How to hire a certified recreational therapist

How to hire a certified recreational therapist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step certified recreational therapist hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your certified recreational therapist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a certified recreational therapist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A certified recreational therapist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, certified recreational therapists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of certified recreational therapist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Certified Recreational Therapist	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Recreational Therapist	Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. Recreational therapists use a variety of modalities, including arts and crafts, drama, music, dance, sports, games, and community reintegration field trips to help maintain or improve a patient’s physical, social, and emotional well-being.	$19-44
   Treatment Coordinator	A Treatment Coordinator is responsible for assisting the doctors and other medical professionals in performing treatment procedures and administering medications for the patients. Treatment Coordinators manage administrative duties, such as scheduling medical appointments, discussing the treatment plans to the patients, updating medical information on the database, and processing payments for the medical procedures... Show more	$14-25
   Therapist	A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients... Show more	$18-38

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Therapeutic Recreation
   • Rehabilitation
   • Recreation Therapy
   • CTRS
   • Interdisciplinary
   • Group Therapy
   • Treatment Programs
   • Therapy Programs
   • Community Resources
   • Occupational Therapy
   • Adaptive
   • Relaxation Techniques
   • Mental Illness

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage ventilator care, intubation, arterial line placement, mechanical ventilation, BIPAP, and CPAP.
   • Provide instruction and awareness on use of adaptive equipment.
   • Function as a PRN CTRS for an adult inpatient psychiatric hospital.
   • Research and purchase adaptive equipment, activity supplies and daily needs for the program.
   • Lead and co-lead therapeutic psychiatric rehabilitation groups.
   • Create policy and procedure manual for rehabilitation unit van.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your certified recreational therapist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A certified recreational therapist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, certified recreational therapists' average salary in indiana is 48% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level certified recreational therapists earn 55% less than senior-level certified recreational therapists.
   • Certifications. A certified recreational therapist 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 a certified recreational therapist's salary.

   Average certified recreational therapist salary

   $61,472yearly

   $29.55 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level certified recreational therapist salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a certified recreational therapist job description

   A certified recreational therapist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a certified recreational therapist job description:

   Certified recreational therapist job description example

   Come join our team as a Certified Recreation Therapist, at North Tampa Behavioral Health! If you are passionate and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those in need through compassionate therapeutic practices, this position is right for you!
   
   North Tampa Behavioral Health is the leading treatment program for individuals suffering with mental health & substance abuse issues. Our expert staff restore hope and provide lasting recovery to adults in the greater Tampa area, through holistic care and comprehensive inpatient & outpatient programs, including a separate inpatient program for senior adults. Our inpatient program also features specialized tracks for co-occurring disorders and chemical dependency. North Tampa Behavioral Health is conveniently located less the 20 miles from downtown Tampa, Florida, in beautiful Wesley Chapel, right off I-75 on SR-56. Our employees describe working at North Tampa Behavioral Health as "being part of a family", "ability to make a real difference in a person's life", "warm and welcoming", "providing service to those in need". Our employees feel they make a difference in each patient they treat. Learn more at www.northtampabehavioralhealth.com.
   
   We currently have an opening for a full-time, Certified Recreation Therapist, to join our team of caring professionals. Must have availability on weekends.
   Purpose of position:
   
   + Plan, direct or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in the facility.
   
   + Plan and implement expressive therapy, leisure and social activities for patients to ensure that their needs are addressed.
   
   + Conduct sessions to improve patient mental and physical well-being, instruct patients in activities and techniques, such are sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques designed to meet their specific needs.
   
   Benefits: At North Tampa Behavioral Health, we offer competitive compensation, benefits (including Medical, dental, vision insurance, life and AD&A, short term and long term disability, flexible spending account and health savings accounts), Acadia Healthcare 401(k) plan {including a company match}, tuition assistance, employee referral program, employee assistance program, employee discount program, and regular opportunities for development and advancement.
   
   Job Requirements:
   
   Education: Bachelor's degree in Recreation Therapy or other recreation-based field which may be approved for national certification in their area of expertise, required. Master's degree preferred.
   
   Experience: At least one (1) year of experience, preferably in Behavioral Health.
   
   Licensures/Certification: Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Current CPR certification and Handle With Care (HWC) certification (will provide training for HWC).
   
   Qualifications
   
   Licenses & Certifications
   
   Required
   
   + Cert Recreational Thera
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find certified recreational therapists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your certified recreational therapist job on Zippia to find and recruit certified recreational therapist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit certified recreational therapists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 certified recreational therapist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the certified recreational therapist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new certified recreational therapist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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