How to hire a recreation assistant

How to hire a recreation assistant, step by step

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

What does a recreation assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The recreation assistant 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect recreation assistant 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 recreation assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Recreation Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Recreation Assistant	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.	$9-22
   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
   • MDS
   • Recreation Programs
   • CPR
   • Patients
   • Rehabilitation
   • Compassion
   • Recreational Facilities
   • Safety Rules
   • Resuscitation
   • Front Desk
   • Recreation Equipment
   • Safety Procedures
   • Morale

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage one-on-one and group social and physical sessions with long-term nursing and short-term rehabilitation residents
   • Assist multiple MWR facilities with the upkeep, accountability and sanitation of workout and rehabilitation equipment.
   • Respond to emergency situation and administering first aid and CPR when need.
   • Assist in the setup and operation of major MWR events, such as Oktoberfest and fund raising concerts.
   • Coordinate large events/gatherings in accordance with MWR procedures, including reserving special locations, food & beverage and entertainment.
   • Conduct therapeutic groups such as ADL skills, team building, self expression and skill building amongst all age groups.

   More recreation assistant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, recreation assistants' average salary in louisiana is 55% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level recreation assistants 57% less than senior-level recreation assistants.
   • Certifications. A recreation assistant 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 assistant's salary.

   Average recreation assistant salary

   $14.92hourly

   $31,040 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level recreation assistant salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average recreation assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$40,344	$19
   2	New York	$38,458	$18
   3	Wisconsin	$38,220	$18
   4	Minnesota	$37,499	$18
   5	Rhode Island	$37,122	$18
   6	New Jersey	$35,741	$17
   7	Nebraska	$35,191	$17
   8	Colorado	$33,708	$16
   9	Maryland	$33,457	$16
   10	Pennsylvania	$32,481	$16
   11	Missouri	$30,433	$15
   12	Kansas	$25,702	$12
   13	Utah	$25,155	$12
   14	Kentucky	$25,067	$12
   15	Texas	$24,754	$12
   16	Georgia	$23,961	$12
   17	Nevada	$22,271	$11

   Average recreation assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	National Park Foundation	$37,350	$17.96
   2	Hackensack Meridian Health	$34,839	$16.75	2
   3	Catholic Health Care System	$33,509	$16.11	2
   4	The Bristal Assisted Living	$33,492	$16.10
   5	Developmental Disabilities Institute, Inc.	$33,327	$16.02
   6	Avalon Health Care Group	$33,174	$15.95	1
   7	East Boston Neighborhood Health Center	$33,013	$15.87
   8	Willow Valley Communities	$32,916	$15.82
   9	Era Living	$32,862	$15.80
   10	University of Pennsylvania	$32,730	$15.74
   11	Chapman University	$32,473	$15.61
   12	Delhi Unified School District	$32,460	$15.61
   13	Trinity Health	$32,402	$15.58	4
   14	St. Therese Home	$32,397	$15.58
   15	Aleut	$32,394	$15.57	1
   16	Silverado	$32,244	$15.50
   17	Lahey Health Behavioral Services	$32,113	$15.44
   18	favarh.org	$31,989	$15.38
   19	Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc	$31,825	$15.30	12
   20	Beth Israel Lahey Health	$31,687	$15.23

4. Writing a recreation assistant job description

   A good recreation assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a recreation assistant job description:

   Recreation assistant job description example

   Who We Are: CAMBA is a community of staff, volunteers, clients, donors, neighbors and partners who work together to build an inclusive New York City, where all children and adults have access to the resources and supports they need to thrive. We take a comprehensive approach by offering more than 160 integrated programs in: Education & Youth Development, Family Support, Job Training & Employment Support Services, Health, Housing, and Legal Services. We reach more than 65,000 individuals and families each year at our 90 locations, including 10,000 youth. CAMBA serves a diverse cross section of New Yorkers from new mothers in Brownsville to job seekers in the Rockaways. More than half of our clients are immigrants and refugees from around the globe. Over 85% of our families are in living in poverty, reflecting the challenges faced by nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers today.

   CAMBA operates three homeless shelters funded by New York City Department of Homeless Services. Each shelter offers clients a supportive, structured therapeutic, safe, and drug-free facility. Homeless (often mentally-ill and substance-abusing) men and women are provided with comprehensive services to stabilize their condition in order to successfully transition into to permanent and/or supported housing. The Broadway House Women’s Shelter in Bushwick serves 165 women, approximately 37 of whom are mentally ill and chemically addicted.

   Position: Recreation Assistant

   Reports To: Supervisor

   Location: 1245 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11221

   What the Recreation Assistant Does:

   • Assist with the development of recreational program content.
   • Organize and lead activities planned to enhance the social development of individual group members.
   • Maintain professional relationships with clients and maintain client confidentiality.
   • Assist with the teaching of physical education, arts and crafts, performing arts, music, sports, ADL or other recreational activities.
   • Help plan, coordinate and facilitate social and/or peer support events for clients.
   • Assist with the design and production of aesthetic visuals for public spaces of the shelter which reflect cultural, seasonal and programmatic themes.
   • Track and keep records of equipment and supplies used.
   • Monitor clients' progress toward their goals (dates achieved) and document via progress notes.

   Minimum Education/Experience Required:

   • High school diploma or G.E.D. and/or equivalent experience

   CAMBA is a City contractor that provides services where employees can be expected to physically interact with members of the public. All CAMBA staff are subject to the City’s October 21, 2021 COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate, whether they have direct involvement with members of the public, or they support others who have direct involvement.

   All new hires must provide proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for religious or medical reasons. If you are offered employment at CAMBA, this requirement must be met by your date of hire, unless a reasonable accommodation is received and approved by CAMBA.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit recreation assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 assistant

   Once you've found the recreation assistant 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new recreation assistant. 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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How much does it cost to hire a recreation assistant?