Outdoor Instructors Wanted

Colorado River Sept. 7 – Sept. 17th

Backpacking/canoeing instructors wanted

One of our clients needs 3 outdoor instructors for two backpacking/canoeing 5-days trips in the White Mts. of New Hampshire. Dates are: August 16-20 and August 23-27, 2010. If you are interested in being considered for this contract please email us your resume at resume@endurancestaffing.com. Instructors currently in our database have priority.

Developing a recruitment plan for outdoor instructors

1.       Start with the end in mind (S. Covey). Know what you want and what that individual looks like on paper.  Focus on the knowledge, skills and attitudes that the instructor should have for the position you are hiring.

2.       Determine if the instructor you are going to hire is for a long-term position or is it a seasonal one.

3.       Create a job description. Do you have one that you can use or is this a new job?

4.       Determine the candidate’s requirements and the compensation for those requirements.  Look at other outdoor education companies to see how much they are offering for similar positions.  What is the job worth?  Do you have the budget that you need for the position?  Perks?

5.       Marketing the position

a.       Networking – Conference, events, online…

b.      Web 2.0 – YouTube video, podcast, wiki, blog and Twitter

c.       Job Fairs

d.      Colleges and Universities

6.       Candidate management. Create a time line, beginning with the date that you want the instructor to start working. 

a.       Enter all the candidates applying for the position in the database

b.      Screen applications/resumes

c.       Do an initial interview/screen using the phone, Skype or DimDim

d.      Do a competency assessment on the ropes course, ocean or cliff.

e.      Do a reference check

7.       Making “an offer they cannot resist”

8.      Non-selected candidate’s follow up- ask them if they want to be part of your database

9.       Employee orientation.  Conduct a face-to-face or online employee orientation.  Have the new employee meet the president or CEO, show them the facility and introduce him/her to the immediate supervisor.

10.   Schedule the appropriate trainings sessions.  In-house trainings and industry standards trainings sessions, like Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder.

Outdoor education instructors-Where to look for a job?

There are a few websites that cater to outdoor education instructor’s job openings. These websites in no particular order are: outdoored.com and aee.org. In addition, for jobs in colleges and universities bluefishjobs.com is a great resource. On the other hand, idealist.org has an incredible list of openings, but not all of them are in the outdoor education field. Happy searching!
Searching and finding a job in outdoor education can be stressful and lengthy. Remember that Endurance Staffing can do the search for you, while you focus on your current appointment.