Potential hire gets rejected from camp counseling job, only to be contacted by boss a week before camp starts, asking about their first shift: ‘I didn't think I got the job’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jul 18, 2026 12:00 PM EDT

How do you know whether or not you got a job you applied for?

Well, there is only one way to know for sure, and that is when you get a job offer and officially sign a contract. Anything less, and it's safe to assume you were rejected. You don't even have to get a rejection email. As long as you don't hear back from them, there is no point in troubling yourself with whether or not you got the job.

That was the thought process of the young adult who shared the story below. They applied for a camp counseling job, where they had worked the past two summers, but due to a schedule conflict, they assume they won't be able to work this year. In fact, they got an explicit email stating that because they won't be able to attend the training, they won't be able to take the job.

So, the young adult assumed the job wasn't theirs, and they went on to make other plans for their summer.

However, while they were enjoying a nice vacation in Europe, they suddenly got an email from their boss at camp, asking them when they would start their first shift. This made the young adult start questioning their entire conduct with the camp, and especially questioning whether they were right to assume they didn't get the job in the first place.

Since they never heard back from the camp, we don't think the young adult should have assumed they got the job. Especially since other counselors got offer letters while they didn't. To be asked by the boss a week before camp is due to start, when they are coming in, is quite crazy, and there was no way the young adult could have seen it coming, as far as we're concerned.

The potential hire would still love the job, so they are now wondering how they should explain the situation to the boss. Luckily, they came up with a solution in their update, so make sure you read the story all the way through.

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  • 01

    Boss is emailing me asking about my first shift for a job I didn’t think I got.

    Context: I am a college student in the US. For the past two summers, I have worked as a counselor for one of my city's Parks & Rec summer camp programs.
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  • 02
    Camp counselor wearing a ‘Staff' T-shirt.
    via Omar Lopez

    Camp counselor wearing a 'Staff' T-shirt.

    Subject is a model.

  • 03
    This year I wanted to apply for a lead counselor position since I had the needed experience by this point.
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  • 04
    However I already had a family trip to Europe planned that meant I would miss the in- person training day that occurs before the start of the program each summer, as well as the first few days of the program.
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  • 05
    (There was an additional online one I would be able to attend though.) Before applying this spring I emailed my boss to ask whether that would disqualify me from being considered as a lead.
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  • 06
    I said that if it did, I would happily apply as a regular counselor again instead.
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  • 07
    She replied with a short email saying that the all-staff in- person trainings and being on-site the first week of work were mandatory.
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  • 08
    I interpreted this as her saying I shouldn't apply at all. (Which surprised me because I was unable to attend the in-person training last year due to another family conflict and it wasn't an issue.) Since it sounded like I couldn't be a counselor I applied to be an on-call substitute.
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  • 09
    I figured I had a better chance of getting that position despite my training situation since I was an experienced counselor.
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  • 10
    About a month later my boss emailed to confirm I was applying as a sub and not a counselor.
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  • 11
    I reiterated that I'd be traveling and thought it made more sense. she replied, "Sub it is then!
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  • 12
    Enjoy your travels" | had friends who applied to be substitutes as well. They received official job offers that they had to accept, same as I had in past years as a counselor.
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  • 13
    I never got any offer or hiring paperwork. Naturally I assumed I didn't get the job, probably due to the training situation.
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  • 14
    I was disappointed but I moved on and found another summer job. I did continuo to get occasional automated emails from the program (policy updates, training reminders, etc.) but assumed I'd just accidentally been left on the mailing list.
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  • 15
    I am currently on the aforementioned europe trip. (It's great, besides a wicked sunburn on my .J.
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  • 16
    Young girls sitting by a lake at summer camp.
    via Melissa Askew

    Young girls sitting by a lake at summer camp.

    Subjects are models.

  • 17
    Please remember sunscreen y'all.) My boss emailed asking what site my first substitute shift would be at so she could send the correct timesheets there.
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  • 18
    I'm baffled!! As far as I know I was literally never offered the job. I didn't attend the trainings (including the online one) because I didn't think I got the job.
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  • 19
    I think I'm going to be honest and explain that I never received a job offer and therefore assumed I wasn't hired.
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  • 20
    Definitely can't just pretend I went to the trainings as they're paid and that would be time theft.
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  • 21
    I want to find a way to respond without making it sound like I am making excuses for ignoring my responsibilities (for a job i didn't know I had!!) What would you do??
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  • 22

    Update!

    The update: I responded to my boss's email once I was home from my trip. I approached it the way many of you advised me to.
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  • 23
    I said, "Apologies for the delay in my response, I have just returned from traveling with my family.
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  • 24
    I did not receive a job offer earlier this year as other substitutes I know did, so I was under the impression I had not gotten the job.
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  • 25
    I apologize for the confusion. I would absolutely still be interested in working as a sub this summer, so if that is still a possibility, please let me know what I need to do to make that happen." She responded the next day and apologized!
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  • 26
    She said she thought she had sent me an offer but I must've slipped through the cracks somehow.
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  • 27
    She said they would love to have me back this summer and gave me my new login info for the scheduling portal.
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  • 28
    I picked up my first shifts this week! This was definitely the best case scenario. I'm glad it all worked out and happy to have a little extra cash this summer.
    via odder_box23211
  • 29
    Thanks for all your advice.
    via odder_box23211

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Tags

boss shift employee job summer camp summer email new hire work summer job rejection funny college student
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