YMCA

Pool Lifeguard

June 2019 • Baton Rouge, LA

What I liked

the people, the structure, being outside

What I wish was different

if there had been more guards

Advice

it gets hot!

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Assistant Site Supervisor

October 2018 • Matawan, NJ

What I liked

Working with the children, draining as it could be; working in an advisory role; being able to influence and motivate others

What I wish was different

I wish I hadn't lost my temper on some occasions

Advice

No one is perfect; regardless of one's level of experience, one makes new mistakes and learns new things every day, so long as he is receptive to the learning

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Dragonfly Forest

July 2018 • Dingmans Ferry, PA

What I liked

I like the experience of working with students who are just like me and to see them have fun and be able to communicate.

What I wish was different

Having a nature camp and not available to work at Camp Speers that much

Advice

BE OPEN-MINDED

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Pool Lifeguard

July 2018 • Nashua, NH

What I liked

I liked being able to work a schedule that worked for me.

What I wish was different

I honestly wish that I could have worked more hours.

Advice

I would recommend making sure to have plenty of water and food, and a book or work to do when off rotation, because it gets very warm and humid in the pool area.

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Pool Lifeguard

August 2016 • Graham, NC

What I liked

It's a relaxed atmosphere

What I wish was different

Not much

Advice

More people should do it

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swim instructor

January 2015 - August 2018 • Asheville, NC

What I liked

I love working with kids and seeing how excited they are the learn how to swim! Teaching swim lessons can be difficult but it's definitely worth it.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Program specialist

June 2021 • Glen Allen, VA

What I liked

The awesome staff I worked with

What I wish was different

Advice

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Camp Counselor

July 2019 - September 2021 • Huntington, NY

What I liked

I liked working with kids

What I wish was different

I wish there was more organization

Advice

If you do not like kids don’t work as a camp counselor

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Assistant Teacher

May - November 2019 • Ypsilanti, MI

What I liked

The teachers really care for their students and work hard for them, despite the minimal resources they had.

What I wish was different

I think the Lead teachers deserved a much higher pay, and I also feel that we did not always get the supplies and resources we needed to teach our students.

Advice

People do not teach for the money! They do it for the compassion that they have for children.

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member services

May 2019 • Deltona, FL

What I liked

Wonderful place to work

What I wish was different

I wish I was hired earlier

Advice

Do what you enjoy for a summer job

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Summer Camp Councelor

May 2019 • Massillon, OH

What I liked

My team was full of personalities and great leadership. The Y made sure responsibilities were clear and shared properly among all members. A great summer job working with kids ages 5-12 with leadership responsibilities. Also great if you are in the education world!

What I wish was different

Advice

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Camp Counselor

June - August 2019 • Simi Valley, CA

What I liked

Fun innovative atmosphere.

What I wish was different

I wish i could have continued to work there.

Advice

Summer camp is a super exciting fun active way to spend your summer. If you like kids do it!

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Camp Counselor

June 2017 - August 2020 • Londonderry, NH

What I liked

I really enjoyed the age group that I worked with. Towards the beginning of my YMCA career, I worked with the youngest ages (K-1st). As I grew in the company, I started working with the oldest kids (6th-8th), and I really started to enjoy it.

What I wish was different

Advice

One piece of advice I would share is "expect the unexpected." This job can throw a lot of curveballs and unprecedented situations, so it is important to never be caught off guard. Always be watching the kids, always be prepared, and always be ready for fun.

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Camp Counselor

June - July 2019 • Charlotte, NC

What I liked

With the Y readers camp I loved getting classroom experience and while being able to have fun with the kids!

What I wish was different

Advice

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Y Camp Counselor

June - August 2019 • Cascade, ID

What I liked

Working as a summer camp counselor was an invaluable experience. I worked with teenagers (13-14 years old) to teach them the leadership and personal skills they will need in life. Y Camp has a four tier program of leadership and I was working with the first tier, Aspiring Leaders. Watching the teens grow throughout the week they were at camp was amazing to see. I definitely want to work at the summer camp again in the future.

What I wish was different

I left every Sunday to go up to camp and we were up there until Friday. I was the caretaker for my campers 24/7 and it gets tiring watching out for 10+ kids all the time. The only day I had off was Saturdays and sometimes I felt like I didn't have enough time to recuperate for the next week. It would have been nice to have a little more time off to do other things with my summer as well.

Advice

One piece of advice I would give, is that it is so fulling and worth giving up your time to help others. Even though this job was hard, watching these kids grow throughout each week was amazing to see and totally worth the lack of sleep and energy.

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Play Center/Nursey Attendent

November 2017 • Atlanta, GA

What I liked

This position gives me the oppurtunity to interact daily with young children who are learning daily about the world and themselves.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Lifeguard

May 2019 • Greenville, AL

What I liked

I loved meeting new people & spending pass time doing one of my favorite hobbies, swimming! It is overall a fun and great starting job. Whenever you start you start at a pay of $8.25, I believe, and it goes up 25 cents each summer you return. Plus, when you get CPR certified, other occupations love to see that on your resume. On the days no one came to the pool and we were finished cleaning, the coworkers would get to swim together and play around in the water. I overall loved the atmosphere and the plus of getting a killer tan all while saving lives.

What I wish was different

There is nothing I can complain about for this job. Literally, everything is perfect. The scheduling becomes a routine and when you can’t make a shift, you text in a group message to offer it to a coworker. They usually aren’t hesitant and shifts can even be fought over! Aside from that, management was great as well as the coworkers. Most coworkers are at the highschool/college age level and with it being a small town, you’ll get to know everyone and see some familiar faces.

Advice

Do not be intimidated by the swim test nor the training that leads up to it. Although the price can be a little scary, I promise it is worth it! You will be certified for two years and it gives you the ability to work at plenty of other pools anywhere! I was most nervous about the swim test but the nerves were worth it. Most people fear this job because of the test, but I have yet to hear of anyone who has failed it.

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Camp Counselor

June - August 2020 • Madison, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed being outdoors safely with the children and giving them a fun summer experience during these abrupt times.

What I wish was different

I wish the pandemic hadn’t come around and impact what we were able to do all summer.

Advice

Make it as fun as possible!

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Summer Camp Counsellor

June - August 2020 • Merrimack, NH

What I liked

I enjoyed working with the kids and getting experience with planning activities as well as behavior management skills. I also learned to work well with a variety of coworkers.

What I wish was different

I wish that there had been more planning and information from the management staff.

Advice

I would advise that anyone interested in teaching work at least one summer as a counselor in College.

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Lifeguard

February 2019 • Oshkosh, WI

What I liked

The people I worked with were always fun to be around and everyone understands that working at the Y isn’t the only thing in your life and are good about picking up shifts.