Transition Times: Trying out a career helps you discover if it's for you. This week: leisure management

People's interpretation of leisure can vary. For some it might mean a week painting in the Tuscan countryside. For others it could mean throwing themselves from a cliff with only a rubber band between them and the unthinkable. No matter what your interpretation, however, any job that contains the word "leisure" has an instant appeal. You get to work at what people do when they go on holidays, and everyone is always in a good mood. It has to be easy, right? Not exactly.

"The majority of people find the amount of organisation and planning involved a shock," says Damian Skelton, resort manager with Trabolgan Holiday Village, in Co Cork. "It's not a nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday kind of job. There is a huge amount of commitment involved."

Of course, if you like the idea of combining activity with plenty of people skills and leadership, leisure management is bound to be rewarding - and a career worth considering.

One of the main advantages of such a career is its diversity and flexibility. A leisure complex such as Trabolgan needs all sorts of staff, from lifeguards and abseiling instructors to building and entertainment managers. On-site training makes it reasonably easy to move from one area to another, and the company is always on the lookout for potential managers. That level of opportunity may not be available in a smaller company, but the diversity will still be there.

The career path is not set in stone. You can do any number of courses, from leisure management at Dublin Institute of Technology to outdoor education and leisure at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; you can also enter an organisation at the bottom of the ladder and work your way up, as some places train their own staff.

As for work experience, Skelton recommends the personal approach. Send your CV in by all means, but "call in two or three days afterwards, or phone up and talk to somebody", he says. "When you're getting 25 and 30 CVs, you're more likely to remember the person you spoke to, so the call back is an absolute must."

Use your CV to outline your involvement in sports or other activities, as well as any demonstration of organisational ability or leadership skills. "Personality is very important," says Skelton. "You need to be open and friendly but also able to take charge of a group of people. A strong communicator has an immediate advantage."

Finally, remember that "there is a lot to do: you're open 24 hours a day, really". Leisure management may not live up to the first part of its name, but it can certainly be a rewarding job for the right kind of person.