As a child care administrator, one of your most critical responsibilities is to build a team that not only possesses the necessary skills but also aligns with the culture and values of your organization. Leading with heart means centering your recruiting and interviewing efforts around those values to find the right fit. Here’s why it matters and how to approach it:
Hiring for Attitude and Trainable Skills
While skills are essential, attitude is equally important, if not more, in the caregivers and teachers. Look for candidates who exhibit a positive attitude, empathy, patience, and a genuine passion for working with children. Trainable skills can be taught, but the right attitude is foundational to success in this field.
Recognizing Fixed Traits
Some traits are fixed and unlikely to change with training or time. For example, a candidate’s innate ability to connect with children, remain calm under pressure, or demonstrate strong communication skills may be fixed traits. Fixed traits may also indicate that a candidate won’t be successful, such as pessimism, blaming others for setbacks, and an inability to support a team environment. Recognizing these early in the hiring process will save valuable time.
Importance of Behavioral Interview Questions
Ask “when have you” instead of “what would you” questions. When interviewing, focus on behavioral questions that delve into past experiences rather than hypothetical scenarios. Ask candidates to share specific examples of how they handled challenging situations, resolved conflicts, or collaborated with colleagues. These questions provide insights into their actual experiences and actions, giving you a fuller picture of their capabilities.
Inclusive and Legal Interview Practices
Ensure that your interview questions are inclusive, legal, and unbiased. Avoid questions related to age, gender, religion, marital status, or other protected characteristics. Even questions about whether they have children or have their own car are prohibited. Instead, focus on skills, experiences, and behaviors relevant to the job. Creating a fair and welcoming interview environment is key to attracting diverse talent. If free or discounted child care is a benefit offered in your center, explain how that works to all candidates.
Cultural Fit Considerations
Assess whether the candidate will fit well within your organization’s culture. Consider your values, mission, and work environment. Do their values align with yours? Will they contribute positively to the team dynamics? To make the best hiring decisions, you must know what you are wanting in a candidate. Be sure you know what your values are and ensure they are central in your interview questions and process. .
By prioritizing attitude, trainable skills, recognizing fixed traits, using behavioral interview questions, ensuring legal compliance, and assessing cultural fit, child care administrators can build a team that not only meets the job requirements but also thrives in the nurturing and supportive environment of their organization. Leading with heart means finding the right people who will make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families.