We were fortunate to have Caroline Jens and Justina Paterson present Overcoming Obstacles to Enrollment, Recruitment, & On-boarding, and Say Hello to Innovative Possibilities on June 26, 2019. Many of the participants had questions that we were unable to ask the presenters. They were kind enough to answer them and they are posted below. Here is a link to the recording: Overcoming Obstacles to Enrollment, Recruitment, & On-boarding, and Say Hello to Innovative Possibilities Click here to: Download the PowerPoint Slides Handout_Core Process for Acquiring Families and Teachers Complete the Professional Development Reflections Form Apply for CEUs (Optional, in addition to your free Certificate!)
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Thank you for allowing us the time and opportunity to train on this amazing topic. We took some time to address some of the questions and comments below. Also, starting on page 11, is a whole list of tools you can immediately begin using!
Let us know if you need anything else and we would love to help you – Caroline and Justina
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Q: I noticed that neither of these lovely ladies has a background in Education
(Elementary or Early Childhood Education) did that impact how they related to the field?
A: I (Caroline Jens) was an Executive Director for a multi-location child care center in Wisconsin for nearly ten years. I do not have an early education degree since my background is in
business and finance, but I worked very intensely in the early education industry as an
Executive Director. I now am a registered trainer in Wisconsin for Early Education.
Justina has several early education credentials and worked as a teacher for nearly ten years along side me at the same child care center. She was one of the best teachers I knew. She was then promoted to our marketing director and took on a more leadership role.
Together we both train in this industry and consult with child care centers of all sizes across the U.S. to stay relevant on topics in this industry. We are also actively involved in child care associations in many different states.
I hope that answers your questions.
Q: It seems that more teachers coming out of college are more focused on Preschool, but the demand is for infant/toddler programs= we need to recruit more folks to work with our youngest.
A: This is so true! This is why we are recommending the more mature employee to target for our infant/toddler programs. We started marketing to retired school teachers or grandmas that wanted flexible, limited hours each day. Worked great for us! Also, hosting babysitting and other mentorship programs that focus on this area with high school students is a great way to promote this age group.
Q: i work a teaching job and for early learning coalition for Florida. its hard to keep up and find quality educational items we can afford. Have you looked into grant money in your area?
A: Also, finding corporate sponsors to help fund larger projects has worked too! Get a group together to sponsor a new playground and have it named after the company that pays for it.
Q: Keeping qualified teachers is the hardest. Especially because we are in a low income area so being able to pay staff is super hard.
A: We have found no matter what area, it’s hard. This is why the culture is so important. Having a healthy culture is the only way you are going to stand out when pay can’t be the deciding factor. If you need help with your culture – please contact me so we can narrow down your root problems [email protected]
Here is a podcast I did with Himama on reinventing your culture! It’s a great way to break it
down: https://blog.himama.com/preschool-podcast-caroline-jens/
Here is a resource we made on incentives, benefits, and perks https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pwz2-lEgPuFSiqHvHYCHBcEbdlY5uwz8/view?usp=sharing
Q: My main issue is, as we are a small preschool, compensating staff handsomely for their hard work and being unable to provide benefits i.e. insurance coverage both of which affects retention
A: Here is a resource we made on incentives, benefits, and perks https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pwz2-lEgPuFSiqHvHYCHBcEbdlY5uwz8/view?usp=sharing
Q: continuously growing and training staff is challenging due to lack of resources
A: Your local child care association should help with training. We also have free webinars we do: https://www.childcarebizhelp.com/webinar-series.html or watch past recordings here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0JPRrGhYT_N2TqKUSuD3WA60rcWTpWQT
Q: i find it is much harder to enroll preschoolers over infants. Our infant spaces are limited in licensed child care
A: This is why you have to enroll infants and get them to be raving fans. They will stay with you and populate your upper rooms as they age up. Also consider enrichment programs that focus on preschoolers and other ways you can draw in that specific age group. Don’t be afraid to offer part time schedules too. A lot of families are looking to introduce their preschooler to care and may only want part time. It may be harder to manage but, you get higher tuition for it and you have the opportunity to use HoppingIn.
Q: We used to go outside each and every day, giving flyers of information, attending several community events and no success
A: No effort is not worth doing; your company name is out there in the community every time you attend an event or participate in handing out flyers. There is a return that you really can’t measure. I encourage you to continue doing these types so things – just make sure they are intentional and that everyone that participates with you is on the same page and has the right mindset. Have a good time, be a great representation of the company, and love what you do.
