Britain’s Got Talent – Here’s How Early Years Settings Can Recruit It…
Get the early years staff the you want by making your selection rigorous, yet streamlined, advises Tariq Ayyub…
- by Tariq Ayyub
You only have to look at the number of childcare practitioner vacancies advertised on your favourite job portal to see that it’s a candidate’s market. In a sector known for long pay and long hours, it’s harder than ever to recruit the talent you desire. So, if you’re serious about recruiting the finest people to your nursery, it’s time to review your recruitment process.
You can start by considering the following questions:
Is your vacancy an attractive proposition? (No, really – is it?) Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes. Ask yourself honestly if the opportunity you present will appeal to today’s workforce. Paying at or above market rate will, of course, put you into consideration – as will attractive benefits such as leave, sick pay and so on. However, you might be surprised to find that other factors such as your reputation and quality are even more important.
Are you looking for the right people? It’s easy to forget that a career in childcare requires particular qualities that aren’t always apparent on a CV. A candidate with passion, potential and people skills might be a better fit than one with a qualification. When you look beyond academics, the talent pool becomes much deeper. If you’re looking to polish rough diamonds, you may have put in more work, but the reward will be more than worth it.
Are you looking in the right places? If you’re sure that your opportunity stands out but you’re still struggling to recruit, it might be time to experiment with your advertising. People of all ages are spending more time on the internet, so take advantage. Try promoting your vacancies through your website and job portals. Engage with potential candidates though local community forums and popular social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Is your recruitment process too long or too rigid? If you don’t want the good ones to get away, you might have to speed up your selection process.
An initial phone call with candidates is a good way to shortlist contenders. Consider holding your interview and trial sessions on the same day. If you’re impressed with the candidate – and your team give good feedback – you could even hire on the spot… and begin DBS checks too!
Bear in mind that it’s difficult for people in employment to get the day off at short notice. You might get a better response if you hold interviews in evenings, early mornings or at weekends.
Do you have a team that people want to be part of? A candidate will quickly get a feeling of what it’s like to work in your nursery, so it’s important to make their experience a good one. That doesn’t mean offering your finest chocolate biscuits; it means making sure that the candidate experiences a happy and productive team that they want to be part of. High-quality childcare is a great sales tool to potential candidates – especially if your reputation reaches beyond your team. If you’re not sure how to get to that point, it’s probably time to recruit the talent to do it for you!
Tariq Ayyub is a nursery owner and the director of Astec Solutions Ltd
Find out how Prism nursery management software can help you develop a focused and high-performing team that people want to be part of at www.astecsolutionsltd.com or @AstecEY
