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How to hire an activities counselor

Activities counselor hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring activities counselors in the United States:

  • There are currently 3,629 activities counselors in the US, as well as 31,248 job openings.
  • Activities counselors are in the highest demand in Alpharetta, GA, with 2 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire an activities counselor is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new activities counselor to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an activities counselor, step by step

To hire an activities counselor, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire an activities counselor, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step activities counselor hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an activities counselor job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new activities counselor
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the activities counselor you need to hire. Certain activities counselor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an activities counselor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an activities counselor that fits the bill.

    This list presents activities counselor salaries for various positions.

    Type of Activities CounselorDescriptionHourly rate
    Activities CounselorRecreation workers design and lead recreational and leisure activities for groups in volunteer agencies or recreation facilities, such as playgrounds, parks, camps, aquatic centers, and senior centers. They may lead activities such as arts and crafts, dance, sports, adventure programs, music, and camping.$11-18
    Youth WorkerYouth workers specialize in handling and providing support to young individuals with behavioral difficulties. They are primarily responsible for devising recreational projects, handling the budget, producing progress reports, managing intervention programs, and counseling troubled youth while keeping their information confidential... Show more$12-19
    Group LeaderA group leader is responsible for overseeing and distributing fair tasks to the members, ensuring clear instructions and procedures. Group leaders are mainly the ones leading the team towards their success... Show more$27-83
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • CPR
    • Youth Ages
    • Direct Supervision
    • Mental Health
    • Front Desk
    • RAN
    • Role Model
    • Direct Care
    • Crisis Intervention
    • Behavioral Issues
    • Conflict Resolution
    • Mental Illness
    • Developmental Disabilities
    • Safety Procedures
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead groups of children and youth weekly in spiritual growth, bible study, and fellowship.
    • Educate campers to manage their diabetes independently bypracticing in team excercises.
    • Provide supervision and manage delinquent youthful offenders, in a secure residential correctional treatment facility.
    • Certify lifeguard, CPR, archery instructor, and adventure course team member.
    • Certify lifeguard, first-aid, & CPR leader who ensure safety and well-being for all campers.
    • Plan and run children's activities on the ship.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your activities counselor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An activities counselor salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, activities counselors' average salary in louisiana is 55% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level activities counselors earn 38% less than senior-level activities counselors.
    • Certifications. An activities counselor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an activities counselor's salary.

    Average activities counselor salary

    $14.94hourly

    $31,084 yearly

    Entry-level activities counselor salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 27, 2025
  4. Writing an activities counselor job description

    A job description for an activities counselor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an activities counselor job description:

    Activities counselor job description example

    • $750 signing bonus!
    • $15-$17 per hour
    • $250 for EACH person you refer to work in any position at Shalom Austin.

    Perks:

    • No nights or weekends!
    • Free JCC Membership ($200 value)
      • Brand new pool, aquatics center and tennis courts
      • New and updated locker rooms, with sauna, steam room and private showers
    • FREE fitness classes and state of the art fitness floor
    • You are eligible to receive up to $500 in bonuses AND $250 for EACH person you refer to work at Shalom Austin!!
    • Learning and development workshops and trainings
    • Career advancement opportunities

    After-School Activity Counselor—Kids Connection

    Activity Counselors, along with their co-counselors, will be assigned to a group of children, based by grade, Pre-K through 5th grade for afterschool activities at Kids Connection Afterschool Program. As a group leader and facilitator, the Activity Counselor is responsible for the day-to-day programming of the group. The Activity Counselor should program to meet the needs of all campers in the group; however, the Activity Counselor must be sensitive to the goals and objectives of the program and provide a program to meet all needs. There are additional opportunities to drive a 15 passenger van to transport children. Hours are 2:30pm-6:00pm 5 days a week (with the possibility of a 3-day per week schedule). Eligible candidates will be 18 by the start of Kids Connection, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and be able to pass a background check and fingerprint test.

    Skills required:

    Enthusiasm, patience, a great sense of humor, attention to detail, strong work ethic, positivity, being a team player and ability to harness your inner child!

    What we care about:

    Shalom Austin is a community-minded, inclusive organization. We are committed to creating and supporting a safe, welcoming and diverse workplace for all people regardless of race, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation.

    Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is a condition of employment at Shalom Austin and required for all employees and independent contractors.

    Shalom Austin/JCamps Core Values:

    • UNITY. You recognize the importance of one team that leverages resources, talents and expertise to achieve a common purpose.
    • EXCELLENCE. You are committed to continual improvement, and you consistently set new standards for success.
    • RESPECT. You nurture your workplace through honesty, sincerity, and responsibility.
    • CREATIVITY. You approach both opportunities and obstacles with a spirit of flexibility, thinking critically to achieve innovative solutions.
    • INITIATIVE. You are a self-starter, driven to exceed expectations and claim a sense of ownership as you pursue your goals.
    • KNOWLEDGE. You engage in continuous learning and actively seek opportunities that provide professional enrichment and personal fulfillment.

    How to Apply

    • Follow the link to apply.

    We promise we’ll get in touch with you by phone or email.

    Due to the high volume of applications received, we cannot respond to individual telephone inquiries about whether or not a position has been filled. Only applicants selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted by phone; all other applicants will be notified by email.

    Shalom Austin provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion*, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

    *Although we are a Jewish organization, we welcome candidates of any or no religious affiliation to apply.

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  5. Post your job

    To find activities counselors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any activities counselors they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level activities counselors with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your activities counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit activities counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit activities counselors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new activities counselor

    Once you've found the activities counselor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an activities counselor?

There are different types of costs for hiring activities counselors. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new activities counselor employee.

The median annual salary for activities counselors is $31,084 in the US. However, the cost of activities counselor hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring an activities counselor for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $18 an hour.

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