How to hire childcare workers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities. • Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues. • Dress children and change diapers. • Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered. • Maintain a safe play environment. • Observe and monitor children's play activities. • Sanitize toys and play equipment. • Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, learning strategies and active learning skills • Working knowledge of English Language and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $16.82 an hour ($34,980 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for childcare workers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to dress children and change diapers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What childcare workers do
- Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities.
- Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
- Dress children and change diapers.
- Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered.
- Maintain a safe play environment.
- Observe and monitor children's play activities.
- Sanitize toys and play equipment.
- Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for childcare workers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -2% over ten years, declining · about 150,300 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay childcare workers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $47,340 |
| Washington | $41,680 |
| Massachusetts | $40,900 |
| Colorado | $40,750 |
| California | $40,020 |
| Louisiana | $22,900 |
| Alabama | $22,720 |
| Mississippi | $22,050 |
See childcare workers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
- Health Education Specialists
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Recreation Workers
- Residential Advisors
- Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.