HOW TO APPLY – UNITED STATES CITIZENS

All applicants are required to complete an Employment Application. The fastest way to apply is to use the online application. If you prefer a paper application (PDF), contact the Cayuga Business Office and we’ll gladly send it to you. The online application is for United States citizens, and residents who have a green card or other documentation authorizing employment in the United States. If you do not currently possess the required papers & documentation for employment in the USA, follow the instructions below for ‘International Applicants’.

COUNSELOR APPLICANTS

Keep in mind that all cabin counselors are hired as instructors for multiple activities. We’re seeking multi-talented individuals! You can apply for as many instructor positions as you'd like. The daily program stresses self-improvement with emphasis on instruction rather than competition. Quality instruction is emphasized at each activity. To determine your level of competency, we need to know your experience as a player/competitor for each activity you wish to instruct, as well as your experience as an instructor/coach in each activity. We're interested in learning the reasons why you feel confident to lead the activities you've selected to instruct. Please remember to indicate all valid certifications you currently hold & any other certifications that were previously held but are now expired. For a list of available instructor positions, click here. Applicants with current certification in their hired area of expertise are preferred. Other certifications, such as first-aid & CPR, are also preferred.

SENIOR STAFF APPLICANTS

Camp Cayuga is actively supervised by the Camp Directors. Assisting them are over 40 senior staff members who are typically parents with children, professional educators, guidance counselors, school teachers, and coaches. These individuals are our camp leaders who set the tone for Cayuga's fun atmosphere, and are responsible for the key departments of Cayuga's operation. Each position requires strong leadership & management skills, good teaching ability, an outgoing personality, and the ability to be organized & work hard. Senior staff receive free camp tuition for their children. For a list of available senior staff positions, click here.

CAMP NURSE APPLICANTS

We’re seeking to hire 15 licensed professionals who are suitably qualified to monitor and care for the health and well-being of our campers and staff members. The Health Center on Junior Campus houses 4-5 medical staff, while the Health Center on Teen Campus houses 2-3 medical staff. Positions are available for 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. In the past, our staff have included RNs, NPs, PAs, LPNs, EMTs, and MDs, all of whom had experience with children and young adults in the areas of health and medical emergencies. In addition, we usually hire 2 assistants who are nursing students and/or medical students. Medical staff are provided a private bedroom with a private bathroom, and receive free camp tuition for their children. To learn more about Cayuga's medical staff, click here.

HIRING PROCESS

* Complete the online employment application. Remember the email address and password you provided.
* If you prefer a paper application, contact the Cayuga business office, and we’ll mail it to you.
* After your application is reviewed, we’ll send an email requesting you to select a day (Monday to Friday) & three 1-hour time slots you’ll be available time for a skype interview.
* We’ll set-up your interview appointment, and email you a confirmation.
* The interview takes less than one hour.
* Thereafter, we begin the screening process. This includes reference checks, criminal history record check, child abuse history record check, sex offender registry check, and FBI clearance fingerprint check (done at camp).
* If you’re hired, you’ll receive an email with instructions how to proceed.
* Your employment contract will be posted under ‘Forms & Documents’ on your dashboard.
* If acceptable, sign and submit the contract.
* Keep in mind that we accept contracts in the order we receive them. Since there are numerous contracts outstanding for the same position, it's in your best interest to submit your signed contract promptly.
* After submitting your contract, you’ll receive an email confirming your contract was executed. Note: You are not officially hired until you receive this email that specifically confirms your contract has been executed and you've been hired.
* After receiving confirmation, login to your account and review all of the forms posted on your dashboard. These include mandatory forms with due dates, as well as informative documents that will be helpful in your preparations for camp.
* Thereafter, communication is continuous via emails and facebook notifications.
* The hiring process takes a lot of time & effort on our part, as well as yours, but it’s all worth it because our staff is the #1 reason why Cayuga is successful!

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

If you're an International Applicant (not a United States citizen), you must have a valid green card or J-1 work visa. Most applicants obtain a J-1 Visa through the Exchange Visitor’s Program, which offers a ‘Camp Counselor Program’ and ‘Summer Work Travel Program’ for support staff (kitchen & maintenance). Both programs allow temporary work in the United States up to 4 months.

After determining the appropriate J-1 program, the next step is to contact a sponsor. Only State Department-designated sponsors are authorized to issue J-1 visas. Sponsors screen and select prospective exchange visitors based on the criteria set forth in the governing regulations.  For the ‘Camp Counselor Program’, we recommend Camp Counselors USA; Camp Leaders; International Exchange of North America (IENA); American Institute For Foreign Study-Camp America Program; or InterExchange Camp USA. For the ‘Summer Work Travel Program’ (support staff), we suggest Camp Leaders. Contact one of the sponsors directly to find out more about their application requirements.

A sevis-generated Form DS-20xx is required when applying for the J-1 Visa.  Designated sponsors are authorized to issue Form DS-20xx to prospective or current exchange visitors they select for their program. It’s a controlled form provided to you by your program sponsor.  It documents your acceptance to the exchange program. Once you obtain Form DS-20xx from a Sponsor, you may apply for an Exchange Visitor Visa (J-1). You’ll need to provide other supporting documents, so check with the nearest USA embassy or consulate in your country of residence.  The process requires an in-person interview, references, valid passport for travel to the USA, health insurance coverage, visa application fee, photograph, etc.