Ask An ECE

I have recently gone through the process of hiring an ECE for my centre. Hiring new staff is never an easy process. In a small centre, hiring a new ECE is especially difficult. Not only do you need to find someone qualified, that is capable of dealing with the children, they have to fit in with a small group of other staff.

In Ontario, there's an additional requirement that ECE's complete a two-year College Diploma. There's also assistants that can work in a room with a qualified staff, that do not require a diploma. Here are the interview questions that I asked applicants during their interview.

1. Please tell us about yourself, focusing on your child care experience
2. What three qualities do you feel you would bring to this position?
3. What attributes do you admire most about a co-worker?
4. What is most important in working in a team?
5. Can you tell us of a situation from past experience when you were able to resolve a conflict between yourself and a staff member?
6. Being an ECE you have a lot of responsibilities. How do you handle stressful situations?
7. The supervisor has left for the day and a parent or yourself has a question? How would you handle this situation?
8. What were the biggest pressures on your last job and how did you handle them?
9. How would you manage your time while completing the duties of the room as well as being a teacher. Ex: Getting beds out, setting up the tables for lunch and at the same time keeping your eye on the classroom.
10. Give me an example of what you feel was one of your most successful program activities?
11. Describe the most successful guidance technique you have used.
12. Tell me about a time you have had to convey a message to a parent about a negative behaviour of a child, how did you handle it and what was the outcome?
13. Tell me about a time you exceeded a job expectation and how you felt about it?
14. If you were offered this job when will you be able to start?
15. Are you flexible to stay after your shift in case of staff shortages?
16. Do you have reliable transportation?
17. Are you available to help with extra curricular activities?

Hopefully, this will help any of you in the same situation find the perfect staff for your centre (I know I did).

What else do you like to ask in interviews?