had not at all.

I also think because I was the only one of my friends that was going through this experience I did not have any timeline to compare my journey to. In hindsight, this made my nerves worse. What I would say is: trust the process! Please know that your camp agency is finding the best fit for you and their camps based on what you have said in your application.

If you are not very good at waiting there is the other option of going to a jobs fair. This is where you meet camps directly (either in person or virtually) and you could get placed on the spot! Now something to note with jobs fairs is that not every camp that your agency is linked with attends them. So do not get downhearted if you attend and you do not find your match. Sometimes they are looking for a different skill set that you have, and that’s okay.

I know the waiting game is a pain, you have put money upfront and you want instant results. However, getting placed is not something to rush. Camps want to make the best decision for their camp, their campers and their families. They want to make sure you are the right fit for them - in the same way you want to make sure the camp is a right fit for you!

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