Become A Leader

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Working As A Leader

Assisting and Caring for Others
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Thinking Creatively
Performing General Physical Activities

Deal with People
Unpleasant/Angry People
$23,320
Average Salary

What Does A Leader Do

A Leader is responsible for managing and leading a team of employees and providing them with effective guidance. They create an inspiring team environment with an open communication culture, delegate various tasks, and supervise day-to-day operations.

How To Become A Leader

Education and training requirements for recreation workers vary with the type of job, but workers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent and receive on-the-job training.

Education and Training

Recreation workers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent. Many receive on-the-job training that typically lasts less than a month.

Entry-level educational requirements vary with the type of position. For example, an activity leader position working with the elderly will have different requirements than a position as a summer camp counselor working with children.

Some positions may require a bachelor’s degree or college coursework. In 2014, the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions, a branch of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), accredited 80 bachelor’s degree programs in recreation or leisure studies. A bachelor’s degree in other subjects, such as liberal arts or public administration, may also qualify applicants for some positions.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Recreation workers must be able to communicate well. They often work with large groups of people and need to give clear instructions, motivate participants, and maintain order and safety.

Flexibility. Recreation workers must be flexible when planning activities. They must be able to adapt plans to suit changing environmental conditions and participants’ needs.

Leadership skills. Recreation workers should be able to lead both large and small groups. They often lead activities for people of all ages and abilities.

Physical strength. Recreation workers need to be physically fit. Their job may require a considerable amount of movement because they often demonstrate activities while explaining them.

Problem-solving skills. Recreation workers need strong problem-solving skills. They must be able to create and reinvent activities and programs for all types of participants.

For recreation workers who generally work part time, such as camp counselors and activity specialists, certain qualities may be more important than education. These qualities include a worker’s experience leading activities, the ability to work well with children or the elderly, and the ability to ensure the safety of participants.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

The NRPA offers four certifications for recreation workers:

Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP)
Certified Parks and Recreation Executive (CPRE)
Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO)
Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI)

Applicants may qualify for certification with different combinations of education and work experience. They also must take continuing education classes to maintain their certification.

The American Camp Association offers four certificates for various levels of camp staff, from Entry-Level Staff Certificate to Camp Director Certificate. Individuals who complete online courses may show their advanced level of knowledge of core competencies.

Some recreation jobs require other kinds of certification. For example, a lifesaving certificate is often required for teaching or coaching water-related activities. These certifications are available from organizations such as the YMCA or the American Red Cross. Specific requirements vary by job and employer.

Advancement

As workers gain experience, they may be promoted to positions with greater responsibilities. Recreation workers with experience and managerial skills may advance to supervisory or managerial positions. Eventually, they may become directors of a recreation department or may start their own recreation company.

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Leader jobs

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Leader Demographic

Gender

Female
50.5%
Male
46.3%
Unknown
3.2%

Ethnicity

White
77.0%
Hispanic or Latino
10.8%
Asian
9.7%
Unknown
1.9%
Black or African American
0.7%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
47.5%
French
11.9%
Mandarin
6.9%
Chinese
6.7%
German
4.0%
Italian
2.9%
Portuguese
2.9%
Japanese
2.9%
Arabic
2.5%
Korean
2.2%
Cantonese
1.9%
Russian
1.6%
Hindi
1.5%
Vietnamese
1.1%
Greek
0.9%
Thai
0.8%
Hebrew
0.6%
Urdu
0.5%
Swahili
0.4%
Hmong
0.4%

Leader

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Leader Typical Career Paths

Average Length of Employment

Operations Team Leader 3.6 years
Senior Leader 3.5 years
Group Leader 3.2 years
Business Leader 3.0 years
Process Leader 3.0 years
Unit Leader 3.0 years
Team Leader 3.0 years
Leader 3.0 years
Trainer 2.6 years
Volunteer Leader 2.5 years
Site Leader 2.4 years
Camp Leader 1.3 years
Peer Leader 1.2 years

Top Careers Before Leader

Top Careers After Leader

Leader Education

Schools

University of Phoenix
11.6%
Liberty University
8.0%
Pennsylvania State University
6.5%
Michigan State University
6.5%
University of Iowa
5.2%
Texas A&M University
5.0%
Iowa State University
5.0%
Arizona State University
4.5%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
4.3%
Appalachian State University
4.2%
University of Florida
4.1%
University of Connecticut
4.1%
University of Georgia
4.0%
New York University
4.0%
University of South Florida
3.9%
University of Colorado at Boulder
3.9%
Syracuse University
3.8%
University of Central Florida
3.8%
University of Texas at Austin
3.8%
Ohio State University
3.8%

