January 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 35

tional rate of unemployment was 5.3
percent, while the Gallop Poll stated
that the rate of underemployment
(highly skilled workers employed
in low-paying and/or low-skill jobs,
and part-time workers who would
prefer to be full-time) was 14.2 percent. Interestingly, parks and recreation and physical fitness majors had
the third lowest unemployment rate
among college graduates in 2013.
It is estimated that by 2020, employment will grow 17 percent in
therapeutic recreation, 19 percent in
recreation and 44 percent in event
planning. Students should be excited about the wealth of opportunities
they may encounter once they graduate; however, they should expect
to work harder and be prepared to
compete to make themselves attractive to employers and apply their
skills to divers work settings.
Bringing It All Together
NRPA's 2015 Field Report provided further information on how
well our industry is doing and what
students need to be prepared for
while transitioning to a full-time
position. Interestingly, the majority
of respondents indicated that they
required individuals to have certifications for some of their staff.
More than 80 percent require some
level of certification to even be eligible for hire. Eighty-eight percent
of individuals stated that the most
common type of certification they
require is CPR/AED/First Aid.
Participate in every committee or
task-force group you are offered or
on which have a chance to serve.
These experiences offer expanded
knowledge, are great résumé-building opportunities and build your network of potential connections once
you are in the field looking for a job.

Attend NRPA's Annual Conference
for the chance to network with other
students and professionals. Getting
involved in your field also gives you
a leg up. You are being seen as an
interested member of the park and
recreation field, and you will be positioning yourself in the minds of
those you meet. To better prepare
yourself even before you graduate,
seize every training opportunity you
possibly can, regardless of whether
it is related to what you want to do
for the rest of your life. You never
know what your next career move
will be and what type of skills or
knowledge this new opportunity
may require.
Lessons We Have Learned
In developing a strategy, we found
there are several suggestions we
would like to share when embarking
on the journey.
Before graduating, make sure to
get certified in CPR/AED/First
Aid. Make sure to research the position you are interested in applying
for, and fill any gaps you may have in
your résumé. As with certifications,
the sooner you do it the better suited
you will be for the position.
Never turn down lunch with your
boss. This is a great opportunity to
learn and to get the best information
and advice in an organic moment
rather than at the office. You can
learn more from a person when you
are in a relaxed environment and
able to ask questions that you may
not otherwise be able to ask.
Also know, the knowledge you
acquired while in school is invaluable even though in a real-life situation you may apply it differently.
This knowledge will differentiate you
from others in the field. Having an
interest in a variety of fields would

also help enormously when seeking
an opportunity in the field.
Lastly, and possibly one of the
best words of advice we have all
gotten, is to treat everyone like you
want to be treated. You never know
who you will be talking to or where
the connection will come from when
you are engaging with people. That
same person you talk to today may be
hiring tomorrow or you may be interviewing them for a position in your
organization. Be realistic and know
you can cross paths with people at
different times in life.
With more than 30 years of combined experience, we have learned
more than one lesson. One of the
biggest lessons is to be adaptable. Always pursue jobs that utilize the skills
you enjoy performing most - do not
pursue a job title. Doing so will prevent you from enjoying your work,
leaving you with a job title full of
words that mean nothing.
We have also learned that the park
and recreation industry offers opportunity in most every trade and field of
study. Focus on a few areas of expertise you enjoy within this generalist
umbrella. You will be more successful and fulfilled at the end of the day,
while using your skills and knowledge to your full potential. And last
but not least, there are many routes
that can take you into the park and
recreation field. Remember, it is not
a straight line but a series of turns.
Inés Palacios, Ph.D., is Director of Recreation:
Programs, Partnerships and Professional
Development for PlayCore (ipalacios@
playcore.com). Kate Mattison, CPRP, is
Recreation Administrator, Recreation Services
for the City of Dublin, Ohio (kmattison@
dublin.oh.us). Troy Euton, CPRP, is Director,
Department of Parks and Recreation for the
City of Gahanna, Ohio (troy.euton@gahanna.
gov).

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January 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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