Recruiting great staff for your daycare center is the way to a great daycare!
As the people who will be interacting with kids in your daycare center, your employees say a lot about you as an owner. That’s why finding the best staff who are committed is the number one priority.
Whether you’re in a large city or a small town, it can be tough to find team members who will be enthusiastic about working and can be counted on. Don’t get frustrated, though! We’ve got three surefire ways for recruiting great staff for your daycare center.
Learn how to recruit great daycare staff in our video:
1. Think online, but think local, too
When it comes to online, prioritize sites like Craigslist and internet job boards like Indeed.com. When you list your opening online make sure you’re crystal-clear about the requirements and experience you want your future employee to have.
Recruiting great staff for your daycare center online can lead to some solid talent, but it can also be time-consuming. Whether it’s fielding applicants who turn out not to be serious about the possibility or dealing with people flaking on interviews, it can be tough. I’m not saying don’t do it, I’m just saying you have to get good at sifting through all the applications to pick out those who are just right for your daycare.
Sometimes it’s not bad to get external consultants to help you with the mission. It can be expensive, so look into ways of generating extra revenue like Hopping In, which lets parents book more spots without making you jump through hoops.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on your local area (the same holds true when it comes to marketing). This means word-of-mouth, local job boards at colleges and universities, maybe even putting an ad in the paper. Another idea is to contact the Early Childhood Education department at a nearby college and let them know you’re looking for applicants. Consider setting up a display at a local college or community jobs fair. It may be a day or two of time on your part but it’s bound to pay off.
2. Get your current staff to help you out
Assuming you’re running a high-functioning childcare center, you probably have at least one or two staff members who are excelling! They are the ones you want to talk to about your search for new staff. Chances are they know someone or know someone who knows someone.
Maybe your spot isn’t even open yet, but you know you’ll need someone a few months down the road. Speak to your star employees anyway to let them know you’re always looking. Mining talent can be a gradual process and it never hurts to put out feelers. You want to make sure you hire the right person.
3. Referral bonuses work
At the end of the day, having dependable, certified staff who are going to make your childcare center shine is priceless. Well, almost. But it’s worth a whole lot!
A referral bonus makes it 100% clear that you’re serious about finding amazing staff and you’re willing to pay those who help you out with the search. Look into offering somewhere between $200-500 for any new employee who stays for six months or more and gets a good job performance review.
While this is a hefty sum, you can passively generate more revenue with Hopping In by letting part-timers or drop in kiddos book spots, and allocate those funds to staffing and improvements.
I know finding the right staff can be hard, but don’t lose faith!
It’s well known that staff turnover is very high in the childcare industry. It’s also true that stress can pile high and employees can burn out. Increasing employee morale is one good way to cut down on turnover, but finding the right staff in the first place and treating them well is your number one way.
So make use of your online resources, think local and make your current staff part of your recruitment strategy. No one shows your daycare better than the caregivers you choose.
Author: Hopping In Blog
Sholom Strick is an expert on the business of running daycare centers and founder of Hopping In, a tool that helps childcare centers and family daycare providers fill unused spots.
To contact him or for media inquiries email s.strick@daycareteam.com
