Best Practices for Evaluating Work Camping Applicants

Hiring the right work camper makes all the difference between a smooth season and a hard one. This guide pulls from experienced employer feedback on what actually predicts a good hire.

What to look for in an application

The strongest predictors of a good fit are:

• Specifics about prior work camping experience. "Hosted at a Florida state park 2022-2023, did check-ins and managed the firewood program" beats "I have RV experience."
• Willingness to commit to your full season. Be cautious of applicants who say they're available "until something better comes up."
• Realistic expectations about the work. Someone asking thoughtful questions about hours, off-time, and tasks usually outperforms someone who just says "yes" to everything.
• A working RV. Especially for sites without backup housing — you want to know they can actually arrive and stay.

Useful questions to ask in your reply

Before booking a phone or video call, ask 3-5 specific questions:

• What's your RV's length and what hookups do you need? (Make sure your site can accommodate them.)
• Can you commit to [specific dates]? Do you have any conflicts during the season?
• What's appealing to you about this role specifically? (Tests whether they read your listing.)
• What was the last work camping role you held, and why did it end?
• Are there any health or mobility considerations we should know about for the kind of physical work this involves?

Phone or video calls

Always do at least one voice or video call before committing. Email tells you they can write — a call tells you whether you can talk to them comfortably. For a 90-day season, you'll be in communication daily. If a 20-minute call feels strained, three months will be miserable.

Red flags worth taking seriously

• They reach out demanding info that's clearly in your listing. Tells you they didn't read it.
• They negotiate hard on terms before being offered the role. Suggests entitlement that won't get easier after they're hired.
• They had multiple short prior placements. Some legitimately leave for legitimate reasons; a pattern is worth asking about.
• Their RV plans are vague. "We're looking at RVs" or "we're between rigs" usually means they can't actually arrive on day one.
• They want everything in writing before the call. Some level of due diligence is good; insistence on contract details before a basic conversation is excessive.

Checking references

Most experienced work campers can offer references from prior employers. Ask for two and call both. The questions that matter most:

• Did they show up on time and complete their commitment?
• How were they with guests/customers?
• Would you hire them again?
• What's something I should know about working with them that wouldn't show up in their application?

Setting expectations clearly

Before the offer, make sure you've talked through:

• Exact hours expected (per day and per week)
• What "off time" actually looks like
• Pay structure (hourly, stipend, exchange-only) and pay schedule
• Site assignment, hookups, included utilities
• Dress code or uniform expectations
• What happens if either of you needs to part ways early

A 30-minute call that covers these saves a lot of awkward conversations later.

The simple version

If you remember nothing else: treat hiring like it matters. The work camper you pick will be living on your property and representing your business for weeks or months. That's worth two or three calls and a careful read of their materials, even when you have 30 applicants to get through.