Q: When you give a tour to a prospective family, do you give them something to take notes? When and how often do you follow up
A: Here is a tour questionnaire that includes a tour checklist you can give parents. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vu2kHe4r8CNUY1JPNkXK0OwK804FRRwyeUo9VQr7T u8/edit?usp=sharing
We follow-up with a postcard right after the tour, then an email two days after that, then a phone
call a week after. If they are pregnant and not due for a while, we include them on our newsletter list and email list.
You can automate follow-up with beautiful emails and an easy way to manage the leads using our new software. Email me if you want to learn more about it – it makes the follow-up a breeze and the automation helps take it off your to-do list ([email protected])
Q: In NYC, we are losing kids to free 3K and PreK the past couple of years
A: This is common in most states right now. I encourage you do have a campaign to tell your story to the community as to why your center is still a great place to bring your 3 and 4-year olds. What makes you unique, why choose you; have a huge campaign and communicate it often.
Bring your story to life! Here is a campaign we started in California for some centers we work with out there: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19tzfoShxLiv907I6kYUe_AVHCXmgwUhD/view?usp=sharing
Q: Part of our issue is that we are not on a public transit route, and it also limits who can apply
A: I have several centers I work with that are in the same situation. Can you pair up employees that are willing to carpool? Can you get funding for a vehicle to pick up staff? Maybe you can partner with child care centers around you or other business around you to do this?
Actions you can take to solve transportation issues:
• Support ridesharing among employees.
• Designate a staff member to assist with the design, implementation, and administration of programs that encourage ridesharing.
• Subsidize employees’ commute by offering a transportation benefit program which may include offering free bus passes or gas money.
• Partner with other businesses to design company specific transportation solutions.
Q: In a perfect world, it would be great to have one person hired to handle enrollment - starting from managing waitlist, taking calls/emails with inquiries, to calling to fill vacancies, conducting child care tours and completing registration. As a Supervisor, I wear a variety of hats.
A: We made sure everyone was trained on how to do this. No matter what role you play in a center, you have to know your role in a tour. https://www.childcarebizhelp.com/blog/sales- avatar-of-a-teacher-6-untold-roles
I Am Campaign to teach everyone their role:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/145lXrQeP1qGhP81pwgSB8dS3PsHmGVkg/view?usp=sharing
Q: My issue with recruitment is that new applicants have to be approved by the department of health which involves fingerprinting, background checks, checking referrals-all of which are necessary to ensure safety of children however it is such a long process that they move on to other opportunities.
A: Are you like other states where they can get a temporary approval and be in classroom with someone else? At least use that time to get them in and trained.
We have also found centers have streamlined their hiring process so that they hire teachers on
the spot with the contingency of background and referrals checks. You have to be able to ask the right questions during that first interaction and be ready to make an offer immediately, so you can speed up the process.
Just make sure your interview questions are geared toward if the candidate fits your core values and ask them real questions that discuss scenarios how they live out your core values in the work place. Find out their personal passions and make sure those align with your company values (do they volunteer? Are they active and like to participate in group activities?)
Here is a sample hiring process:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ypBqhio3bgFsAv9HOdixwP2mWTVDL6N/view?usp=sharing
Q: I run a bilingual program and finding qualified teachers who are bilingual and know how to teach a second language is like finding a needle in the haystack.
A: Have you considered a sign on bonus for Bilingual employees?
Q: we enroll on a first come, first serve basis which makes us either boy heavy or girl heavy. We would prefer to have a gender balance but can't afford to wait to fill vacancies.
A: I’d be interested in hearing if you have specific issues because of which way you topple – girl or boy. Never really analyzed that before and/or the effects of more boys or more girls.
Q: Like the idea of outsourcing recruitment process
A: Our team can help you! [email protected]
Q: As an owner and operator I'm doing everything. Is overwhelming.
A: Consider a partner like us because we can help take a lot of work off you plate with less cost of hiring someone.
Alternatively, if that is not an option, can you tap into the talents of your staff? Consider how you can delegate or start training to delegate. You may find employees will become more engaged and happier!
