[ Articles Main Page]

Leadership Skills For Child Care Professionals

Attract The Very Best
Julie Bartkus

Child care teacher needed! 

We offer competitive benefits and wages.

Every week I see this same help wanted ad in the newspaper. The ad then lists the program’s contact information.  I see this ad so often I wonder why this child care program is always looking for help.  I doubt if it’s because the ad doesn’t generate any response.  I think it does otherwise I couldn’t imagine why they would run the ad so often in the same publication.  As you know, it’s expensive to continuously run an ad.  It’s a small local program so I doubt if it’s because they’re growing and expanding.   My guesses are:  there’s a lot of turnover going on, there’s a lack of interest in the position after the interview, or perhaps the candidates that the ad attracts are simply not right for the position.

Have you ever wondered why some programs have no difficultly attracting top-notch candidates to work in their child care programs while others struggle to fill positions for what seems like endless periods of time?  Have you ever wondered what it takes to attract the very best candidates to work in your child care program?  If you’ve answered yes, keep reading because I’m going to share with you one of the most powerful recruiting strategies for leaders in the child care industry.

What does it take to attract the very best child care professionals to work for my program?  This question comes up often during my Motivate Teachers Retreats for leaders in the child care industry.  When it comes up, so does one answer that is highly correlated with attracting and retaining great staff.  Care to take a guess at what it is?  Well, if you guessed money, you’re right.   Many leaders share with me their feelings of:  If only I could pay my staff more money, I would have less turnover and attract the very best candidates to work in my child care program.

It’s true that salary is one component of attracting the very best candidates, but it’s not the most important.  By this I mean if all of the child care programs in your area offer pretty much the same salary and benefits (“competitive salary and benefits”) you will not necessarily attract the very best staff by offering more money to potential candidates.   

One director recently shared her realization with me.  She said that initially she thought that if she built the nicest facility with the best equipment and offered her staff wages higher than the average in her area she would have a winning formula.  But after several years in business she still struggles with attracting and retaining good staff, let alone the very best.  This is only one story out of thousands of stories directors have shared with me.  Many are left confused as to why their efforts failed but yet with a greater understanding that something else is required to attract and retain the very best.

What’s the key?  There are several vital keys to attracting the very best.  To summarize the vital keys into one major key I’ll just write the words – word of mouth advertising.  Word of mouth is a powerful force that I’ve seen propel programs and businesses to the next level of success when it’s positive and cause them to collapse when it’s negative. 

There are 4 components of word of mouth advertising that are critical for a child care director to consider.  They include the type of word of mouth advertising that is passed around by previous and current staff as well as previous and current clients. 

The most powerful recruiting strategy is when your previous and current staff along with your previous and current parents spread the positive word around about you and your program.  This is incredibly powerful so please don’t overlook it.  One supervisor shared with me that through tapping into this power she now has a stack of current resumes on file that she can go through whenever she needs a new staff member.  She receives many calls from potential candidates each day asking if she’s hiring and to please consider them for employment.  She never has to place a help wanted ad because the positive word is out!

Now at some point in your life, I’m sure you’ve felt the power of word of mouth advertising.  Perhaps you’ve even helped pass it around.  Many can relate to going to a restaurant and receiving bad service.  And many people who receive that bad service will tell everyone they know not to ever step foot in “that place.”  That’s right, I’m talking about negative word of mouth advertising.  And on the other hand, many can relate to going to a restaurant and having a good experience.  When I survey my audiences most will admit that they still pass around the positive word but not nearly as often as they pass around the negative.  The reality is – negative word of mouth spreads farther and faster than positive word of mouth.

Your previous staff members have the opportunity to share many details of their experience in working for you and with your program.  If they felt they were treated fairly and the program provided quality care they will most likely dwell on those factors in their conversations with others. But on the other hand if they leave their position feeling negative they will most often exaggerate their negative experiences and tell many people in the process – yes, negative word of mouth advertising.

Many child care professionals have shared with me their feelings about the child care program they worked for.  One stated that she would never advise anyone to trust their children in the care of the program she worked for.  She stated that communication was destructive and the leader didn’t do anything when destructive gossip was out of control.  Conflicts and issues were not resolved and team morale was low.  She didn’t necessarily explain her reasoning every time she made the statement:  I wouldn’t advise anyone to send their children there!  This child care professional had an amazing enthusiasm for the child care profession before she started working for this program.  Unfortunately, this one bad experience led her to the decision that the child care industry was not the place for her.  She viewed it as unprofessional and wanted something more for her professional life.  Needless to say this was a person who knew how much money the child care industry offered and it didn’t matter because she wanted to be a part of it and make a difference in the lives of the children.  It was her passion.  She quit her position and is now working in the public school system.  Although I did not work with this center, I did learn that they were always looking for new teachers; turnover was very high.  Within a couple years of my conversation with the teacher who had the bad experience, the center was forced to close down.      

Another child care professional stated this about the program she was currently working for:  I wouldn’t send my dog there!  Why such as a harsh statement I asked?  Mostly because of the destructive communication patterns that were rabid.  

On the bright side, if you have a staff member who quits their position within your program and they leave with good feelings they have the power to positively impact potential candidates and clients.  Let’s say this person moves on to another industry and shines in their position.  Their manager may take notice and is thrilled with how professional this person is and how their communication skills are amazing.  He also takes note of this person’s ability to stay calm under pressure.  He then asks his employee how she developed these skills.  She replies by saying that these skills were acquired through working for you in your child care program.  He thinks to himself:  If they train staff so well there imagine what they must do for the children.  And that positive word of mouth is spread.  There are so many examples I could share with you, but I’m hoping you get the idea.

