Career Blog
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I started working with children during my last year of high school as a way to make some extra pocket money, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I held a variety of positions over the last three years, including in an after-school program, teaching dance and drama classes, as well as working at summer camps in July and August.
I’ve always been pretty hesitant to put “dance teacher” on my resume, because, well, what does it have to do with getting a job in business? But I realized that it is indeed by working with kids during the last few years that I’ve gained a variety of transferable skills that are actually crucial on the job market. Here are three of the many valuable skills that you may have learned while working with children, and why you should highlight them on your resumé.
1. Leadership
When working with a large group of kids in a camp or a dance class, you must be an excellent role model and supervise them through the day, whether from the lunchroom to the gym or in a complete dance routine. While you are definitely leading kids, you may also be leading staff members, especially the new employees that arrive every year, to whom you are showing the ropes of childcare.
2. Adaptability
Much like the business world, children can be unpredictable. You may have a minute-by-minute plan of all your activities, but you will learn very quickly that most kids don’t follow schedules very well (especially on an extremely hot day in July!) You have to adapt pretty quickly so that they don’t get bored and out of hand. You consistently need to change your game plan according to evolving circumstances.
3. Organization skills
Now the kids may not follow your schedule and set plans, but walking into a day with a plan A and a plan B in hand is very important, whether at a summer camp, in a dance class… or at the office! If you aren’t organized and don’t have a backup plan, the kids will take full advantage of it, and it will be complete chaos (I know this from experience, and it’s not fun!)
Although I’ve mainly honed these three skills while working in childcare, they have helped me professionally in many regards: when I had to lead a team through a project, to adapt my schedule, or to organize a meeting. The bottom line is: don’t discount any of your work experience just because it’s not a typical 9‑to‑5 office job. I guarantee you: all your non business-related jobs have taught you some very important skills that employers are looking for in their ideal candidates.
To receive further guidance on how to make the most of all your experience and how to showcase it best in your future work applications, book an appointment for a resumé critique through Career Launch.
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What does it mean to be a leader?
A ‘leader’ doesn’t just ‘lead’ the group. A ‘leader’, is not just someone who has followers that look up to them. A ‘leader’ isn’t just someone who knows how to delegate.
A leader is someone who strives to make other leaders. As a leader, your first goal is to empower your team members.
But how can this be done? Here are things I learned as a student in a leadership position.
Delegate, delegate, delegate
This doesn’t mean to simply boss people around. Delegation is how any organization moves forward, and is one of your key roles as a leader. However, it is important to find a balance between lack of involvement and micromanaging when you are delegating. Your team members need to learn for themselves and go through the same struggles you went through in order to grow both professionally and personally, but they need to be able to use you as a resource. It is important to find that balance between delegation and micromanaging. You want to give your employees their space to do their assignments how they want, but still be near in case they encounter challenges. This can be done by asking your employees what they need help doing, what they are finding easy or hard, how their tasks have been proceeding so far, etc. Then you can step in as you see appropriate.
Motivate your team
This is probably the most important takeaway. Motivating your team can be difficult, but isn’t impossible. Firstly, encourage your members. Remind them of the importance of their work, remind them that they are a crucial part of the organization. Second, celebrate their successes. Make them feel proud for what they have accomplished. Doing this will give them the confidence to aim even higher next time. Finally, show that you rely on them and trust that they will do the best job possible. By doing this, they won’t want to let you down and will put their highest efforts towards their tasks.
Be approachable and understanding
Your team members will make mistakes and it is important that they feel comfortable coming to you when encountering challenges. You can do this by speaking to them on the same level. Don’t let your ego of being given a leadership title get in the way of the success of the organization. A strongly divided hierarchy is intimidating and makes you look more unapproachable. Don’t be afraid to share your mistakes or admit when you are wrong. By doing this, your team members are less likely to hide their mistakes too. Finally, encourage a strong team dynamic; you want to be friends with your team. This can happen by planning team socials, celebratory dinners, and talking about things not work related- actually getting to know your team members will make you more approachable.
To conclude, leading a team cannot be taught in a short blog, it is something you learn overtime. Remember these three points, and you will be off to a great start. When in doubt, remember every leader, manager, or supervisor you ever worked under: what did they do to (de)motivate you?
