Overview
All Diversional Therapists
-
$1,018 Weekly Pay
-
Moderate Future Growth
-
5,000 workers Employment Size
-
Medium skill Skill level rating
-
42% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
40 hours Average full-time
-
52 years Average age
-
91% female Gender Share
Diversional Therapists plan, design, coordinate and implement recreation and leisure-based activity programs to support, challenge and enhance the psychological, spiritual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of individuals.
Also known as: Recreational Therapist.
Specialisations: Activities Coordinator, Activities Officer.
You usually need a certificate IV or diploma in leisure and health to work as a Diversional Therapist.
Tasks
- planning and implementing leisure activity programs for individuals in health care and in the community to assist in their social development, and promote their sense of wellbeing
- identifying individual needs through task analysis
- evaluating and assessing clients' levels of abilities, interests, needs, strengths and weaknesses, and their ability to carry out a range of tasks and interact with others
- maintaining a knowledge of resources available within a facility and within the community
- organising leisure and recreational events
- assisting with training and supervising volunteers and staff
- providing information on available support resources within the local community
- encouraging and supporting clients to take part in activities suited to their particular needs and interests
- adapting programs to suit individual clients' needs, interests, skills and abilities
Prospects
There were 5,000 Diversional Therapists in 2020. The number of workers:
- fell over the past 5 years
- is expected to grow over the next five years
- is likely to reach 5,100 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment Snapshot
- Size: This is a small occupation.
- Location: Diversional Therapists work in many parts of Australia. New South Wales has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $1,018 per week (lower than the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Less than half work full-time (42%, less than the average of 66%), showing there are many opportunities to work part-time.
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 40 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 52 years (compared to the average of 40 years). Many workers are 45 years or older (71%).
- Gender: 91% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Pathways
You usually need a certificate IV or diploma in leisure and health to work as a Diversional Therapist.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Health Industry and Community Services VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Diversional Therapists who are caring, compassionate and empathetic and can communicate clearly with a diverse range of people
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Therapy and counselling
Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Sociology and anthropology
Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Philosophy and theology
Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Fine arts
Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Biology
Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Operations analysis
Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
-
Systems analysis
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Written expression
Write in a way that people can understand.
-
Originality
Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Brainstorming
Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Multitasking
Do two or more things at the same time.
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Documenting or recording information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
Coordinating the work of a team
Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
Coaching and developing others
Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Communicating with the public
Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Coming up with systems and processes
Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
Working with the public
Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Guiding and directing staff
Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
Leading and encouraging a team
Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
-
Working with computers
Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1125.00 - Recreational Therapists.
Work Environment
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Electronic mail
Use electronic mail.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Telephone
Talk on the telephone.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Disease or infection
Be exposed to disease or infections.
-
Lead or coordinate a team
Lead others to do work activities.
-
Angry or unpleasant people
Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Contact with the public
Work with customers or the public.
-
Letters and memos
Write letters and memos.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Conflict situations
Deal with conflict or disagreements.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Physically aggressive people
Deal with physically aggressive or violent people.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
Working conditions
Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
Recognition
Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
-
Support
Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1125.00 - Recreational Therapists.
All Diversional Therapists
-
$1,018 Weekly Pay
-
Moderate Future Growth
-
5,000 workers Employment Size
-
Medium skill Skill level rating
-
42% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
40 hours Average full-time
-
52 years Average age
-
91% female Gender Share
Diversional Therapists plan, design, coordinate and implement recreation and leisure-based activity programs to support, challenge and enhance the psychological, spiritual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of individuals.
Also known as: Recreational Therapist.
Specialisations: Activities Coordinator, Activities Officer.
You usually need a certificate IV or diploma in leisure and health to work as a Diversional Therapist.
Tasks
- planning and implementing leisure activity programs for individuals in health care and in the community to assist in their social development, and promote their sense of wellbeing
- identifying individual needs through task analysis
- evaluating and assessing clients' levels of abilities, interests, needs, strengths and weaknesses, and their ability to carry out a range of tasks and interact with others
- maintaining a knowledge of resources available within a facility and within the community
- organising leisure and recreational events
- assisting with training and supervising volunteers and staff
- providing information on available support resources within the local community
- encouraging and supporting clients to take part in activities suited to their particular needs and interests
- adapting programs to suit individual clients' needs, interests, skills and abilities
There were 5,000 Diversional Therapists in 2020. The number of workers:
- fell over the past 5 years
- is expected to grow over the next five years
- is likely to reach 5,100 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment Snapshot
- Size: This is a small occupation.
- Location: Diversional Therapists work in many parts of Australia. New South Wales has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $1,018 per week (lower than the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Less than half work full-time (42%, less than the average of 66%), showing there are many opportunities to work part-time.
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 40 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 52 years (compared to the average of 40 years). Many workers are 45 years or older (71%).
- Gender: 91% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
You usually need a certificate IV or diploma in leisure and health to work as a Diversional Therapist.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Health Industry and Community Services VET training pathways.
Employers look for Diversional Therapists who are caring, compassionate and empathetic and can communicate clearly with a diverse range of people
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Therapy and counselling
Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Sociology and anthropology
Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Philosophy and theology
Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Fine arts
Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Biology
Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Operations analysis
Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
-
Systems analysis
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Written expression
Write in a way that people can understand.
-
Originality
Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Brainstorming
Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Multitasking
Do two or more things at the same time.
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Documenting or recording information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
Coordinating the work of a team
Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
Coaching and developing others
Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Communicating with the public
Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Coming up with systems and processes
Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
Working with the public
Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Guiding and directing staff
Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
Leading and encouraging a team
Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
-
Working with computers
Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1125.00 - Recreational Therapists.
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Electronic mail
Use electronic mail.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Telephone
Talk on the telephone.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Disease or infection
Be exposed to disease or infections.
-
Lead or coordinate a team
Lead others to do work activities.
-
Angry or unpleasant people
Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Contact with the public
Work with customers or the public.
-
Letters and memos
Write letters and memos.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Conflict situations
Deal with conflict or disagreements.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Physically aggressive people
Deal with physically aggressive or violent people.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
Working conditions
Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
Recognition
Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
-
Support
Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1125.00 - Recreational Therapists.