Inspirational and Empowering Child Care Business Owners To Build Successful Child Care Businesses

Posts tagged ‘interviewing questions’

Makeover Your Hiring Practices and Lower Your Turnover Rate in 2014

staff

As a Center Owner, the area that has challenged my business skills the most has been….. Staff turnover!

Child Care Centers are known to have a Very High Turnover rate, however, I have managed to have staff to stay with me for (3-7 years). However, I recently received  news from two of my recently hired team members that they were going into another field and I thought to myself…Oh No, I have to hire more staff and Spend more Time Training!

In fact, I told my husband, I am going to master this area of the Business and I began to re-evaluate my hiring practices. So I took some time to reflect on past and current hiring practices and here is what I discovered:

  • The teachers that were with me for 3 or more years, had early childhood education and experience
  • The turnover rate has only been high amongst the lower skilled staff
  • Never hire someone, simply because they need a job, Child Care is a Calling..not a Job!

My recent evaluation of Staff Turnover, reminded me to stick to my original plan: Hire Professionals Only!

Sure you can train someone to work with children, however, only a skilled professional understands the whole child and takes their job very seriously.

I’m sure you may be thinking about the cost that is associated with hiring educated professionals, however, it will cost you more to keep hiring low skilled child care workers and the emotional stress is definitely not worth it.

If you want to reduce your staff turnover rate and reduce the amount of time, spent training staff, hire right the first time and get professionals!

Furthermore,  in this business, I have learned more from my frustrations that I have from what comes easy for me in this business.

I hope that this blog post has inspired you to hire Early Childhood professionals that may have the following: a CDA Credential, a Certificate in Child Care or working toward an Associate Degree in Early Childhood.

If you have a large Family home Child Care Business, when you need staff, seek to hire early childhood professionals as well, it’s a great investment and a great way to market your business!

In closing, I have found that, teachers with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher are great employees, however, they may not stay with you long, because they could make more money working in the public school system.

I know that Everyone that you hire will not stay with you forever, however, you must hire smart, to lower your  staff turnover rate! Your time is very precious and so is your decision making…when it comes to Hiring professionals for your team!

To a Successful 2014!

Shiketa

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Category:

Business Management, Child Care Center, Staffing

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The “Bear” Necessities of Choosing the Right Staff

Seek to hire people who loved their previous Job

 

I titled this blog post after a book that I am reading called, The Bear Necessities of Business, written by Maxine Clark. Just in case you do not know who Maxine Clark is…She is the Founder and Chief Executive Bear at Build a Bear Work Shop.

I bought Maxine’s Book, The Bear Necessities of Business about five years ago while on vacation in Chicago from one of the Build-a-Bear Workshops.  In fact, I was inspired  to buy Maxine’s book, because I was quite impressed with the company that she created with the help of a great team.

Earlier this year, I went on a field trip to the St. Louis Galleria Build-a Bear Workshop with my preschool graduates and I was loving  the spirit of excellence throughout the store. Moreover, I really enjoyed working with the staff at the Build-a Bear work shop. The staff was so friendly, very knowledgeable about their job and seemed to really enjoy working at Build-a-Bear Workshop. Furthermore, the trip to that store, inspired me to read Maxine’s book again, because I really enjoyed the experience and that’s what I want to give my customers…an Experience.

The night before I wrote this blog post, I was reading a chapter of Maxine’s book and came across a statement that inspired me to evaluate the questions that I ask applicants during the interview process. Maxine wrote: “I am not interest in bringing on people who hated their last job. I want to hire those who loved where they worked and came to us with great habits and ideas they have learned on the job.”

Maxine, also suggested that you hire people who have worked for great businesses that you respect and admire. In my case, that would be Kinder care Learning Centers, Head Start  and any Accredited Child Care Facility, because I know that the teacher has worked in a Quality environment.

Also, Maxine recommends that you ask those you hire this question: “What are we not doing that your previous employer did?

WOW!!! I think this is the answer to the job turn-over in the childcare field. What do you think? Do you know how much trouble that you and I can save ourselves if we simply ask the question: So, how did you feel about your last job?

I agree with Maxine 100%, because I recently hired a teacher that loved her previous job and she came to work with me for the summer and she loves her job. In the past, I hired teachers that hated their previous jobs and they hated working for me.

In summary, I think Maxine shared a golden nugget by mentioning the fact that she does not seek to hire people who hate their previous jobs. So, now when you schedule your next interview, be sure to ask: So, how did you feel about your last job?

What do you think about Maxine’s Philosophy about not seeking to hire people who hate their former jobs? Do you plan to ask the questions mentioned above during your next interview? I look forward to your comments below.

Be sure to get your copy of Maxine’s Book, The Bear Necessities of Business Today! Don’t forget to schedule your next field trip to Build-a-Bear Workshop!

With your business in mind,

Shiketa

Category:

Employee Management, Staffing

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