How to Get Ready for an Interview at a Daycare (With Tips and Sample Questions)
The in-person interview is one of the most important parts of the hiring process. This is true whether you are applying for your first job in childcare or you have been working in the field for years. During the interview, the hiring manager can get a better idea of how professional you are as a whole, and you can find out if the job is right for you. Learning the steps you need to take to get ready for an interview in the childcare field can help you feel confident at your next one.
In this article, we talk about what you need to do to prepare for a childcare interview, what questions you should ask during the interview, and some extra tips to help you do well on your next interview.
How to get ready for a job interview in child care
For a job working with kids, you should show up in a way that shows you are a hard worker and someone who gets along well with kids. Here are some things to do to get ready for a job interview in child care:
1. Dress in a businesslike way
For a face-to-face interview at a daycare, it’s important to dress professionally, just like for any other interview. But because these places are usually less formal than most places of work, it’s okay to wear business casual clothes.
2. Have your interview materials ready.
Next, get everything ready for your interview. If you need to, you can print your resume and give it to the interviewer in person. You should have a list of your references with their full names, titles, and ways to reach them.
3. Get ready for the questions from the daycare
Reviewing some of the most common daycare interview questions is one of the best ways to make sure you feel ready for your next interview. The interviewer is looking for someone with experience or knowledge of early childhood development. He or she will ask you questions to learn more about your education and work experience. Take the time to look over the daycare interview questions and think about how you will answer them and what stories you will tell.
4. Prepare a list of questions
You should make a list of questions you want to ask the interviewer. Don’t forget that you are judging the employer just as much as they are judging you. You can figure out if they are a good fit for you as an employer by asking questions about their policies and philosophies. Also, the interviewer will likely ask you if you have any questions for them during the interview. Taking the time to think about questions ahead of time can show that you are interested in the job and are serious about the interview.
5. Figure out where you want to go.
If you want to get to your interview with plenty of time to spare, you should figure out where you’re going and how long it will take you to get there ahead of time. Plan your route ahead of time if you’re taking public transportation to get to the interview. If you’re driving, use a map app to find out how long it should take you to get there. Also, think about what time of day you will be driving. If your interview is at a time of day when there is more traffic, you may need to add 15 minutes or more to your travel time.
6. Get there early for the interview
Plan to arrive at least 10 or 15 minutes early for your interview. This will give you a lot of time to relax after your commute and get ready in your mind for your interview. Also, if you arrive early for your interview, it shows the employer that you’re serious about the job and that you value their time.
Questions to ask the person interviewing you for a daycare job
During the interview, the employer will probably ask you if you have any questions for them. You should have a list of questions ready to show that you have thought carefully about the job and how you would fit into the daycare. Here are some possible questions you might want to ask:
- Can you tell me what a day at the daycare looks like?
- What do you think is the hardest thing about this job?
- Is there anything on my resume that makes you wonder if I’m the right person for the job?
- Do you have a plan for each week’s lessons?
- Can you tell me how the daycare deals with bad behavior?
- Can you tell me about the way your daycare takes care of kids?
- Are there chances to move up?
- Are there any chances to grow as a person?
How to do an interview with a daycare
Of course, there’s more to the interview than just being on time and knowing what questions might be asked, even though that may be a big part of it. Here are some more things you can do to do well at a daycare interview:
Check out the daycare.
Do some research on the daycare where you’ll be interviewing before you go. This can help you understand their goals and how they teach, which may be what makes them different. You can then talk about them in your interview to show that you are a good fit for the company’s culture.
Watch how people move and speak.
Remember that the words you use in an interview are only one part of the message you’re sending. Your body language says something, too. Make eye contact while you listen to and answer questions, and then break eye contact every so often. Straighten up and put your hands in your lap with your shoulders back. If you naturally talk with your hands, let them move around while you’re being interviewed. Just be careful not to move them so much that they get in the way.
Send an email to say thanks.
As soon as you get home from the interview, send a thank-you message to the employer or interviewer. Tell them you appreciate them taking the time to meet with you and considering you for the job. If they asked you to send specific information, you should also include that in your email.
