Non-negotiables for all team members
- At least 16 years old by first day of work
- Reasonable proximity to onsite camp location
Experience & qualities
While there are no specific criteria we look for in our team members, we do ask that you are an enthusiastic learner, committed team player and willing to use this opportunity to grow as an individual and a team.
We have positions for anyone interested in working with children, working in sports, and/or working outdoors. Many of our team members have experience playing the sport, coaching, mentoring, babysitting, or even teaching.
The best way to determine the level experience needed is to review the “About You” section of our job postings.
For our Leadership roles, we generally require at least two years of team-leading or coaching experience, with some tangible skill related to their role, while our team members working more closely with campers may be first-time team members, simply require a great mindset and attitude to grow and learn on a quickly-moving team.
After reviewing the programs and our site locations, go to our Talent website and search for roles by site. Find the one that best fits your skills and interest, and complete an application.
We want to help you find a position that’s a great fit, so let’s talk about it! We value diversity and inclusivity across our Headfirst community, and we strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented groups and those who might need a reasonable accommodation to apply. Your online application MUST be complete before we are able to review it and reach out to set up an interview.
Congratulations on making it to the next step in the hiring process! During our peak season, we do our best to move quickly in the hiring process, but please know that it can take 1-2 weeks to hear back from our team on a final decision.
Here’s what’s involved:
1. You interviewed: You talked, we listened, we answered your questions. Boom! Done. Nice job.
2. We review: The person who interviews you makes notes about your skills, mindset, location, and availability, and considers where you’d fit best in our camp staff puzzle.
3. We talk as a team: We discuss each candidate with our hiring team, share what we’re excited about, and why we want to bring them on board.
4. We follow up: This can go a few ways:
- We send you an offer letter! This will come via email from our talent system and include a digital offer letter for you to review and sign. READ IT ALL! And then sign (we hope) because you’re so pumped to join us at camp this summer.
- We ask to chat some more – We may have a few more questions or want to talk about shifting you to a different role. This can happen if a role was filled or we think you’d be a better fit in a different program.
- We say, “Sorry, not this year” – Sometimes it’s not the right fit. This could be from experience, skills, or not being qualified for a position.
5. Then, the ball’s in your court. We ask all candidates who receive an offer letter to reply in THREE BUSINESS DAYS. Yep, three. That helps us keep things moving. We will reach out at least once if we don’t hear from you, but after that, we may rescind your offer or move onto other candidates.
6. After you sign… (We hope you will!) We will be in touch about upcoming paperwork, trainings, live video Q&A sessions, and deadlines. There’s a lot to do before camp starts!
We interview upwards of 700+ people from January to August in a given year, so please, check-in with us if you have not heard anything within one month of your interview, please reach out to the Talent representative with whom you spoke.
You should receive an update via email — not by phone — regarding the status of your application.
So you had a great interview and you received an offer letter! Congrats!
Q: What’s included in my offer letter?
A: Your offer letter includes important details and we recommend you review them carefully. They include, but are not limited to:
- Your site location and address
- Role and program
- Weeks offered (Remember, your scheduled weeks may change based on enrollment, performance, or other onsite logistics)
- Compensation rate
- Training compensation rate
- Details about provided materials
- Training dates & expectations
Q: Once I sign, can I make edits or propose changes?
A: Any changes to your offer letter need to be discussed before you sign. When we receive a signed offer letter back, we take that to mean you reviewed it and agree with all that’s included.
Q: I need to talk to someone about my offer letter.
A: No problem. Please get in touch with your Talent point of contact or submit your message to the Talent Helpline here.
Step 1: Celebrate!
- We’re pumped to have you on the team to make it a great summer.
Step 2: Refer friends
- Use our Referral Survey to submit names and contact information for friends, colleagues, or family members you think could be a great fit and we’ll reach out to them about open positions.
- You could earn $25 per person!
Step 3: Onboarding
- In late spring, you’ll be added to our Onboarding portal to complete online paperwork tasks related to payroll and background check. (Some sites require in-person actions as well.)
Step 4: Virtual training
- In the month before camp starts, you’ll be added to our online webinar training portal to view and respond to virtual trainings that cover camp policies, procedures, and practices.
- Virtual training also includes opportunities to meet your site-specific team members!
Step 5: In-person training
- Apply your new knowledge – get to know your team and site in-person!
- Each team will have a day onsite before campers to cover carpool, curriculum, and more.
Step 6: Camp begins!
Congratulations on receiving an offer to join our team! We completely understand that it can be a confusing process, and want to make sure that it is as straightforward as possible.
Please check your junk mailbox for an email from our online hiring platform, iCims.
When you locate that email, it has a direct link to login to your profile using the same credentials you used to apply.
If you can’t find your password, or forget your login, please just reach out to us at talent@headfirst.com.
After you’re hired and camp has started, your Site Director is your main point of contact for last-minute changes, updates, and questions.
To access your SD contact info, you must have been added to When I Work by the Talent Team.
- Receive your invite & register
- Log in
- Click “More” (3 dots, lower right corner)
- Click “Documents”
Close to the first week of work, your site contact info will be added. This info sheet also includes links to the FAQs and the payroll schedule.
After camp starts, emailing Talent or calling the Headfirst Talent Line is not the most efficient way to get in touch with your site team. Please go direct!
Do not send schedule or update messages in WhenIWork app – they do not make it to your site director or Talent. (They link to an admin account.)
We’re here to be a resource for you! If you cannot find what you need here, please reach out to us through our Talent Helpline.
Use our Referral Survey to submit names and contact information for friends, colleagues, or family members you think could be a great fit and we’ll reach out to them about open positions.
You could earn $25 per person if they sign on and work their contracted weeks!
Please note: Only new candidate referrals are eligible for the bonus; individuals referred who have worked for Headfirst before do not qualify for the source to earn the bonus.
Q: How do I get paid?
A: Team members have two options to receive their pay – direct deposit or paper checks.
- Direct deposit: The payroll will be deposited in the account by/on the pay date.
- Paper checks: The payroll checks will be mailed on the pay date through US Postal Service, arriving anywhere from 4-7 days later.
Q: How do I access my paystubs and W2s?
A: When you are entered into the payroll system as a new team member, you will receive an email (sent to the email address provided in your onboarding paperwork) that will prompt you to create a username and password for access to all your paystubs and W2s on the ADP system. See the question listed below for more info.
Q: How is my “take home” pay amount determined?
A: The amount of pay you receive in your paycheck (i.e., that you “take home”) is determined by how much you worked during the pay period that corresponds to the pay date, minus taxes and withholdings.
For all employees, Headfirst is legally required to deduct FICA (Social Security and Medicare) and income taxes; the exact amount of income taxes withheld is determined based upon how you filled out your Federal and State withholding forms during the onboarding process. If you have yet to fill out these forms, we suggest discussing them with a tax professional, as we are unable to advise on how to complete them.
Q: What is overtime (OT)?
A: Overtime is what hours are called when you work over 40.0 hours in one week. Those hours may be paid at a different rate if you are a team member paid at an hourly rate. If you are a salaried team member, overtime does not qualify.
Q: Who should I contact if my question has not been answered to my satisfaction?
A: If you have any additional questions, submit them here at the Talent Helpline Form.
Last updated 1/11/2023
