How to hire a recreation specialist

How to hire a recreation specialist, step by step

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

What does a recreation specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The recreation specialist 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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   A recreation specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, recreation specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of recreation specialists.

   Type of Recreation Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Recreation Specialist	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.	$13-25
   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:

   • CPR
   • Customer Service
   • Recreation Programs
   • Rehabilitation
   • Social Work
   • Safety Procedures
   • Recreational Facilities
   • Flyers
   • Front Desk
   • Social Development
   • Youth Sports
   • Youth Program
   • Incident Reports
   • Soccer

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide evidence base intervention to help manage behavior in children diagnose with ADHD.
   • Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities such as bingo cards, machines, and markers.
   • Manage funds and resources to include developing the annual NAF budget, which include submission and prioritization of program component requirements.
   • Manage the maintenance of post MWR relate administrative records and submit program status reports in accordance with establish contractual requirements.
   • Register customers for programs and take facility reservations.
   • Base leadership recognize program for triple increase in membership and decrease in teen relate incidents requiring military police involvement.

   More recreation specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your recreation specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A recreation specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a recreation specialist in Tennessee may be lower than in Mississippi, and an entry-level recreation specialist usually earns less than a senior-level recreation specialist. Additionally, a recreation specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average recreation specialist salary

   $39,186yearly

   $18.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level recreation specialist salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average recreation specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Colorado	$47,525	$23
   2	Washington	$47,050	$23
   3	New York	$45,547	$22
   4	California	$43,648	$21
   5	North Carolina	$43,581	$21
   6	Nebraska	$42,557	$20
   7	Missouri	$42,303	$20
   8	Maryland	$41,617	$20
   9	Arizona	$40,049	$19
   10	Pennsylvania	$39,806	$19
   11	Alaska	$39,584	$19
   12	New Jersey	$38,036	$18
   13	Virginia	$38,027	$18
   14	Illinois	$37,634	$18
   15	Florida	$36,720	$18
   16	Texas	$36,142	$17
   17	Oklahoma	$35,008	$17
   18	Iowa	$34,768	$17
   19	Nevada	$34,727	$17
   20	South Carolina	$33,388	$16

   Average recreation specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Harlem Children's Zone	$44,205	$21.25	4
   2	Pasco	$43,974	$21.14
   3	New York State Restaurant Association	$43,699	$21.01
   4	Martha O'Bryan	$42,308	$20.34
   5	The Children's Village	$41,149	$19.78	7
   6	Brigham Moore	$40,866	$19.65	2
   7	Education and Training Resource	$40,231	$19.34	6
   8	Washington State University	$40,089	$19.27
   9	comhar	$40,076	$19.27
   10	The GEO Group	$40,063	$19.26	1
   11	Village of Tequesta	$40,062	$19.26
   12	Indian Health Service	$39,832	$19.15
   13	Champaign Park District	$39,817	$19.14
   14	Arc-Com	$39,718	$19.10	2
   15	NANA	$39,702	$19.09	2
   16	Chugach Alaska	$39,595	$19.04	3
   17	Minnesota Limited	$39,582	$19.03
   18	Americorps	$39,577	$19.03	1
   19	INSTITUTE OF COMMUNITY SERVICES	$39,559	$19.02	2
   20	MINACT	$39,551	$19.01	4

4. Writing a recreation specialist job description

   A good recreation specialist 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 specialist job description:

   Recreation specialist job description example

   Department Overview Reach for Resources is a nonprofit agency based out of Minnetonka, Minnesota. We provide recreation, education, case management, advocacy, and health programs to individuals with disabilities living in the Minneapolis western metro area. Our recreation department contracts with 12 western suburban city park and recreation departments to provide adaptive recreation, inclusion and training services to their community members.

   Job Summary Assist the adaptive recreation department in implementing a variety of programs for adults and children with intellectual disabilities. Programs will focus on social skills, independent living, and healthy utilization of leisure time. Assist individuals in accessing local park and recreation programs and reaching their maximum potential for successful inclusion in the community. Locations are throughout the West and Northwest metro.

   Essential Duties and Responsibilities

    Assist in the implementation of social, recreation and athletic programs designed for kids and adults with disabilities

    Provide inclusion assistance for a child or adult with a disability in a city park and recreation program

    Teach park and recreation staff strategies for working with individuals with disabilities

    Communicate with parents and caregivers

    Maintain proper documentation

   Required Qualifications

    High School Diploma or GED

    Must have current driver’s license in good standing and maintain own reliable transportation

    Strong written and oral communication skills

    Evening, and weekend availability

    Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.

    A genuine interest in helping others

    A willingness to share your warm personality and sense of humor

   Preferred Qualifications

    Knowledge of community inclusion

    2+ years post high school education

    Group leadership experience

    At least 1 year experience working with individuals with disabilities

    Ability to work with a flexible schedule and last minute changes to schedule

   Reach for Resources, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reach for Resources, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

   
   

   Read about Reach’s commitment to diversity.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find recreation specialists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting recreation specialists 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 specialist

   Once you've selected the best recreation specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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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