Here is a resource I made that helps employees understand their talents and how they can use them at your center: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ojRhMYxSk8FEPp6FQrVEYvfPinQq- gjz/view?usp=sharing
Q: Often staff needs to leave because they need more money. Under qualified applicants
aren’t willing to learn all necessary skills
A: We have a center here in Milwaukee that found a way to work with under qualified applicants by partnering with a local university. The school is now teaching a fast track course for their teachers right at the center. The center is paying for it. To get people interested is a culture shift you have to make by constantly beating the drum as to what you aspire your company to be.
We kicked off their campaign with a new internal culture statement to get everyone excited and unified. It takes time to get momentum, but you can do it!
As far as money – there was another question we answered above to help with that. Culture is a big piece.
Q: not having a formal on-boarding training program and having to throw a new hire immediately into a classroom. This creates a huge frustration for the candidate. As well checking in with them.
A: You should be receiving an email with our onboarding template. If you do not get it – please email me directly and I will forward to you [email protected]
Q: In MA we have 1000 jobs waiting for very few qualified teachers. Extreme teacher shortage right now!
A: This is an epidemic in all industries. Know and communicate what is different about your company so you can attract the few that are out there? What are you displaying on your website and social media to get noticed?
• Career page that is vibrant, fun, and shares visually what your culture is like
• Social media posts that revolve around teachers and students
• Blog about your workplace
• Testimonials from your teachers
• Explain on your website about how you train applicants even if they are not qualified
• Go after the 55+ market
• Make your current teachers raving fans so they can help you attract candidates
• Start an ambassador program of teachers that left on a good note – how can you pay them to help you recruit?
Q: When we are already short staffed many directors end up covering in classrooms. We'd all LOVE to do good on-boarding but the reality is we do not have the time because we have to be sure we meet the licensing ratios.
A: Consider ways you can onboard in sections. Onboarding doesn’t just occur before day 1 or
on day 1. You have to find ways to schedule that teacher out of the classroom, so you can teach them specific things on how your center runs or you will just lose them or your families.
Also, consider what their co-teacher (if they have one), can help you train with. If you provide the coteacher specific training responsibilities, it will help you accomplish some of your onboarding tasks.
Q: Are the presenters going to offer suggestions on how to ease some of these burdens?
A: We will be emailing you several really great tools so watch your inbox. Everything we send you will help ease those burdens. I have also put a lot of links in this Q&A with other tools specific to questions you all have.
I hope this helps! If not, I’d love to personally help you with any additional questions you may have ([email protected])
Q: Can some of the resources/books be used for Family Child Care?
A: Yes, for sure!
Q: Folks that interview VERY well, then start and seem to have no idea how to run a class
A: Do you have them in the classroom at all before you hire them? Also, do you ask them specific questions on how they would handle various situations teachers experience in the
classroom? This may help.
Q: the cost of training/onboarding someone and then they leave is the most frustrating to me.
A: I saw this quote and thought of your statement: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
Often, we are burnt out or tired of people stepping all over us. If we grab hold to our top employees and invest in them, most will stay and fight alongside you. Some will leave, yes, but it’s ok – they are meant to move on then. I want to encourage you to keep investing in them!
Q: what are the best questions to ask during an interview?
A: Interview and hiring process:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ypBqhio3bgFsAv9HOdixwP2mWTVDL6N/view?usp=sharing
Q: The best, most qualified staff always move on. It's hardest to keep them
A: 60% of your team are followers, 20% of drag their heals and the remaining 20% are your leaders. Don't let those that drag their heels and complain run the show in your childcare center.
Instead, concentrate on ensuring your top 20% are happy, empowered, and feel appreciated so they continue to lead strong. If they aren't, the bottom 60% that are followers will start following the wrong 20% of your team.
Here is the full video on a training we did on this very topic: https://youtu.be/bM1SsJPn3Ss
Q: I think the ultimate mission isn't ongoing referrals- it's creating safe, supportive, loving, learning environments for children. The quality of the program is the best marketing tool.
A: If your mission is to create raving fans – the only way you can do that is by having quality programs, show you care and invest in your staff, you love the children, you are proud of the programs you run. All of that is the umbrella of how you create raving fans. I hope that helps.
Q: What are your most successful advertising strategies...flyers at local businesses, open houses, sponsoring community events??
A: We will be sending you 1001 Enrollment and Marketing strategies to look through. Some of my personal favorites are:
• Giving away free ice cream at the local ice cream shop (we also had face painting there
and games)
• Cross marketing with businesses – you can’t just give them flyers and expect that to sell your services. Be creative! Have a campaign to spread sunshine – give them a basket of yellow happy things and include catchy business card sized flyers to put out at their business. Tag the business as you “Spread Sunshine” and their social media followers will see your business when you tag them on yours. Plus, you give them added
exposure on your Facebook and Instagram. Really find ways you can work with local business relationships is critical.
