Hiring season forces camp leaders to answer the same question every year: Should you prioritize bringing back experienced staff or recruiting fresh talent?
The answer isn’t one or the other. It’s both—in the right balance for your camp’s current needs.
Strong teams combine institutional knowledge with new energy. The challenge is knowing which direction to lean based on where your camp stands right now.
The Case for Bringing Back Your Veterans
Returning staff walk through the gate already knowing the ropes. They understand your systems, remember camper names, and can spot problems before they escalate. When a homesick seven-year-old needs comfort at midnight, your returners already know what works.
Here’s what veteran staff bring to your program:
- Reduced training time and lower onboarding costs
- Cultural continuity that preserves traditions and values
- Built-in mentorship for incoming team members
- Established trust with returning campers and families
- Faster problem-solving during high-stress moments
Tip: Reach out to your top returners before the holidays. A simple text asking about their summer plans keeps your camp top of mind when they’re making decisions.
Why New Voices Matter Just as Much
Fresh perspectives prevent stagnation.
New staff members question outdated processes. They bring different life experiences to cabin conversations. They inject enthusiasm into a team that might be running on autopilot.
First-time counselors offer your camp:
- Outside perspectives that challenge “we’ve always done it this way” thinking
- Diverse backgrounds that enrich your community
- Energy that balances potential burnout from longtime staff
- New skills or program ideas you haven’t considered
- Growth capacity if you’re expanding operations
Tip: When recruiting, emphasize professional development opportunities. Many candidates want experience that builds their resume beyond just “fun summer job.”
How to Determine Your Staffing Mix
Your ideal ratio depends on what your camp needs most this season.
Start by asking these questions:
- Is your culture healthy or does it need a reset?
- Are you launching new programs or activities?
- Do you have strong training systems in place?
- Are key leadership positions currently filled?
- Did last year’s staff show signs of burnout?
Here’s a framework to guide your decisions:
| Your Camp’s Situation | Lean Toward Returners | Lean Toward New Hires |
| Stable programs, strong culture | ✓ | |
| High staff burnout last season | ✓ | |
| Multiple leadership gaps | ✓ | |
| Launching new activities | ✓ | |
| Culture needs refreshing | ✓ | |
| Limited training capacity | ✓ | |
| Expanding enrollment | ✓ | |
| Solid onboarding systems | ✓ | ✓ |
Most camps benefit from a 60-40 or 70-30 split between returning and new staff. This ratio provides stability while leaving room for growth.
Build a Year-Round Recruitment Strategy
Stop thinking about hiring as a seasonal scramble. The camps that never worry about staffing are the ones that recruit constantly.
Stay connected with your alumni network. Former campers who loved their experience make outstanding staff candidates. They already believe in your mission.
Create a referral program. Offer small incentives when current staff bring qualified candidates. Your best employees know other great people.
Recruit earlier than you think you need to. College career fairs happen in the fall. Internship programs fill up by January. If you’re starting in March, you’re already behind.
Expand where you look. Social media reaches different demographics than traditional job boards. Partner with education programs, youth development organizations, and specialty groups that align with your activities.
Pro Tip: After each hiring season, document what worked. Which channels brought quality candidates? Which interview questions revealed the most? What made great hires say yes? Build on what’s working and drop what isn’t.
Set New Staff Up to Become Returners
Hiring someone new is just the beginning. Retention starts on their first day. Pair each new counselor with a returning staff mentor. This relationship answers questions, eases anxiety, and builds connection before campers arrive.
Check in frequently during the first two weeks. Don’t wait for problems to surface. Ask how they’re adjusting and listen for stress signals so you can offer support before they’re drowning (check out the Camp Experience Wheel – a powerful tool that helps staff measure and reflect on their current experience). Celebrate small wins. Recognize and reward effort, not just perfect execution, so new staff can know they’re on the right track as they grow.
Conduct thoughtful offboarding. Exit conversations aren’t just formalities. Be intentional and thoughtful in when and how you ask for honest feedback. Discuss what they learned or how they grew, and create space for their critical feedback about your programs and systems.
Finally, make the invitation to return genuine and specific. The new counselors you hire this year could become your leadership team in three seasons. Treat them that way from day one.
Take Action This Week
Strong teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built through intentional decisions and consistent follow-through.
Start with these three steps:
- Contact your top five returners today—text, email, or call them before someone else does.
- Ask them to help you review your onboarding process and identify the weak spots where new staff typically struggle.
- Add one new recruiting channel or event to your strategy this season.
Your team shapes everything at camp. The activities, the culture, the safety, the memories, they all flow from the people you hire.
Make staffing decisions that set your camp up for success, not just this summer but for years to come. Camp management software like UltraCamp can help you streamline hiring workflows, track referrals, and manage background checks—freeing up your time to focus on building relationships with the people who make camp happen.
The right team is waiting. Go find them.