Majors

Degrees

Bachelors
49.8%
Masters
20.2%
Other
18.1%
Associate
5.8%
Doctorate
2.8%
Certificate
2.4%
Diploma
0.7%
License
0.3%

Leader

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Real Leader Salaries

Job Title	Company	Location	Start Date	Salary
Lifecycle Leader	Genentech Inc.	South San Francisco, CA	Sep 11, 2016	$300,006
Platform Leader	Whirlpool Corporation	Saint Joseph, MI	Aug 22, 2016	$290,000
Lifecycle Leader	Genentech USA	South San Francisco, CA	Nov 01, 2013	$278,000
Life Cycle Leader	Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.	Tucson, AZ	Nov 01, 2013	$273,156
Life Cycle Leader	Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.	Tucson, AZ	Apr 30, 2015	$255,000 - $275,000
Global Category Apparel Leader, Nikelab	NIKE, Inc.	Beaverton, OR	Feb 02, 2015	$250,000
Adjunct Recitation Leader	New York University	New York, NY	Jan 16, 2013	$244,701
Global Clinical Leader	Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals	NJ	Dec 18, 2015	$243,225
Global Clinical Leader	Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals	NJ	Jan 13, 2015	$242,190
Lifecycle Leader	Genentech, Inc.	South San Francisco, CA	Aug 15, 2016	$239,658 - $366,200
Global Clinical Leader	Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals	NJ	Apr 02, 2016	$238,050
Global Clinical Leader	Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	NJ	Oct 15, 2013	$235,000
Leader-Mining, Oil & Gas	GHD Inc.	San Francisco, CA	Jun 06, 2014	$232,500
Global GO To Market Strategy & PMO Leader	Mercer (Us) Inc.	New York, NY	Feb 05, 2016	$215,405 - $230,000
Global Onboarding and Talent Leader	IBM Corporation	Somers, NY	Jul 23, 2016	$134,364 - $141,469
Client Leader	Groupm Worldwide LLC-MEC Latin America	Miami, FL	May 04, 2015	$130,000
Leadership Associate	Meadwestvaco Corporation	Richmond, VA	Sep 19, 2015	$125,000
Oncology Insight Leader	Astrazeneca LP	Gaithersburg, MD	Jan 08, 2016	$120,800 - $158,000
Oversight Leader	SG Americas Operational Services, Inc.	Jersey City, NJ	Sep 17, 2016	$120,500
North American Predictive Analytics Segment Leader	IBM Corporation	Cambridge, MA	Aug 09, 2015	$120,415 - $176,957
NPI Leader	GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences Corp.	Westborough, MA	May 31, 2016	$120,000 - $130,000
Commodity Leader	Videojet Technologies Inc.	Wood Dale, IL	Jul 20, 2016	$119,621
Aftermarket Parts Leader	Hill Phoenix, Inc.	Richmond, VA	Nov 01, 2016	$100,000 - $140,000
Siop Leader	Crane Co.	The Woodlands, TX	Sep 17, 2013	$100,000
Siop Leader	Crane Co.	The Woodlands, TX	Sep 14, 2013	$100,000
Leadership Associate	Meadwestvaco Corporation	Richmond, VA	Aug 03, 2013	$100,000
Sourcing Leader	General Electric Company-Healthcare	Laurel, MD	Nov 13, 2015	$100,000 - $110,000
Americas Chemical Sourcing Leader	Owens Corning Composite Materials, LLC	Toledo, OH	May 18, 2015	$100,000
Readiness Leader	Cummins Inc.	Columbus, IN	Sep 15, 2014	$99,000 - $124,200

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Top Skills for A Leader

Top Leader Skills

Safe Environment
Customer Service
Procedures

You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:

Maintained equipment for a clean and safe environment, while providing quality customer service.
Performed detailed client customer service and increased sales in my territory above all pre-established quotas.
Developed, revised, implemented, and enforced existing policies and procedures.
Achieve this through the development of joint business strategies and tracking of mutually beneficial financial goals.
Conducted management-training programs to ensure compliance of federal and state regulations.