The Director's Planner: Week of February 3rd, 2025
On hiring, creating an amazing job posting, and finding your hidden benefits
Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the MnAEYC conference in Minnesota. I had such a great time and walked away with some amazing insights and connections. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be sharing key takeaways and resources that can help make your life as a director easier.
A huge shoutout to 80x3 for supporting my attendance at the Winter Leadership Institute on Thursday! If you’re not familiar, they’re on a mission to build a community of trauma-sensitive adults committed to creating resilient, healthy futures for all children. I’m linking directly to their resource page so you can dive in —I highly recommend checking it out.
For my new subscribers—welcome! Each month, we tackle a theme designed to help you become a stronger ECE leader and actually get sh*t done. This month? Hiring & Recruiting, along with our continued focus on foundational leadership skills.
Below, you’ll find our February goal. Each week, we focus on one step that brings us closer to hitting it. And whether you're hiring now or not, we both know the time will come. By working through these weekly focuses, you’ll be ready to hire quickly and confidently when it does. Let’s go!
1 Monthly Challenge
Hire ______ new team members by February 28th.
Our focus this week? Making sure your job postings actually attract the right candidates. If you’re just copying and pasting your job description onto the Indeed website, it’s time to switch things up. A job description is a detailed internal document used for clarity and compliance—a job posting is a marketing tool. It should sell the role, highlight why someone would want to work at your center, and make applying easy.
Take a fresh look at how you’re presenting your open positions this week. If you’re not getting the applicants you want, your posting might be the problem.
💡 Pro Tip: Everyone can read my newest post 5 Common Mistakes in Childcare Job Postings (and how to fix them) and Insiders can access my Childcare Job Posting Plug-And-Play Template. You will walk away with a fantastic posting outline in no time at all!
2 Thoughts to Consider
I. The best leaders don’t just find great people—they create them.
Real leadership isn’t just about finding the right people—it’s about developing them. I’ve always believed I’d rather hire someone with a great attitude and no experience than the other way around. Skills can be taught—mindset and work ethic? Not so much. So, the next time you’re reviewing applications, ask yourself: Are you passing on someone over a typo or lack of experience? What would happen if you gave them a chance?
II. “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
New hires decide in their first 90 days whether they’ll stick around. Once you make the offer, how do you keep them engaged until they start? Do you send a handwritten letter or add them to your newsletter? Pay attention to how they feel during the onboarding process. Are they welcomed, supported, and set up for success? Or are they left to figure things out on their own? Hiring new employees is much more expensive than retaining your current team, so be sure you are investing your your time where it matters most.
3 Action Items
I. Send the February Newsletter
Your newsletter should be all prepared, so be sure to send it out this week! A quick reminder: consistency is key. If you don’t have a set schedule yet, decide when your newsletter will go out each month. First Monday? A specific date? Pick something and stick to it. Your families (and your future self) will thank you.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: Don’t forget that the February Resource Toolkit is LIVE and packed with pre-written newsletter content, parent resources, and even printable Valentine’s cards for your staff. Go grab it before you reinvent the wheel.
II. Prepare Valentine’s cards/gifts for your team
Showing appreciation for your staff is important, and luckily, Hallmark put an official date on it. Valentine’s Day is next Friday, so get ahead of it this week. A handwritten note, a little self-care gift, or even just a fancy chocolate bar in their room—small gestures go a long way and remind your staff that you care about them just as much as they care about the children in their classrooms.
III. Review your employee benefits
As we refine job postings this month, let’s talk benefits—because you’re probably offering more than you realize. Most job listings mention PTO and healthcare (which, yes, are important), but what about the perks that actually set you apart? Predictable schedules? Paid training? Discounted childcare? A dress code that includes jeans?
Ask your current employees what they love most about working at your center. Their answers might surprise you—and might be exactly what helps you attract (and keep) your next great hire.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: Need help figuring out which benefits to highlight? Check out Employee Benefits You May Already Offer- But Aren’t Listing (And Why You Should Be) to get those creative juices flowing!
And that’s it for this week. It’s as easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3!
And as always, I’m so grateful when my amazing subscribers refer a friend. Don’t forget—you can earn a free Insiders membership with every referral milestone! Just use the link below to share and spread the word!
