How to hire a play leader

How to hire a play leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step play leader hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The play leader hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

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   Hiring the perfect play leader 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.

   This list presents play leader salaries for various positions.

   Type of Play Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Play Leader	Recreation 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.	$7-45
   Summer Camp Counselor	Summer camps are programs with different themes organized for children or teenagers during the summer months. Summer camp counselors are responsible for the overall supervision of campers and the planning and implementation of the different programs to give children a memorable experience... Show more	$8-17
   Camp Counselor	Camp counselors' general responsibility is the supervision of a camping event. Camp counselors' duties include reiterating the rules and regulations, emergency drills and procedures, and related standard protocols to ensure that the campers maintain a safe camping environment... Show more	$7-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Guest Service
   • Excellent Guest
   • Customer Issues
   • Championship
   • Conflict Resolution
   • VIP
   • Front Desk
   • CPR
   • SQL Server
   • Role Players
   • Computer System
   • Gift Shop
   • Child Care
   • Departmental Policies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead a group to help a dog food producer to gain traction in the grocery store channel
   • Involve in test case review meeting with QA team and provide suggestions on the changes to functionalities.
   • Provide direction for employees both orally and written facilitate meetings in the form of PowerPoint presentations and administer all department communication.
   • Instruct teens on how to create arts and crafts while stimulating their minds with learning activities.
   • Facilitate activities including reading, basketball, and kickball

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, play leaders' average salary in louisiana is 59% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level play leaders earn 84% less than senior-level play leaders.
   • Certifications. A play leader 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 play leader's salary.

   Average play leader salary

   $38,011yearly

   $18.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level play leader salary

   $15,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

4. Writing a play leader job description

   A play leader 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 play leader job description:

   Play leader job description example

   At Caesars Entertainment, Inc., our Team Members create the extraordinary. We are the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S. and one of the world's most diversified casino-entertainment provider.
   
   Our Caesars family is driven by our Mission, Vision and Values. We take great pride in living these values -- Together We Win, All In On Service and Blaze the Trail -- every day. Our mission, \"Create the Extraordinary\". Our vision, \"Create spectacular worlds. That immerse, inspire and connect you. We don't perform magic; we create it with excellence. #WeAreCaesars\". If you are ready to create some magic, we invite you to explore our dynamic, yet unique, career opportunities.
   
   The incumbent in this position is responsible for providing superior service to both the internal and external customer. Responsible for determining customer admission and for monitoring room flow, and ensuring guests feel welcome and comfortable. The incumbent is also responsible for developing and coordinating programs to attract high-limit players and host such guests to ensure guest satisfaction and repeat visits. Work requires superior communication and judgmental skills, as the position is called upon to interact frequently with high-limit customers and make decisions regarding extensions of complimentaries.
   
   Provides general leadership and work direction of department team members, including but not limited to 1) organizing and assigning work; 2) prioritizing workload and assignments to ensure orderly and efficient completion by department employees; 3) directing department employees in the successful completion of assigned work; 4)enforcement of department and company rules; 5) instructing and training department employees in the successful performance of their duties and 6) other leadership and work direction duties as assigned by Supervision. Lead Persons do not perform supervisory tasks such as scheduling, discipline, performance reviews, hiring or terminations; although they may provide input to supervisors regarding such matter
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
   
   (The following statements are intended as general illustrations of the work in this job class and are not all inclusive for this position.)
   
   1. Provides superior customer service, positively effects interactions with customers and employees, and has the resiliency to deal with difficult customers in all types of business conditions and the ability to work harmoniously with coworkers.
   
   2. Responsible for actively building and retaining customer relations and acts as a mentor to employees in order to provide superior customer service.
   
   3. Works in cooperation with the Horseshoe St. Louis staff in ensuring guests feel welcome and comfortable; works closely with Executive Hosts, VIP Casino Services, and Player's Club to ensure superior guest satisfaction.
   
   4. Greets Player's Club guests in a courteous and friendly manner; and explains amenities and features.
   
   5. Monitors room occupancy to ensure appropriate number of guests and compliance with safety standards.
   
   6. Responsible for resolving customer service issues, concerns, or problems to ensure optimal guest satisfaction and has the resiliency to deal with difficult customers.
   
   7. Participates in marketing Players Club promotional activities.
   
   8. Participates in employee training to ensure adequate training, skills and resources are in place to perform job functions.
   
   9. Provides information on all aspects of Horseshoe St. Louis services and facilities to guests and assists guests with room, dinner, show, and transportation reservations, as well as coordinates external local activities.
   
   10. Performs other duties as assigned by management. Must be flexible to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as business demands.
   
   JOB QUALIFICATIONS
   
   * Excellent customer service skills.
   
   * Demonstrated ability to make immediate decisions in order to determine Player's Club qualifications and admission.
   
   * Understanding of property and department policies and procedures.
   
   * Thorough knowledge of player-tracking system(s) and comprehension of actual and theoretical player value.
   
   These skills and abilities are typically acquired through a high school education or equivalent and a minimum of two to three years of administering and communicating casino player-tracking program(s).
   
   At Caesars Entertainment, Inc., our Team Members create the extraordinary. We are the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S. and one of the world's most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since beginning in Reno, Nevada, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment has grown through the development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Our resorts operate primarily under the Caesars , Harrah's , Horseshoe and Eldorado brand names. We focus on building loyalty and value with our guests through a combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technological leadership. The company is committed to its Team Members, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework.
   
   Our Caesars family is driven by our Mission, Vision and Values. We take great pride in living these values - Together We Win, All In On Service and Blaze the Trail - every day. Our mission, "Create the Extraordinary". Our vision, "Create spectacular worlds. That immerse, inspire and connect you. We don't perform magic; we create it with excellence. #WeAreCaesars". If you are ready to create some magic, we invite you to explore our dynamic, yet unique, career opportunities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right play leader for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with play leaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit play leaders who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting play leaders requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 play leader

   Once you have selected a candidate for the play leader 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.

   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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