How to hire a Recreation Aide

How to hire a recreation aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step recreation aide hiring guide:

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

What does a Recreation Aide do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your recreation aide 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 recreation aide 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?

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   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a recreation aide 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 a recreation aide that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of recreation aide salaries for various roles:

   Type Of Recreation Aide	Description	Hourly Rate
   Recreation Aide	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.	$10-17
   Day Camp Counselor	The job of the camp counselors is to develop recreational plans and oversee camp activities in residential camps. Their duties and responsibilities include organizing camping trips, planning and scheduling group activities, and guiding children and teenagers in various outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking... Show More	$9-21
   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:

   • Customer Service
   • CPR
   • Rehabilitation
   • Cleanliness
   • Recreational Facilities
   • Safety Rules
   • Recreation Programs
   • Front Desk
   • Resuscitation
   • Safety Procedures
   • General Maintenance
   • First Aid Training
   • Golf Carts
   • Recreational Equipment

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage funds and resources to include developing the annual NAF budget, which include submission and prioritization of program component requirements.
   • Maintain certifications of CPR, food service, child care, cleanliness, etc.
   • Promote and enforce safety procedures; render first aid and CPR, if certify, as required.
   • Plan and run daily recreational activities for at risk youth.
   • Operate riding lawn mowers, push lawn mowers, weed-whackers, edgers, chainsaws.
   • Organize and participate in activities with patients on and off the rehabilitation unit such as cooking and playing games.

   More Recreation Aide duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, recreation aides' average salary in nevada is 54% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level recreation aides 39% less than senior-level recreation aides.
   • Certifications. A recreation aide 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 recreation aide's salary.

   Average recreation aide salary

   $13.82hourly

   $28,756 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level recreation aide salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 17, 2025

   Average recreation aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Washington	$35,718	$17
   2	New York	$35,050	$17
   3	Oregon	$34,671	$17
   4	Connecticut	$33,125	$16
   5	Maryland	$32,250	$16
   6	California	$32,063	$15
   7	New Jersey	$30,474	$15
   8	Illinois	$28,693	$14
   9	Nebraska	$28,483	$14
   10	Colorado	$27,262	$13
   11	Michigan	$26,729	$13
   12	Arizona	$26,569	$13
   13	Missouri	$26,265	$13
   14	Florida	$25,815	$12
   15	Wisconsin	$25,612	$12
   16	South Carolina	$25,359	$12
   17	Virginia	$25,226	$12
   18	Ohio	$25,065	$12
   19	Texas	$19,598	$9
   20	Nevada	$18,183	$9

   Average recreation aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	National Park Foundation	$34,231	$16.46
   2	Hackensack Meridian Health	$33,310	$16.01	42
   3	The New Jewish Home	$33,136	$15.93	3
   4	New York State Restaurant Association	$32,975	$15.85
   5	Woodfield Country Club	$32,932	$15.83
   6	Father Martin's Ashley	$32,931	$15.83
   7	Long Beach Unified School District	$32,121	$15.44	21
   8	Kaiser Permanente	$31,917	$15.34	12
   9	Fairview Country Club	$31,453	$15.12
   10	The Center for Health Care Services	$30,999	$14.90
   11	St. Andrews Country Club	$30,919	$14.86
   12	Monarch Healthcare	$30,813	$14.81	27
   13	INDIAN RIVER TRANSPORT	$30,720	$14.77
   14	Duke University Health System	$30,630	$14.73	3
   15	New Bridge Medical Center	$30,526	$14.68
   16	W Holding Company	$30,472	$14.65	8
   17	San Juan Unified School District	$30,439	$14.63	6
   18	Martin County	$30,415	$14.62	1
   19	City Of Tolleson	$30,183	$14.51
   20	Management & Training	$30,042	$14.44

4. Writing a Recreation Aide Job Description

   A job description for a recreation aide 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 a recreation aide job description:

   Recreation Aide job description example

   Recreation Aide - Preschool (Part-time)
   Recreation Department
   Starting at $11.50/hr.
   The Rainbow Preschool is located inside the Troy Community Center. Preschool Aides assist Preschool Instructors to develop the social and communication skills of children and provide a safe and secure environment in which the child can learn. They focus on optimum child development and preparation for a successful transition to primary school education.
   DUTIES Assist instructors to implement developmentally appropriate instruction for children ages 3 5 years old. Keep children engaged. Attend to children's basic needs. Work as a team member, collaboratively solve problems with the team. Assist with daily tasks including cleaning toys and classroom surfaces. Prepare activities for children, make copies and other hand-on work. Performs related work as required.
   REQUIREMENTS At least 18 years of age, high school degree or GED equivalent. Ability to work effectively in a team setting and with children, families, and staff. Able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds. Must be CPR and First Aid Certified within 90 days of hire. Possess and display enthusiasm and energy about and around children. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate must pass a pre-employment physical and drug screen (including marijuana) and be found eligible through a federal law that requires a comprehensive background check that is completed through fingerprinting.
   
   PREFERENCES Previous experience working with children, especially ages 3 5 years old. CPR and First Aid Certified at time of application
   HOURS : Approximately 20 - 25 hours per week September - May. Work times vary between 8:00 AM 3:30 PM Monday Friday. Limited summer hours July - August.
   
   APPLY Applications are available online at www.troymi.gov/jobopenings.
   AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The City of Troy is committed to providing equal opportunity employment to all applicants. The City of Troy will consider all qualified applicants for employment regardless of race, religion, color, sex, height, weight, marital status, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal and state law.
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right recreation aide 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 recreation aide job on Zippia to find and recruit recreation aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit recreation aides, 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 recreation aide

   Once you've found the recreation aide 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 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new recreation aide. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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 a recreation aide?