By Lisa Giancarli

As a childcare owner, you know that your staff are the heart and soul of your center. They’re the ones who create a warm, nurturing environment where children feel safe, loved, and inspired to learn. But when it comes to hiring, what qualities should you prioritize? Skills? Experience?

While those things are certainly important, they’re not the be-all and end-all. In fact, there’s one trait that trumps them all: character.

Why Character Matters More Than Skills

Think about it: you can teach someone how to change a diaper, lead a circle time, or implement a curriculum. But you can’t teach someone to be kind, patient, compassionate, or genuinely enthusiastic about working with children.

Character is the foundation upon which everything else is built. It’s what drives your staff to go the extra mile, to connect with each child on a personal level, and to create a truly magical learning environment.

What to Look For When Hiring

So, what does “good character” look like in a childcare setting? Here are a few key traits to keep an eye out for:

• A genuine love for children: This one’s a no-brainer. You want people who light up when they’re around kids, who are patient and understanding, and who truly enjoy nurturing young minds.
• A positive attitude: Childcare can be challenging at times, so it’s important to have staff who can maintain a positive outlook even when things get tough.
• Strong communication skills: Your staff will be interacting with children, parents, and colleagues, so they need to be able to communicate effectively and respectfully.
• A willingness to learn and grow: The field of early childhood education is constantly evolving, so you want people who are eager to learn new things and stay up-to-date on best practices.
• Reliability and responsibility: Parents rely on you to provide consistent, high-quality care for their children. That means your staff needs to be dependable and show up on time, every time.

How to Spot Good Character in an Interview

Of course, character isn’t always something you can list on a resume. Here are a few tips for uncovering it during the interview process:

• Ask open-ended questions: Instead of just focusing on skills and experience, ask questions that get at the candidate’s values and personality. For example:
  • “What do you love most about working with children?”
  • “Can you tell me about a time when you had to deal with a challenging situation with a child or parent?”
  • “How do you stay motivated and positive throughout a busy day?”
• Pay attention to non-verbal cues: Body language, eye contact, and tone of voice can reveal a lot about a person’s character.
• Check references thoroughly: Talk to previous employers and colleagues to get a sense of the candidate’s work ethic, attitude, and overall character.

Remember: Skills can be taught, but character is inherent. By prioritizing character in your hiring process, you’ll build a team of dedicated, passionate individuals who will help your childcare center thrive.

In the end, it’s not just about providing child care, it’s about shaping young lives. And that takes a team with heart.