Post job

Explore jobs

Find specific jobs

Explore careers

Explore professions

Best companies

Explore companies

OverviewJobsSalaryResume

Skills

What They DoEducationCertificationsDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesBest StatesBest CitiesJob OutlookComparePart Time jobsFull Time jobs
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Recreation director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Marieke Van Puymbroeck Ph.D.,
Matt Chase Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical recreation director skills. We ranked the top skills for recreation directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 15.5% of recreation director resumes contained community resources as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a recreation director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 recreation director skills for your resume and career

1. Community Resources

Community resources are a set of resources that are used in the day to day life of people which improves their lifestyle in some way. People, sites or houses, and population assistance can come under the services offered by community resources.

Here's how recreation directors use community resources:
  • Developed methods for effective utilization of community resources.
  • Develop and maintain partnerships with community resources and programs.

2. Therapeutic Recreation

Here's how recreation directors use therapeutic recreation:
  • Provided specialized therapeutic recreational programming.
  • Developed interventions using American Therapeutic Recreation Association's Dementia Practice Guidelines to address the behavioral challenges of memory care residents.

3. Nursing Home

Here's how recreation directors use nursing home:
  • Develop and implement a recreation program designed to meet the social, psycho-social and therapeutic needs of nursing home residents.
  • Documented incidents, behaviors, and changes of condition; facilitated adjustment to nursing home for new residents.

4. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how recreation directors use customer service:
  • Execute daily tasks/functions of guest activities while focusing on providing superior customer service.
  • Developed customer service model to increase member satisfaction, recruitment and retention.

5. Provides Supervision

Here's how recreation directors use provides supervision:
  • Park Pals provides supervision of recreational activities at parks.

6. Recreation Programs

Recreational programs aim at providing recreation and related activities for individuals with disabilities to aid in their mobility, independence, employment, socialization, and community integration. These programs are designed to promote the development of social skills that are necessary to integrate the disabled people into the community. Vocational skills Music, Dancing, Handicrafts, Art, and Homemaking, development, Leisure education, Physical education and sports are few activities that these programs may include.

Here's how recreation directors use recreation programs:
  • Hired staff, implemented and developed recreation programs, constructed all operating procedures and submitted all construction/repairs projects.
  • Planned and managed a comprehensive agency recreation program including athletic league, leisure activities and special events.

Choose from 10+ customizable recreation director resume templates

Build a professional recreation director resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your recreation director resume.

7. Recreation Services

Here's how recreation directors use recreation services:
  • Developed and implemented meaningful recreation services for all residents based on needs and interest.
  • Provided recreation services to adolescents in a psychiatric residential facility.

8. Community Organizations

Community organizations refers to a form of social or volunteer work that focuses on bettering a community. This may be a community defined by geographic boundaries or by a person's racial or sexual identity. These organizations are often nonprofits that help groups of people affected by natural disasters or hate crimes.

Here's how recreation directors use community organizations:
  • Meet and collaborate with agency personnel, community organizations, and other professional personnel to plan balanced recreational programs for participants.
  • Meet and collaborate with agency personnel, community organizations, and other professional personnel to plan balanced recreational programs for participants.

9. Patients

Here's how recreation directors use patients:
  • Supervised small group of patients and oversaw their recreational activity for clinical reports
  • Facilitate activities for patients with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

10. Rehabilitation

Here's how recreation directors use rehabilitation:
  • Directed recreation program for a 125 bed nursing and rehabilitation facility.
  • Recruited by Coolidge House Rehabilitation.

11. Recreation Assistants

Here's how recreation directors use recreation assistants:
  • Supervised 12 Recreation Assistants/Therapists including timekeeping, scheduling, training, performance evaluations and union/management relations.
  • Hired and supervised recreation assistants, recruited and supervised volunteers/students.

12. MDS

Minimum Data Set or MDS refers to a standardized assessment tool used in Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities. It assists social services specialists with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to resolve and prevent problems relevant to substance abuse, human relations, or dependent care.