• Empower your leadership to give different specials to age groups you need to enroll.
Give them power to make deals. For example, if you need infants, and an infant family tours, give them two weeks free (one week at the end of each month for two months).
We even gave away a month (spread over four months) when it was an age group we
really wanted.
• Change up displays outside your building to bring awareness to your space
• What are you doing with your windows? There are so many cool window clings you can make now that are really eye catching from the road.
• We also love being a part of the community (sponsoring events and working with our local chamber of commerce); you may not see immediate enrollment, but people will learn who your center is and become a referral source.
• As your chamber of commerce if you can sit on their board of directors. This changed our child care center when I did this. I had the inside scoop to what was going on in the community. I had the support of other business professionals on the board to help me grow and we had exposure we never would have received if I wasn’t on the board.
Q: We need concrete ideas about HOW to do the ACHIEVE. Please give suggestions how we can do this.
A: The handout we provided has a ton of different ideas on it. If you want specifics on a certain one, please email me directly and I’ll help! [email protected]
Q: In this community are many low income programs and when parents made over the poverty level they still want to get services for free
A: Consider various grants you can get for your low-income area. Also, what business partnerships can you build to help with costs? Finally, you must still figure out how you are different than your competition and charge appropriately. If you are communicating your value, families will make decisions on how to spend the money they do have.
I also want to encourage you to work with your local child care association, so you can become part of the advocacy for early education in your state. This will help you immensely.
Q: How long before you need to fill a position do you begin interviews?
A: Honestly, we interview all the time so when a position does come up with have candidates in the waiting.
Q: How do you deal with negative competition?
A: You have to manage your reputation. Do this by sharing your story, blogging, being active in the community and ensuring your families and staff are communicating that same message. If people or businesses are out there saying bad things about your center, you have to push it down with good things. Not sure if that answers your question – please let me know if you need more help because I’m working with two centers right now that is going through a reputation rebuild.
Q: I'm already pulling ideas together for using the Stop/Start/Stay/Shift in our annual review meetings. This is going to be an important resource for us to improve our team morale and facility.
A: Great! I’d love to hear your results! [email protected]
Q: What is a drip campaign?
A: A Drip marketing is a communication strategy that sends, or "drips," a pre-written set of messages to customers or prospects over time. Emails that are triggered based on an action a prospect or user makes.
For example: if a prospective parent fills out a tour form on your website – a drip campaign would start that sends out a series of emails:
1. Thank you for scheduling your tour – we look forward to seeing you
2. A day before the tour, another email goes out to remind them about the tour
3. After the tour, an email goes out asking them how they liked it and how we can get them to enroll.
Our new tool helps do this! We set it all up for you so you don’t have to think about it.
Q: How do you automate your e-mail programs?
A: You can automate some functionality on programs like mail chimp or constant contact – they offer many videos on that. However, with our new tool, we set it all up for you.
Q: Canva/Snappa??
A: Graphics Design tool: https://thedigitalmerchant.com/website/design/snappa-vs-canva- which-is-the-best-online-graphics-design-tool-in-2018/
We use Canva for everything: https://www.canva.com/
Q: I've reviewed many electronic sheets apps but they seem too complicated for staff. Any recommendations for the most user friendly electronic daily sheets for technology challenged staff?
A: Love Himama! Kangaroo time is newer, and they have great features others do not.
Q: is websites better than fbook and other social media twitter. because i dont have a website
A: Websites give your business credibility. You should have a website for that purpose alone. Plus there is a lot of additional marketing you can do when you have a quality website both to target enrollment and recruitment. If you need one, email me and reference this and our company will give you a deal [email protected].
Q: I am excited to learn more about some of the things like Slack and canva.
A: Slack.com is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So is canva! If you need help let me know!
Q: Is there anything you would NOT include on your website?
A: That is a big question. Simple answer would be to keep your website clean, relevant, and simple. Make sure you have the most important things “above the fold” – everything the viewer first sees when they go to your website. In your case you should have a statement that explains clearly what you are – what differentiates you, how to contact you and something to get them engaged.
Make sure to have a blog and make sure to blog to it!
