Showcase your organisation
Help potential job applicants understand what makes your organisation a positive and rewarding place to work.
Consider including:
- Brief description of your setting
- Ages or needs of the children you care for
- Size and structure of your team
- Organisation values and approach to early education and childcare
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
- Your organisation’s culture and working environment
- Anything distinctive about your setting or the role
- Links to your website or social media pages where applicants can find further information
Photographs or a short video can help bring your organisation to life. You could also feature employees talking about why they value working for your organisation.
Make sure you have appropriate consent before using photographs, videos or personal information.
Promote the benefits
Clearly describe the benefits of working for your organisation. Depending on what is available, these may include:
- Flexible working arrangements
- Pension scheme
- Paid annual leave
- Additional leave - for example a birthday day off
- Discounted or subsidised childcare
- Free or subsidised meals
- Free uniform
- Employee recognition or reward schemes
- Funded training and professional development days
- Support to gain further qualifications
- Opportunities for career progression
- Employee wellbeing support
Only include benefits that are genuinely available with the post.
Give candidates a reason to apply
Show potential applicants why they should choose your organisation. Be specific about what is different or special about working for you and what support the successful candidate can expect.
This could include:
- A welcoming and experienced team
- A supportive induction programme
- Regular supervision and development opportunities
- Access to funded training
- Opportunities to gain further qualifications
- Clear routes for career progression
- A strong focus on employee wellbeing
- Opportunities to contribute ideas and help shape practice
Avoid general statements such as “we are a great place to work” unless you explain what makes your organisation a positive and supportive workplace.
Using inclusive language
Carefully consider the words and phrases used in your advertisement. You do not want to discourage people who have the skills you need but feel the opportunity is not intended for them.
Check that the advert:
- Uses clear, welcoming and inclusive language
- Focuses on the skills and experience genuinely required for the role
- Avoids unnecessary qualifications or requirements
- Is free from stereotypes, assumptions and potentially discriminatory wording
- Avoids unnecessary jargon or overly complex language
- Explains whether flexible-working requests will be considered
- Provides information about reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
- Encourages applications from underrepresented groups
Some words may be perceived as gender-coded and could unintentionally suggest that a role is more suited to one gender. This may discourage suitable candidates from applying and reduce the diversity of your applicant pool.
Consider which groups are underrepresented in your organisation and how your recruitment activity could reach and welcome them. For example, men continue to be underrepresented in many early years and childcare roles.