How to hire a general activities therapist

How to hire a general activities therapist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step general activities 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 general activities therapist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new general activities therapist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a general activities therapist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the general activities therapist you need to hire. Certain general activities therapist 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect general activities therapist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of general activities therapists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of General Activities Therapist	Description	Hourly rate
   General Activities 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.	$16-33
   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:

   • Interdisciplinary
   • Instructional Capacity

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage ventilator care, intubation, arterial line placement, mechanical ventilation, BIPAP, and CPAP.
   • Serve on committees, attend interdisciplinary meetings and intervene in crisis situations.
   • Identify presenting/existing barriers that impede adequate social-functioning and goal-attainment with the purpose of connecting patients to adequate resources within a community.
   • Receive DBT, recovery model, and therapeutic communication training to enhance therapeutic techniques.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general activities therapist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A general activities therapist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, general activities therapists' average salary in florida is 45% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level general activities therapists 50% less than senior-level general activities therapists.
   • Certifications. A general activities therapist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a general activities therapist's salary.

   Average general activities therapist salary

   $49,984yearly

   $24.03 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level general activities therapist salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a general activities therapist job description

   A general activities 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. Below, you can find an example of a general activities therapist job description:

   General activities therapist job description example

   Who We Are…
   
   Guided by a single mission "To reduce recidivism among those we touch," the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction believes that everyone is capable of positive change. Our staff embrace these core values and serves as role models for pro-social behavior conveying an attitude of dignity and respect in the treatment of others.
   
   What We Do…
   
   The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has been tasked with front line crime reduction through rehabilitative treatment and programming efforts provided in a safe, secure and humane correctional environment and effective community supervision. Our goal is to protect the public through helping individuals turn away from crime and become productive, contributing members of our communities, ensuring a safer Ohio for all Ohioans now and in the future.
   
   To learn more about our agency, please visit our website at www.drc.ohio.gov
   
   Are You Ready?
   
   We are thrilled to see that you are interested in beginning your career with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction! Without a doubt, this will be the most rewarding and meaningful work you'll ever find with a work family that is second to none!
   
   This is a reposting... If you applied previously, you must apply again to be considered.
   
   The Job Opportunity and Duties…
   
   * Plans, conducts, implements and monitors general recreation, personal development, structured therapeutic and entertainment activities (e.g., softball, basketball, volleyball, ping-pong, arts and crafts, wood working, swimming, exercises) for inmates
   * Serves as member of interdisciplinary team and analyzes, assesses, evaluates, defines and recommends group and/or individual treatment goals and activities
   * Observes participants during activities
   * Serves in instructional capacity for inmates
   * Prepares and maintains work related documentation (e.g., reports for treatment team regarding individual behavior and progress, documents regarding implementation of individual recreational program activities, statistical records needed in evaluation of programs, supply and equipment requisitions, production records, inventory records of equipment, tools and materials, weekly activity schedule)
   * Performs security functions as required (e.g., man-down, shakedown, inmate movement)
   * Participates and attends meetings, conferences and/or training sessions (e.g., consults with members of activities therapy department regarding matters of mutual concern, attends annual in-service and/or workshops) and performs various work-related tasks (e.g., maintains clean, safe and functioning work areas)
   * Responsible for storage, issuance and maintenance of supplies; picks up and delivers productions goods
   * Performs job and fixture set-up
   * Relieves supervisor in his/her absence
   
   Completion of undergraduate core program in recreation area (e.g., physical education); 12 mos. exp. in activity therapy or recreation.
   
   * Or completion of associate degree in recreational area; 24 mos. exp. in activity therapy or
   
   recreation.
   
   * Or 12 mos. exp. as General Activities Therapist 1, 44211.
   * Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right general activities therapist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your general activities therapist job on Zippia to find and recruit general activities therapist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with general activities therapist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 general activities therapist

   Once you've decided on a perfect general activities therapist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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 general activities 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a general activities therapist?