Want to go to summer camp, ride horses or play on a playground and get paid to do it?
The City of Davis Community Services Department is holding its Recreational Job Fair on Wednesday, January 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Multipurpose room in the Veterans Memorial Center on 203 East 14th St.
The Recreational Job Fair will be offering such jobs as camp director, golf and splash camp leader, horse camp guide, water safety instructor and dance and gymnastics instructor, said Sandra Montgomery, City of Davis community services coordinator.
The City of Davis’ website both describes the details of every job that is being offered and lists the applicants’ requirements to get the job.
“We are looking for people with experience in customer service, working with children and perhaps someone with experience as a cashier,” said Connie Fappiano, community services manager at with the City of Davis. “Mainly we are looking for people who are friendly, outgoing and service-oriented.”
The Golf and Splash Camp Leader, for example, will have the opportunity to attend lessons with the camp children at the Wild Horse Golf Course and to lead the children in different aquatic activities at the Manor Pool in Davis.
“We also get to go to Scandia Family Fun Center on Fridays, so [Leaders] get to drive the kids on the excursion,” Montgomery said in an e-mail.
“The minimum qualifications for the position are that you have to be 18 years old, have supervision experience, be creative, and [are] comfortable with water because they will be getting in the water with the kids,” she said. “They don’t have to know how to golf but they have to have a willingness to learn and a passion for instructing kids.”
While potential Job Fair goers may think that the Recreational Job Fair will be all fun and games, Kristen Hilton, the City of Davis’s Community Service Recreation Coordinator, presses that the experience employees receive serve as valuable career building opportunities.
“[Employees] will get customer-service experience, work with children, and [get] experience with thinking on your feet,” Hilton said in an e-mail. “Employees will also be planning events and have to do quick-problem solving.”
“They will play and coordinate games and field trips as well as work on communication skills as they will be the ones communicating with parents and making sure that the kids are having a great time,” she said.
Attendees of the Recreational Job Fair are recommended to bring a résumé and to fill out a City of Davis Application, which they can get at http://cityofdavis.org/jobs/parttime.cfm.
“We recommend that individuals come prepared and read the job description(s) for the position(s) that they are interested in applying for,” Montgomery said. “While there is no specific dress-code for the job fair, applicants should keep in mind that they will be meeting their “potential” future employers for the first time. Business-casual is recommended.”
Hilton recommends that hopeful employees introduce themselves at the Job Fair, even if they do not have any questions for the employers.
Some Job Fair goers may be worried about the current economic crisis and the job availability. Montgomery, Hilton, and Fappiano agree that is not a concern for Recreation Services.
“Because our programs are revenue oriented, we need an excellent staff to fill the positions. We are keeping 90 percent of the jobs that we had last year and we aren’t cutting part-time staff,” Fappiano said.
“The Community Services Department hired over 100 individuals for part-time recreation jobs in 2008 and many of these individuals attended the job fair. This is a wonderful opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the Community Services Department Recreation jobs that are available,” Montgomery said.
Interested applicants can also call 757- 5626 for more information on available positions.
MEGAN ELLIS can be reached at features@theaggie.org.
