Americamp interview questions: what to expect and how to prepare

The question we get asked more than any other isn't about pay, or visas, or which camp you'll end up at.

It's this: what actually happens in the Americamp interview?

It makes sense. For most applicants, this is the part of the process that sits between them and a summer camp job in America.

It's also the part most wrapped up in "what if I'm not good enough?"

So let's take the mystery out of it.

It's a conversation, not a test

The Americamp Interview is a 20-minute chat. It is not a test with right and wrong answers, and it is not designed to catch you out. It's a genuine conversation between you and someone who wants to know if camp life in the USA is a good fit for you, and if you're a good fit for camp.

Liam, one of our former camp counsellors, put it simply: "AmeriCamp is amazing, their team are so personal and super friendly. They helped the process become smooth and easy."

That's the tone we're going for. Real people, having a real chat.

The kind of questions you'll actually get asked

Most questions come back to three things: who you are, what you can offer a camp, and whether you understand what you're signing up for.

You can expect questions like why you want to work at a summer camp in America, what skills or activities you could teach or lead, and how you'd handle a homesick nine-year-old or a long day with not much sleep. There might be a question about a time you worked in a team, or led one. None of this requires a rehearsed script. It requires you, honestly.

What we're really looking for

Camps in the USA aren't looking for perfect. They're looking for counsellors who are reliable, warm with kids, and genuinely up for the challenge of living and working somewhere new for eight to ten weeks.

If you've got a specific skill, sailing, coaching, music, lifeguarding, outdoor pursuits, that's a bonus and can bump you into premium counsellor territory. Premium counsellors earn a guaranteed minimum of $2,350 USD per season, while standard counsellors earn a guaranteed minimum of $2,250 USD, with food and accommodation provided either way. But plenty of counsellors get placed on attitude, energy, and being genuinely good with kids alone.

How to prepare without overthinking it

Have a think beforehand about why you actually want to do this, not the answer you think we want to hear. Be ready to talk about any experience you've got working with children, in teams, or in any kind of customer-facing role, even if it feels unrelated.

It also helps to know the basics of the programme going in. Understand that camp season runs June to August, lining up neatly with a New Zealand winter, and that the J1 visa process is first-come, first-served, so earlier applications and interviews are genuinely an advantage. Background checks alone can take up to ten weeks, which is why we always tell people to apply early rather than wait until they've got it all figured out.

What happens after

Once the interview is done, we let you know where you stand. There's no guaranteed placement before screening, camps choose their own counsellors, but a good interview puts you in a strong position. From there it's about matching you to the right camp, sorting your J1 visa through the Auckland consulate, and getting you ready to go.

Sophie, who worked as a special needs camp counsellor in Iowa, summed up why it's worth pushing through the nerves: "It was an opportunity to help other people while having the best summer and experiencing a different country." That's the bit on the other side of the interview.

If you're a Kiwi or Aussie thinking about a working holiday in the USA and keep circling back to the same question, what's the Americamp interview actually like, the honest answer is: relaxed, human, and over before you know it.

Americamp NZ is operated by International Working Holidays, Auckland-based and Kiwi-focused. We're the NZ arm of Americamp - backed by over 24 years of placing New Zealanders at summer camps across the USA. The application is free to start and our NZ team is with you every step of the way.

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