Each December, Rustic Pathways begins a four-month process of narrowing a pool of more than 1,000 Program Leader candidates to just a few hundred.
About half of Rustic Pathways Program Leaders return to lead teen travel programs in 38+ countries from June to August, limiting the number of positions available to about 100. These Program Leaders do more than lead trips. They mentor and teach students, keep students safe, and help students process the experiences they are having. Program Leaders have a direct impact on the success of each program and on the student experience.
The hiring process takes four months because Rustic Pathways aims to select the best possible people to work with students and community partners. Rustic Pathways Program Leaders are expected to be mentors, teachers, role models, friends, caregivers, risk managers, discussion facilitators, ambassadors, first responders, photographers, DJs, translators of culture and language, creators of positive energy and transformation, and much more. Program Leaders are expected to fill all of these roles for every student.
Here’s how we fill those four months:
Screening
The Rustic Pathways Program Staffing Team reads every application, which typically includes a résumé, cover letter, short-answer questions, and copies of relevant certifications, to determine whether the candidate has what it takes to lead Rustic Pathways teen travel programs. Screening assesses whether candidates demonstrate the passion to carry out Rustic Pathways’ vision. Experience working with high school students, living abroad, or possessing unique skills such as speaking Swahili or Burmese or being certified as a Wilderness First Responder or a nurse are all considered.
Once past the initial screening, candidate applications are sent to the Country Teams where the candidate may be best suited. Hiring is conducted continuously, so screening begins as applications come in.
Interviews
If the Country Team agrees that the candidate is a good match, the team schedules video interviews. These interviews assess energy, authenticity, passion, and adaptability. Candidates participate in role-plays to measure real-life response and engagement and answer questions about how they would handle complex scenarios from real service trips for high school students. Candidates also receive more information about the specifics of the job and share areas where they expect to excel or face challenges. This stage also allows candidates to ask further questions about the job, the organization, and the students. A minimum of two video interviews are conducted with various members of the Country Team.
Matching
If both the Staffing Team and the Country Team determine that a candidate possesses the skills, experience, and passion to work with Rustic Pathways, the candidate is matched to a program. For example, a candidate with experience teaching Spanish and traveling in Costa Rica might be placed in a program there.
Rustic Pathways prioritizes hiring adaptable, versatile trip leaders because staffing needs change throughout the summer. While one Program Leader may lead Marine Life and Coastal Restoration in the Dominican Republic all summer, another may lead four different programs in Thailand. Rustic Pathways hires enough Program Leaders to meet a promised 7:1 student-to-leader ratio but in practice delivers a verified 4.37:1 ratio.
References and Background Check
Before completing the hiring process, Rustic Pathways checks candidate references even after reviewing applications and conducting at least two interviews. Former employers are asked detailed questions about past performance, how candidates handle specific situations, and any reservations about employing that person to work with teens. Official background checks are conducted as the final step.
Click here if you want to learn more about how we train Program Leaders.
If leading teen travel programs isn’t right for you, check out other open positions with Rustic Pathways.