The Behavioral Interview Advantage
Over the years, I’ve sat on both sides of the interview table. On the interviewer side, it is amazing to me the number of folks who believe that it is a “gotcha” game. That somehow, the interviewer must ask questions that show (or stump) how the person being interviewed is not up to the position.
I’ve interviewed thousands of young folks who wanted to become camp leaders. And I’ve watched those same leaders grow into cabin leaders, unit leaders, and directors. I’ve seen the magic that happens when a camp hires well. And I’ve also seen the heartbreak when a camp hires someone who sounds great in an interview…but can’t handle the real work of leading kids, working with peers, and carrying responsibility.
Here’s what I know:
Camp doesn’t need perfect people. Camp needs prepared people.
People who can stay calm. Make good choices. Serve others. Own their mistakes. Ask for help. And grow.
That’s why I’m excited to share a course I recently built and refined. This is one that I believe is going to help camp leaders at every level. But what makes it unique is this:
I reverse engineered it.
Years ago, I had the great opportunity to learn about "Behavioral Interviewing” while I attended a camp director retreat. We had the great fortune to not only learn, but we were trained to train the course. The expectation being that we would take it back to our own camps and make sure that the next generation of leaders knew it as well.
Fast forward 28 years later. I updated a version of that course for camp leadership and shared it on the SKOOL platform.
At first, this course was designed for those who were recruiting and hiring so that they would master the art of behavioral interviewing. I included how to ask the right questions and hire with evidence, not assumptions.
But then I had a realization.
If camps are using behavioral interviews (and many are), then we should also be training candidates—the future staff—to succeed in that format. I want to disrupt the “gotcha’ game of interviewing.
So I rebuilt the course into a guide for someone being interviewed. And if you’re applying to camp, interviewing for a leadership role, or helping teens and young adults prepare for hiring…this is for you.
Behavioral interviewing is based on one simple belief:
Past behavior predicts future performance.
Instead of asking:
“What would you do if a camper was homesick?”
A behavioral interviewer asks:
“Tell me about a time you helped a young person who was overwhelmed or homesick. What did you do?”
That shift matters.
Because camp leadership isn’t hypothetical. It’s not a multiple-choice test. It’s not a personality quiz.
It’s responsibility in real time.
Behavioral interviewing produces evidence. Not impressions.
And that’s a good thing—for everyone.
It helps camps hire leaders who can actually do the work.
And it helps candidates get hired based on what they’ve truly done—not whether they’re good at talking.
Let’s be honest: camp interviews can feel emotional.
Potential staff want to be liked. Camp leadership want to believe in someone’s potential. Sometimes we hear enthusiasm and assume we’re hearing readiness.
But camp is not a place for guessing.
We’re putting people in charge of other people’s children. We’re trusting them with safety. We’re asking them to live and lead in a community of their peers. And we’re asking them to be the kind of leader who doesn’t quit when it gets hard and it will.
So if a camp can shift from:
“I have a good feeling about them…”
to:
“Here is the evidence they can do this…”
Then camp wins. Campers win. And the Staff win.
And if a candidate learns to give that evidence clearly? They win too.
I’d like you to consider joining my FREE SKOOL group Servant Leadership at Camp.
And once you are there, review the 10 module “Summer Staff Applying to Behavioral Interviews.”
Not only do you have a friend and fan from me. I want to serve you by equipping you with a tried and true method to prepare for interviews and get hired at the camp of your choosing.
This is FREE. I have no expectations other than you pay it forward to the young folks you will serve at camp this summer. Have a great time and feel free to comment or reach out if you need support during the interview process and once you work at camp.
For a copy of my Number 1 selling book, “Serving From The Heart,” visit: https://clpli.com/al_ferreira
Or some leadership SWAG consider visitng my ETSY store: alfatcamp.etsy
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