Childcare providers have been on a continuous hiring spree, but applicants are hard to come by. Employers at childcare centers and daycares have done everything from posting ads everywhere to sprucing up the job’s perks and benefits–all done just to get an applicant’s attention and their resume in.
When they do apply however, most fail to show up for the interviews. As it gets harder and harder for childcare providers to even get applicants’ foot in the door, here are some ways to prevent no-show applicants on your interview day.
Text an applicant to schedule a call or interview.
When it comes to hiring, courtesy is expected from both sides. As a prospective employer, notifying an applicant of your intention to call them or asking them for their availability is a great signal to an applicant that you value their time and privacy. Moreover, texts are seen as less intrusive and demanding than outright calls even if they did send their resume. The applicant is also more likely to see a text message before an email. The urgency a text presents will also get you a faster reply rather than an email.
Determine an applicant’s intention on applying through an initial screening call.
To avoid wasted time waiting for an applicant to show up to an in-person interview, try calling them first for a screening interview. This makes the applicant put in more effort into the application process. You can also ask questions about what attracted them to the job opening, their interest in their application, and personal preference. This initial screening will help you in assessing whether the applicant measures up to your basic requirements.
Try video call for an initial assessment.
Aside from a voice call, a video call can also be a great way to do your initial assessment of the applicant. It’s an interview avenue that doesn’t require too much of an applicant. You can also gauge their reactions and answers better with a face-to-face virtual interview. You can also do a quick tour and show them their potential workplace and future co-workers.
Schedule the in-person interview as soon as possible.
As the saying goes, ‘strike whilst the iron is hot’ or in this case, set up the in-person interview in the next day or two. A fast-pace hiring process helps in sustaining the applicant’s enthusiasm and drive to secure the position as well as you getting the position filled. It also helps in saving time, lest the applicant doesn’t fit your job requirements. The faster you move them through the application process, the higher the possibility you’ll get them to sign on and the more time you save on hiring.
Send out a survey to all no-show applicants.
Most of the time childcare providers are just left hanging and wondering why an applicant did not show up for an interview. An anonymous survey will help an employer find out the real reason why candidates did not show up to an interview with no pressure on the candidate. You can ask a mix of open-ended questions and multiple choice questions to help them communicate their reasons for their non-appearance. Once the results are in, you’d get a good
Provide incentives for showing up to the interview.
If free meals are a part of offered perks and benefits for your employees, try inviting them to taste-test your new menu for staff lunch along with the interview. This also gives the applicant an insight into your work culture and whether they’re a good fit for your center. If you’ve managed to partner with local establishments in the community, you can also give them discount vouchers as a way of expressing gratitude for their time.
While having applicants not show up for the interview is certainly a letdown, don’t let it get to you. No-shows have slowly become the norm but that doesn’t mean you cannot do anything about it. These tips can help you to make no-shows a thing of the past.
However, if it still keeps on happening, maybe it’s time to review best practices when hiring in a pandemic, reconsider your hiring benefits, or explore other hiring strategies and avenues. By doing these things, you’ll soon have the best applicant that’ll hopefully be your next top employee.
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