Finding Quality School Age Staff - Part 2 - Rhea Simmons
In the last article, there was a focus on making sure that your School Age Care applicants would be able to meet the most foundational requirements of the position regarding hours, transportation and pay. It is also required that the applicant meet minimum certification requirements based on qualifications and/or skill. But beyond these basics, you want to try to find someone that is a good fit for your program.
To find a good fit, you must look beyond qualifications to determine if the candidate’s attributes will align with your programs identity and philosophy. Many Fortune 500 companies approach hiring with the mindset of “Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill”. In other words, they identify the qualities they desire in a candidate and look for those in potential employees. This means that during the interview, they ask questions that help them determine who the person is, rather than just finding out what they have done. Often they are looking for candidates that:
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are open to learning and new ideas (coachable),
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demonstrate the ability to connect with people (especially children),
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and are able to work independently.
During the interview, present scenarios that would give insight on how they might handle different situations. Ask questions about their short or long term goals or what they are passionate about as the answers can provide clues to whether they are a good fit. Candidates that are into science or who are athletic can really round out a staff that is lacking in these areas even if they are not necessarily the most experienced. Also consider how your children might benefit by spending time with and learning from adults that do, and that don’t, look like them.
Once you have found the right candidate, you will want to keep him/her. Setting your new employees up for success will be discussed next week.