Make sure to have a career page! But make it full of life and imagery that shows off your culture. I do not recommend putting tuition on websites; we encourage centers to not give this
information out until someone tours.
Q: thank you ladies for your webinar. I really like how you mentioned 'attract employees- do not recruit them'. This is a great way to think about this. I feel I work at an amazing agency just as much as I feel families and children believe in our work and mission and are happy to be with us. the culture here is excellent. I guess we need to find ways to increase the awareness of who we are and what we do to attract employees the way we wish to attract families.
A: Thank you! When I interview, most of the candidates I talk with say they stalked the company’s social media and website before applying. Make sure these spaces visually and in words demonstrate your employment culture. Even consider writing a Culture blog just to put on your career page that talks about culture, what exciting things your staff is doing, what you do
as a company, etc. Brag – Brag – Brag!
Create an ambassador program and pay past employees that left on a good note to help tell your story.
Q: what do you place in a family packet?
A: I believe you mean the tour packet correct? If that is the case – here is sample tour packet:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FudOuYfNRfdJJh7X_lYJ4MeUoAvv6drC/view?usp=sharing
Q: When you have a long wait list is it bad to not continue touring? I feel like its counterproductive but at the same time I do not want to seem rude or cut off from the prospective parents.
A: We always toured but we were honest that we are full. What we did was make sure to
include them on a wait list (charge them to be on the wait list $100) and then if a spot opens up, contact them. You never know if you will lose three families at once or even five. What if you
didn’t have a list of families you could then call? I had two centers recently that had lost large chunks of families.
Also – tour just to keep your center reputation out there as the place people want to get into to!
You also never know if you’ll get an employee because of it!
Q: After a tour, I send all information about our program with attachments and links to our Facebook and website pages electronically by email because I find that most convenient. Papers, brochures, folders get lost
A: Yes!
The tour packet we created we put on google drive, so we could text the link to families! Also, create a page on your website like you mentioned with all your enrollment goodies on it!
Q: We have a long waitlist-any ideas how to help parents through the wait time? Some parents are having to wait several months before we can get their child in.
A: Keep them engaged with the activities going on in your center. Make sure to have intentional touches with them; allow them opportunities for drop in care when one of your regular families drops a day. Use HoppingIN to help manage that (sounds like a commercial but this app is great!).
Here is a list of the free tools we mentioned in this Q&A
Thanks again from the Child Care Biz Help team for allowing us time with you!
Tour Questionnaire- used to get to know the family during the tour:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13yLe126wzMprcxY-
17_ZJXG5Xqht2vybf10A_sySnN0/edit?usp=sharing
Incentives, benefits, and perks:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pwz2-lEgPuFSiqHvHYCHBcEbdlY5uwz8/view?usp=sharing
Free webinars on reinventing your child care center: https://www.childcarebizhelp.com/webinar-series.html or watch past recordings here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0JPRrGhYT_N2TqKUSuD3WA60rcWTpWQT
Tour questionnaire that includes a tour checklist you can give parents: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vu2kHe4r8CNUY1JPNkXK0OwK804FRRwyeUo9VQr7T u8/edit?usp=sharing
365 Days of Social media:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mrUSKp-
5tmeYc3DE5mc7Qv4O0Y6SpkBKVvofUAFvxUw/edit?usp=sharing
Know your role in a tour:
https://www.childcarebizhelp.com/blog/sales-avatar-of-a-teacher-6-untold-roles
I Am Campaign to teach everyone their role:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/145lXrQeP1qGhP81pwgSB8dS3PsHmGVkg/view?usp=sharing
Sample hiring process:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ypBqhio3bgFsAv9HOdixwP2mWTVDL6N/view?usp=sharing
Understand your employees talents and how they can use them at your center:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ojRhMYxSk8FEPp6FQrVEYvfPinQq-gjz/view?usp=sharing
Bring your story to life! Here is a campaign we started in California for some centers we work with out there: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19tzfoShxLiv907I6kYUe_AVHCXmgwUhD/view?usp=sharing
Himama Podcast I did on reinventing your culture! It’s a great way to break it down: https://blog.himama.com/preschool-podcast-caroline-jens/ and a related blog: https://blog.himama.com/culture-in-child-care/
Sample tour packet:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FudOuYfNRfdJJh7X_lYJ4MeUoAvv6drC/view?usp=sharing
Demo our Enrollment and Recruitment Platform and this will help solve a lot of the problems you identified above– email me [email protected]