Here’s one more example.  You have an open position.  You advertise for it and get some good candidates to respond to your ad.  There’s one candidate you interview and really like.  The next step is for that candidate to meet with other teachers.  She comes in for the morning to spend time with your staff.  Some staff members ignore her while they go about their routines.  Others include her in on the gossip and the dos and the don’ts of your program.  When her time visiting your program has concluded she leaves without a word.  You try to call her later but she doesn’t return your call.  For some reason she lost interest.  Hmm…

The trick to tapping into this powerful recruiting strategy of word of mouth advertising is to generate a positive energy flow throughout your program where people can’t help but spread a positive word or two. 

There are two “must do” items in making this happen.  They include:  1) creating an environment where direct and open communication is a priority 2) modeling a positive style of leadership daily.

In combination with these items, try the following strategies to help get the positive energy flow going.

Survey your staff to find out what they tell their friends outside of work about where they work.  When I ask this question in preparation for an on-site workshop, staff members respond with various answers from terribly stressful (okay, I have heard worse) to a wonderful place to spend the day.  Use the survey responses to analyze trends and determine what kind of action is needed if any to help change the type of word of mouth that is spread. 

Share your goal of attracting the very best candidates with your staff.   Staff members in some of the programs I’ve worked with were delighted when their directors communicated this sincere goal with them.  Staff had previously shared their feelings of:  my director will hire anybody to work here or - as long as they’re a “live body” we’ll hire them.  Not the kind of word of mouth you want.  Share your goal and identify the action steps you’re going to take to ensure your goal will be achieved. 

Involve your staff in the recruitment and retention process and be united by your common goal.  Once they are truly involved in the process they will be aware that it’s in their best interest to recruit the very best.  Their negative feelings and attitudes will be obsolete.  To get them involved begin by having a general discussion with them about how they impact your program’s ability to attract and retain great staff through the word of mouth that they spread while they’re at work, while they’re at lunch and while speaking and meeting with potential candidates.  Talk about the negative impacts that occur when staff quit because of poor working relationships or negative gossip among staff members.  Talk about how turnover leads to more stress and work for all staff members.  Energize them by saying:  Through uniting in this common goal we can be the child care program where everyone wants to work and all parents want to send their children. Together we can control and create the type of working and learning environment that’s positive, productive, fun and energizing.

Share what incentives your staff will receive for being a part of the recruiting process.  This can include bonuses as well as the opportunity to qualify for a mentor position.  New titles can be motivators even if the pay increase is minimal.  Take the money you save on advertising and include a wonderful bonus for your top recruiter of the year.  Offer bonuses and incentives to your previous staff and clients as well - when and if you can.

Build strong, positive relationships between staff and parents.   Often teambuilding activities are facilitated for staff.  What about having a parent’s night where your staff and parents engage together in a team building activity to help unite them and build strong, trusting relationships?  This is powerful and can help eliminate the negative feelings that some staff may have towards the parents.  It will also leave parents spreading the positive word of mouth about the fun they had at child care.  Encourage your staff to write thank you notes to the parents as often as they can.  Thank the parents for their follow through, a creative idea, or for their trusting their little miracles to your care.  This is a powerful strategy that will help circulate positive word of mouth.  Additionally, don’t forget how important a smile with your greetings is - in person or over the phone.  Yes, a smile can be detected in your tone of voice alone.

Call the press.   Take the opportunity whenever you can to write a press release or call the press to invite them to your parent’s night out or professional development days.  Involve the press in the fun when they show up.  Help them feel the positive culture that you’ve created.  If they like you, watch out you’ll get more coverage than expected.

Make your ads stand out.  When you place an ad, don’t just say we offer competitive benefits and wages.  Everyone does that.  State in your ad why your child care program is the place to work and the place to bring your children.  When I worked as an executive recruiter, candidates would call and state: Your ad spoke to me, it stood out from all others!  When can we meet?  What makes you and your program stand out above and beyond the other child care programs in your area?  Find out (survey your staff and clients) and use that information to your advantage.  For a period of time, I collected child care ads to see which ones sizzled and which ones fell flat.

Cards for everyone.  Make sure that you have business cards and that your staff is well equipped with cards to hand out as often as they can.  Even if the cards don’t have individual staff member’s names on them, they are still an important tool in helping your staff spread the positive word and providing potential candidates and clients with direct contact information.

Follow up with previous staff who you would welcome back.  Stay in touch with staff (and clients) who have left your program.  Keep an open door for them to easily come back if they want to.  Sometimes staff and clients move on to only find out that they were happier with you.  Make your relationships positive and long lasting especially with those who you would welcome back with open arms. 

Attracting the very best candidates to work for your child care program is possible.  Right now around the world people are studying to become child care professionals with full knowledge of what the pay is.  Many incredibly motivated people have chosen the child care industry to call their own intending to make a difference in the lives of children.  You can attract these people to work for your child care program.

[ home ] [ team building ] [ leaders' retreat ] [ keynotes ] [ meeting planners ] [ free stuff ] [ coaching ] [ articles ] [ about Julie ] [ links ] [ appreciation gifts ] [ testimonials ] [ contact us ]