Best Hiring Practices: Tips for Hiring the Right Employees for Your Childcare Business

Strong childcare hiring practices are one of the highest-leverage moves a daycare owner can make. The childcare industry has some of the highest turnover rates in any sector, so every hire matters. In the guide that follows, we walk through practical, repeatable childcare hiring practices — from finding the right candidates to onboarding them in a way that makes them want to stay.

Childcare Hiring Practices Start with Sourcing

You know you need to hire for an open position at your daycare. So where do you find the right candidates? The three sources below consistently deliver the strongest applicants.

Tap Your Daycare Community First

First, look inside your own community. Let your team members know you are hiring and ask them to spread the word to friends and former colleagues in early childhood education. In addition, a few trusted parents are often willing to keep an ear out on your behalf — especially if they have older children who recently aged out of the program. People who already know your culture refer candidates who fit your culture.

Post on the Right Job Boards

Next, post your job ad on the boards that actually deliver childcare candidates today: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Care.com. Build a thoughtful job description that includes who you are as a company, the specific role, essential job duties, preferred qualifications, and a clear request for a cover letter and resume. As a result, you immediately weed out candidates who are not serious enough to put in the work. For a deeper dive on writing the ad itself, see our guide to creating a stand-out childcare job ad. The SHRM small-business hiring resources are a great supplement for first-time hiring managers.

Use Social Media as a Multiplier

Finally, spread the word on your social channels. Letting your Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn followers know you are hiring puts the role in front of people who already know your brand and may know the perfect candidate. Meanwhile, consider adding a permanent “Careers” or “Job Opportunities” section to your daycare website so interested teachers can apply year-round.

When to Hire — and When Not To

It is just as important to know when not to hire. You do not want to hire when you are desperate. As a result, a panicked search to fill an unexpected vacancy is the fastest way to make the wrong call. Do not lower your standards because you need anyone to fill the slot.

Instead, build an ongoing candidate pipeline. For example, if a strong candidate inquires when you are not hiring, save their resume and contact info in a digital folder you can return to later. Do the same with referrals from staff and parents. Over time, you will build a generous bench of strong candidates for your next opening. The BLS Occupational Outlook for childcare workers consistently shows churn in the role — a pipeline is your hedge.

Childcare Hiring Practices for Screening Applicants

When applications start arriving, a clear screening plan separates the “No,” “Maybe,” and “High Potential” candidates fast.

Triage the Applications First

Use the job application to screen out the obvious “No” candidates. Did a candidate include a sloppy cover letter? Does another have too little experience? Is one expecting a salary your budget cannot support? Move all of those to the “No” pile and focus your energy on the rest.

Run a Short Phone Interview Next

Schedule 15-minute phone interviews with your “Maybe” and “High Potential” candidates. Phone screens let you evaluate seriousness, communication, and fit without committing to a full in-person session. Ask high-level questions: why they want the role, why they are leaving their current position, and any clarifying questions about their resume. As a first test, ask each candidate to call you at a pre-scheduled time and see whether they follow through.

Bring Strong Candidates In for an In-Person Interview

Once you have three or so strong candidates, schedule a formal one-to-two-hour in-person interview. Bring along a team member whose judgment you trust to help process the conversation — or even a long-term parent who has a vested interest in your next hire. Two perspectives consistently beat one, especially under time pressure.

Childcare Hiring Practices: What Interview Questions to Ask

Here are sample questions to help you get to know each candidate at depth. Mix in a few situational questions; the answers tell you more about real-world judgment than any resume bullet ever will.

• Tell me a little about yourself.
• What do you love about working in early childhood education or childcare?
• Share one professional accomplishment you are proud of.
• What was your favorite part of your previous job? Your least favorite?
• Describe a few favorite activities you like to do with the children in your care.
• How would you handle a child who refuses to take a nap?
• How would you handle a child with separation anxiety at drop-off?
• How would you respond to an angry parent complaint?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• What questions do you have for me?

Situational questions in particular reveal how a candidate thinks on their feet. For more on the underlying traits to listen for, see our companion guide to the qualities of a great daycare teacher. The NAEYC workforce resources are also useful for benchmarking expectations.

Other Important Hiring Considerations

Once you have a finalist, two non-negotiables remain. First, run a comprehensive criminal background check on every candidate — our guide to background checks for childcare staff walks through the full process. Next, call every professional reference and read between the lines. A flat, brief endorsement often tells you more than the words themselves. Evaluate from every angle before you extend an offer.

Initiating and Nurturing the Employee Relationship

Once you make the offer and the candidate accepts, your job is just beginning. The first 90 days set the tone for the entire relationship. Use the steps below to start strong.

• Provide a warm welcome and introduce your new hire to the team on day one.
• Encourage questions and schedule short, frequent check-ins for the first few weeks.
• Implement a 90-day probationary period to confirm fit on both sides.
• Promote an atmosphere of support and enthusiasm around the new hire.
• Give and ask for ongoing feedback. The more you invest in your team, the more likely they are to stay.

For the systems that hold all of this together, our guides to building a comprehensive employee handbook, creating a bonus structure, and reducing daycare staff turnover are worth a read. As a result, you will spend less of next year repeating the same hiring cycle. Indeed’s research arm — the Indeed Hiring Lab — publishes useful trend data if you want to benchmark your local labor market.

Make Childcare Hiring Practices a Repeatable System

Solid childcare hiring practices are not a one-time event. They are a system you refine with every cycle. Source intentionally, screen with discipline, interview with structure, and onboard with care — and you will build a daycare team families recommend and teachers stay with.

At Honest Buck Accounting, we love helping our clients streamline and optimize the financial side of their business — including the payroll, benefits, and labor cost decisions that flow from every new hire. Schedule a call with us today to learn how the Honest Buck Accounting team can help you increase profitability and grow your business.