Here's how recreation directors use mds:
  • Prepared comprehensive Care Plans, MDS, and Progress notes for residents' Quality of Life needs and interests.
  • Formulated care plans and monitored progress in the MDS chart which included resident's progress in daily morning reports.

13. Program Development

Program development refers to a road for developers to guide them on creating and developing viable community programs. Since it provides an action plan for the project, it is a continuous process that only ends with the program's full implementation.

Here's how recreation directors use program development:
  • Program Development and Growth: Oversee the Development of the Recreation Program team rosters, game schedules, and practice schedules.
  • Program development; administered adult softball league, summer and vacation camp programs, coordinated youth boys basketball program.

14. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are a set of standardized procedures, that ensures minimal to no risk to people, resources, and the work environment. A company follows the step-by-step safety procedures as it they not only keep the customers and the employees safe, but also help in avoiding legal claims.

Here's how recreation directors use safety procedures:
  • Insure all safety procedures and protocols are followed.
  • Maintained security and safety of facilities by following school safety procedures and city policy.

15. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how recreation directors use cpr:
  • Certified lifeguard instructor which includes CPR for the professional rescuer, blood borne pathogens, oxygen administration and AED certifications.
  • Coordinate with staff to receive first aid training and CPR qualification for all staff 5.
top-skills

What skills help Recreation Directors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on recreation director resumes?

Marieke Van Puymbroeck Ph.D.

Professor, Graduate Coordinator, Clemson University

A variety of skills and certifications always set individuals apart from the crowd. In this day and age, being able to provide virtual programming, offer innovative ideas about programming, and engage people virtually are particularly important.

What recreation director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Matt Chase Ph.D.Matt Chase Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor, Recreation and Tourism Management, Eastern Washington University

The recreation industry values hands-on, applied experience. That and we are a certification driven industry. Students would be well served to pursue applicable certifications (and there are many) as well as applicable seasonal work. I anticipate opportunities for seasonal work will open up again in late spring and summer. All of the sectors - public, private, and non-profit - have opportunities for seasonal work - spring through fall. And of course, opportunities for winter seasonal work are available in the ski resort industry, as well as resorts and recreation operations that are located in the SE and SW.

What type of skills will young recreation directors need?

Diane Blankenship Ed.D.

Professor, Recreation and Parks Management Program Athletic Training Program Director/Preceptor, Frostburg State University

The professional expectations are changing and growing for graduates to enter the workforce in the recreation and parks industry. The graduate should have a solid resume with professional experiences, provided by their university program, to plan and conduct programs and events. Within these experiences, they should touch on human resource skills, operation skills, communication, and marketing. Additionally, the graduate should have the expected entry-level knowledge related to the major job duty areas. Finally, employment history in the industry is very helpful, such as working at day and residential camps, aquatic centers, outdoor outfitters, parks, and other recreation-oriented settings during the school year and/or summer.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about recreation director

List of recreation director skills to add to your resume

Recreation director skills

The most important skills for a recreation director resume and required skills for a recreation director to have include:

  • Community Resources
  • Therapeutic Recreation
  • Nursing Home
  • Customer Service
  • Provides Supervision
  • Recreation Programs
  • Recreation Services
  • Community Organizations
  • Patients
  • Rehabilitation
  • Recreation Assistants
  • MDS
  • Program Development
  • Safety Procedures
  • CPR
  • Recreation Facilities
  • Care Plan
  • Recreational Therapy
  • Facility Management
  • Soccer
  • State Regulations
  • Community Events
  • Alzheimer
  • Event Planning
  • Staff Training
  • Bed Facility
  • Swimming Pools
  • Press Releases
  • Sports Leagues
  • Fitness Programs
  • Community Involvement
  • Fitness Classes
  • QA
  • Community Relations
  • Facebook
  • Athletic Program
  • Instructional Program
  • First Aid Training
  • Youth Ages
  • Tennis Courts
  • MWR
  • Local Businesses
  • Flag Football
  • Athletic Leagues

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs