Attracting the best talent

First, let's talk about the three-part job announcement. It's important to know that there's a difference between job descriptions and job announcements. A job description is a helpful tool for managing employees, especially at larger centers. 

The job description defines the job and what skills are needed for the position. It functions like a agreement with the employee. It tells them what they need to know or be able to do. This might include things like how much experience they need, such as “must have two years of experience in child care,” or their education like, “must have a CDA.” Sometimes, there are physical requirements for the job, such as “employees must be able to lift 40 pounds.” Job descriptions are important, especially if you have many employees, because they make expectations clear.  

A job announcement serves a different purpose. The job description has a lot of details that, while relevant, may not be necessary to explain upfront. When you're trying to hire people, showing the full job description first might be confusing or overwhelming to them. The job announcement should tell people, "Here's why you have to come work for us." It's about creating a document that tells a person about the job and explains why they should want to work for you. It should function like a sales document more than anything. Think of it like trying to sell the job to an individual. To attract top talent, it's worth the effort to take the time to craft a high-quality job announcement. A three-part job announcement includes three main sections: "why", "what", and "how.”

Part 1: the “why” 

In the first part of your job announcement, explain why someone should choose your organization. This doesn't have to be long, maybe five or six sentences. Explain what makes your business a good place to work. How are you different from other employers? Is your workplace a fun? Is it an opportunity to help children who need help the most? What do you and your current employees like about working there? What's exciting about it? What do employees get out of being a part of this organization? Include this information in the first section. Also, include basic business information such as your location, the neighborhood you're in, and what's nearby. 

Part 2: the “what” 

In the next section, talk about the “what.” This section says what skills are most essential for success in the job. You might think that listing many skills will help you find the best person. But, research shows that the more skills you include, the less likely somebody is to apply for the job. They begin to see all the things that they can't do rather than the ones they can. So, keep this section to seven or eight most critical items that you feel are most important. 

Part 3: the “how” 

In your final section, you'll include the “how.” This section outlines how people apply for the job. What information do you need from them? Do you need a copy of their license or certificate? Do you need them to fill out a job application? These are the questions that you will want to include in this final section. 

When you're writing the announcement, look at online job sites for ideas. See what other child care providers in your area, or even across the nation, are saying is important. This is a good way to see how things are being discussed currently in the market. Once you’ve created your job announcement, it's also a good idea to test it before you send it out. Ask two or three of friends, maybe find somebody in the child care industry, but also somebody who isn't. Ask them for their honest opinions. Is the job announcement clear? Does it make sense? Would they look at the job and think it was interesting? If your job announcement is appealing to these few people, it's likely it will be appealing others too. 

Now that you have your job announcement, how do you get it to people that you want to hire? Most people start with posting the job announcement online or on local job boards. Also, using state and national professional groups is another way to spread the word. 

Active talent search 

These are a good first steps, but they are also passive. You're sending information out there and seeing if people find it and apply. This might not be the best way to find people because it assumes that the people you want to hire are already looking for a job and will find your announcement. Research shows that more active methods of searching for talent are more effective than passive approaches. This doesn't mean you have to hire a big recruiting firm. It means you should take steps to make sure your job announcement reaches your two most important audiences: candidates and connecters. 

Candidates and connectors 

Candidates are the people who will apply for the job. You can reach out to candidates that you know and that are in your own network. Connectors help spread the word and reach more candidates. One of the easiest ways find connectors is to reach out to the people who you already know: your friends, your current employees, and the families you serve. They can serve as your most effective connectors. This doesn't need to mean that they're hunting down people like a recruiting firm. Let these people know that you are hiring and ask them to think about people they know who might be interested. They can then share your announcement to help get the word out. This can be a simple way to reach more people in your area. You might even offer an incentive to families or employees if you hire somebody they refer. It could be a nice thank you for their efforts, and it saves you time because they're doing the searching for you. 

Another helpful group of connectors can be other professionals in the child care field. There may be people who would be happy to help connect you with someone who comes to mind. You could share you announcement with other child care providers you think would be good employees. It could as simple as a sending a message with the announcement and saying, "Hey, if you know anyone, let us know." 

Social media is another useful tool. Child care providers can be very successful in posting announcements on a local online groups or a local parents’ group. Parents might be interested working in child care and have skills that are useful to your business. This can be another way to extend your ability to reach others. 

The job market is highly competitive. Consider offering bonuses or incentives for new hires but require them to pay it back if they leave in less than 6 months. You can also offer slightly higher pay for a short time, like the first three months, to attract talent.

Don't forget about your current employees. You don't want to have wage compression, which happens when you start hiring new people at a higher rate of pay because there's so much competition in the labor market. This can leave your existing employees feeling like they're making much less than incoming employees. Consider offering employee retention incentives to people who remain with your organization, such as temporary bonuses or temporary wage increases. 

Disclaimer 

The information contained here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, or financial advice.