12 Traits Employers Look For In An Ideal Child Care Professional

Recruitment across different sectors have begun following a new path when it comes to hiring new employees and that is:

“Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills.”

Gone are the days when a candidate’s educational background, experience, and technical proficiency top the requirement list. Businesses have now identified that these are not the sole predictors of a successful job candidate. It is in fact the attitude that will push a potential candidate to excel more and develop other skills needed to efficiently fulfill one’s duties and responsibilities at work.

The child care industry is no stranger to this rule. Child care work entails a lot of interactions with people, coping with challenges, learning new things, and following instructions. Although training is an absolute advantage, positive traits are what most employers in this industry will look for. If you think you possess some of these qualities then these are tell-tale signs that show child care is the right career for you. Ready to find out what they are? Check out the 12 traits list below that employers look for in an ideal child care professional.

1. Initiative

One of the most favoured traits in a child care professional is if they are proactive or show initiative. Why? Showing that you have a self-starting nature is considered to be highly valued. It demonstrates that you are able to identify tasks that need action or problems that need solutions. You do not wait for your supervisor or colleagues to ask for help first. Instead, you are there right away because you were already able to detect that they require your assistance. Highlighting your ability to get a job started without step-by-step direction will leave a good impression.

2. Cooperation

While you may be exceptional at delivering tasks on time and are pretty much capable of accomplishing them on your own, you still have to keep in mind that some work requires collaboration with other people. You need to display a pleasant working relationship towards your supervisor, fellow child care workers, and to the parents of the children that are under your care. Let yourself appreciate the beauty of working with other people because they might have very good ideas too that can improve the outcome of a task.

3. Independence

Now, you may think that this is the opposite of being cooperative but independence actually refers to you being able to work requiring minimal or no supervision. This means that your boss trusts your ability to complete a task, know that you are responsible and that you have the capability to deliver work on time to their standard.

4. Stress Tolerance

Stress will come in many forms within your job as a child care worker – children who need help with their behaviour, co-workers whom you might have some petty disagreements with, a supervisor who keeps handing over tasks here and there, demanding parents, deadlines, and many more. But who says other professions are stress-free? Stress is part of our professional lives and so it is highly advised to maintain a good tolerance towards it. If you are someone who is patient and can work well under pressure, then you are on the correct career path.

5. Leadership

Some employees think that leadership can only be exhibited when you become a supervisor or a manager. That is not true. Leadership can be shown by doing your job consistently well, consequently making a good example to your co-workers. You are always looking for ways on how to improve yourself at work and if you are successful in achieving that then, others will follow.

6. Integrity

Employers value people who have integrity – these are those who are honest, respectful of the rules and policies of the company, and those who will do what is right even though no one is monitoring them.

7. Responsible

If you are able to show that you are committed to the job requirements and to caring for little children, then you have a high chance of getting hired as a child care worker. The industry needs people who value their work. It should not just be about the salary or the perks of becoming a child care worker but more about your overwhelming want to fulfil your duty and to play a vital part in the lives of many children and their families.

8. Adaptability

You know what the old saying says, “The only constant thing in this world is change”. You will experience changes every now and then and they will impact you differently each time. While some are positive, some may be negative and disheartening too. As a professional, you should be ready to accept these changes, adapt to the consequences that they bring, and be able to carry on as an efficient child care worker. Your capacity to adapt is a sign of maturity and that is something that employer’s value very much.

9. Dependability

Are you someone whom others go to for help and advice? Do people trust you with a project or with a task? Are others comfortable in discussing an issue with you? This characterisation is called dependability and for those who are looking to be child care workers in the future, it is crucial to have this trait.

10. Flexibility

Ideally child care workers must be flexible or be able to adapt to the fast-changing workplace environment. For example, your boss suddenly assigns you to go door-to-door in your neighbourhood area to handout brochures to potential customers. While sales and marketing isn’t your forte, don’t be afraid to try it out for it will surely give you a new valuable learning experience and skill. People who are not afraid to go out of their comfort zone are recognised as suitable candidates for the job.

11. Persistence

Most employers will tell you many success stories about employees who are driven by their ambitions, who are hardworking, and have an optimistic outlook. They know that difficulties will always be part of their journey but despite that, they never give up and remain focused on their jobs. Never forget that persistence is key to personal development and success.

12. Creativity and Innovation

These two traits together go hand-in-hand to assist solve problems and make decisions that go beyond the norm. These traits also show that you are actively looking for ways to improve children’s development and learning while under your care. Employing different ways by which they can learn new things, discover their capabilities, and have fun while under your care promotes yourself as the suitable candidate for the job.

Feeling inspired? Think you have what it takes to be an child care professional now? Jumpstart your career by talking to one of our career consultants. Call us now at 1300 236 364 or send us a message using this form.