So you’ve applied for your dream job in childcare, and your application is being taken to the next level. Congratulations! But just how do you wow your potential employers at interview, and demonstrate exactly why you’re the best person for the job? The key is to be prepared: do plenty of research into the nursery, practise with a friend or family member, and be ready for the childcare interview questions that are likely to crop up.
Highlight your key skills
Many childcare interview questions are designed to help you highlight how your work experience and skills are suited to the role you are interviewing for. While your CV will already show that you have the qualifications required, the interview can help you to demonstrate your abilities in more depth. Typical questions might include:
- Can you tell us about your experience of working with children?
- What makes you a good fit for this role?
- Which age group do you / might you enjoy working with best, and why?
- How would you welcome a new toddler to the nursery and help them to settle in?
- How would you handle a complaint from a parent?
- What would you do to ensure that a play environment is safe for young children?
- What would you do if you had safeguarding concerns about a child in your care?
- Describe a time when you worked effectively as part of a team.
There’s usually a mixture of direct, straightforward questions about your previous experience, and situational questions, where you need to demonstrate your capability by outlining how you would respond in a typical challenging situation.
It’s best to look at both of these types of questions as an opportunity. By giving full and detailed responses (with real-life examples if you have them), you have the perfect chance to demonstrate to the panel how your childcare experience to date has prepared you for the role you are interviewing for. Childcare interview questions and answers really are a back-and-forth exchange where both sides get something out of the process: you get to showcase your skills and experience, and the interview panel get to find out more about you.
If you already have some childcare experience under your belt, it’s likely that you can draw on your own experience for the situational questions: even if they haven’t come up for you personally, you can probably put yourself in those circumstances and think about how you would act. If you haven’t worked in childcare before, it’s a good idea to prepare for these questions by doing some research about what the role will involve – talk to someone who does a similar job if you can, or read up online.
Demonstrate your personal strengths
Although qualifications and experience are important in childcare roles, you can often learn the skills you need on the job. But the personal attributes of a good childcare worker – the traits and strengths you have naturally as a person – are less easy to come by. Your interviewers will be keen to find out about your:
- interpersonal and communication skills
- ability to take the initiative when needed
- creativity and imagination
- flexibility and adaptability
- sensitivity to the needs of babies, toddlers and preschoolers
- organisational abilities and sense of responsibility
- ability to work in a team
Here are some childcare interview questions that are designed to get to know your personal strengths and how they match the role you are applying for:
- What is it that you enjoy about working with children?
- Is there anything you dislike?
- What is your greatest strength?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- How would your friends describe you?
- Tell me about a difficult situation you have encountered. What did you do to resolve it?
- Do you like to plan every minute of your day, or do you prefer an unstructured approach?
- What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
Although there are some definite no-nos, these questions don’t really have fixed right or wrong answers. For example, it’s perfectly possible to be a wonderful early years worker who loves their job and still dislike clearing up after a messy play session (as long as you’re prepared to muck in and do what’s needed). The interviewers will be interested to find out about your own personal approach to childcare and discover more about how you think.
“Any questions?” Useful things to ask the panel
Childcare interview questions work both ways: towards the end of your interview you’ll usually get the opportunity to ask some questions of your own. The questions you ask will give you a better idea of the setting you would be working in, and whether the role is a good fit for you. For example, if you’re keen on getting some specific training, you might want to know if this will be possible.
When you’re preparing childcare interview questions to ask the panel, make sure that everything you ask demonstrates your keenness and suitability for the role. Here are some ideas:
- Can you describe a typical day doing this job?
- What is your favourite thing about working here?
- What makes this particular nursery different from other settings?
- What opportunities are there for training and career development in this role?
- What are the next stages in the recruitment process?
What if my mind goes blank, or I don’t know the answer?
The better prepared you are, the less likely you are to draw a blank in the interview. However, it happens to the best of us! If you get stumped by one of your childcare interview questions, the main thing is not to panic. Give yourself a moment to breathe, and ask the interviewer to repeat the question.
If you still don’t know how to respond, let the panel know what you are thinking. For example, perhaps they have asked you what the procedure should be if a child falls ill. You might not know every single action that should be taken, but you could voice your thoughts as they come:
- Perhaps it depends on the nature of the illness or how ill they are
- Do they need first aid?
- Do they need comforting?
- Do the parents need to be notified?
- Is there an incident book to record the details?
- Are they contagious and should they stay away from nursery until they’re better?
Answering in this way will show that you can make educated, common sense decisions based on your experience and knowledge. Even if you don’t tick absolutely all the right boxes, you’ll show the interviewers how you think in unpredictable situations. You’ll also demonstrate how you can react calmly in a crisis!
Ready to take the next step in your career? Apply for a childcare position at All About Children
If you’re all fired up to impress the interviewers at your next job interview, now’s the perfect time to apply for a childcare role at All About Children. Working in our nurseries, you’ll play an essential part in the development of the young children in your care. On top of that, you’ll join a friendly and supportive team with plenty of opportunities for training, career development, flexibility and fun.