The Current Recruiting Situation in Swiss Childcare
The shortage of skilled professionals in childcare is no longer a temporary phenomenon. Demographic changes, a growing demand for childcare places, and comparatively high workloads combined with often limited salaries mean that many daycare centres struggle to fill open positions quickly. At the same time, applicants’ expectations are increasing: they are not only looking at salary, but also at the working environment, development opportunities, educational values, and work-life balance.
For childcare recruitment in Switzerland, this means that anyone who wants to attract qualified professionals must actively position themselves, increase visibility, and present themselves as an attractive employer. Simply publishing a job advertisement and waiting is no longer enough. Successful daycare centres understand recruitment as an ongoing process and invest strategically in their employer attractiveness. The following seven strategies show how to achieve this.
Strategy 1: Build Employer Branding Strategically
Before publishing a job vacancy, ask yourself: Why should a childcare professional choose to work with us?
Employer branding means making your daycare centre visible as an attractive employer. Define what makes you special – for example, a supportive team, a clear educational concept, training opportunities, fair working conditions, or outstanding facilities.
Communicate these strengths consistently: on your website, social media channels, and in every job advertisement. Authentic insights into daily life, employee testimonials, and real company values are much more effective than generic marketing phrases. A strong employer brand ensures that qualified professionals approach you proactively.
Strategy 2: Write Meaningful Job Advertisements
A good job advertisement is much more than a list of requirements. Put the candidate at the centre and answer the key question: What do you offer?
Clearly describe what the daily work looks like, which age group the candidate will support, how large the team is, and what development opportunities are available.
Avoid generic phrases and use a warm, direct tone. Mention the workload percentage, salary range if possible, and specific benefits. A clear, honest, and welcoming job advertisement increases the number of qualified applications while also filtering out unsuitable candidates.
Strategy 3: Use Social Media Recruiting
Many childcare professionals are active on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Use these channels to showcase your daycare environment and share open positions. Authentic photos, short videos from daily activities, and posts about special projects make your organisation more visible, relatable, and attractive.
Social media recruiting also reaches people who are not actively looking for a job but would consider the right opportunity – so-called passive candidates. Consistency is essential: an active presence throughout the year is much more effective than a single recruitment post.
Strategy 4: Employee Referral Programs
Your own employees are your strongest ambassadors. Team members who are satisfied with their workplace are more likely to recommend it to others – and referrals often lead to highly suitable and loyal new employees.
Create a simple employee referral program where team members receive recognition for successful recommendations, such as a bonus or an additional day off.
Childcare professionals often know other qualified specialists from their training, previous workplaces, or professional networks. These personal recommendations are credible, cost-effective, and an often underestimated recruitment channel.
Strategy 5: Use Specialised Job Platforms
General job portals reach a broad audience – but they rarely target the right professionals. In childcare recruitment, it is important to advertise where the right candidates are actively searching.
Specialised platforms for childcare job vacancies bring together exactly the professionals you need and significantly reduce wasted reach.
A job advertisement on an industry-specific platform does not disappear among thousands of other listings. Instead, it reaches childcare specialists, group leaders, daycare managers, and professionals looking for childcare jobs.
This increases the quality of applications and shortens the time needed to fill vacancies. This is exactly where Kinderkrippe.ch comes in – more on this below.
Strategy 6: Fast and Appreciative Application Processes
In a competitive recruitment market, speed often makes the difference. Good professionals are quickly hired – those who wait weeks for a response may lose candidates to competitors.
Therefore, create a simple and transparent application process: fast response times, an uncomplicated application form, and clear communication about the next steps.
Every interaction with applicants is part of your employer branding. Even rejections should be handled respectfully and quickly. A positive candidate experience creates a good reputation – and applicants who are not the right fit today may apply again in the future or recommend your organisation to others.
Strategy 7: Train Future Talent and Retain Employees
Recruitment does not end with signing a contract. Organisations that want to secure enough skilled professionals in the long term must develop their own talent and invest in retaining their existing teams.
Supporting apprentices on their path to becoming qualified childcare professionals ensures future talent and strengthens your position as an attractive training organisation.
Employee retention is equally important. The best recruitment strategy is ineffective if good employees leave. Fair working conditions, appreciation, participation, and career development opportunities encourage professionals to stay and sustainably reduce recruitment efforts.
Why Kinderkrippe.ch Is an Effective Channel for Your Childcare Recruitment
If you want to find qualified childcare professionals, you need a channel that reaches exactly your target audience.
Kinderkrippe.ch specialises in Swiss childcare recruitment and connects daycare centres directly with qualified professionals. Instead of disappearing among thousands of listings on large job portals, your vacancy appears where childcare specialists, group leaders, daycare managers, and career changers with an educational background actively search for childcare jobs in Switzerland.
This allows you to benefit from higher relevance, less wasted reach, and better-quality applications.
As a specialised platform, Kinderkrippe.ch supports your recruitment strategy exactly where it matters most: reaching the right candidates. This turns an open position into a successfully filled role faster.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is recruiting in Swiss childcare so difficult?
The ongoing shortage of skilled professionals, high demand for childcare places, and increasing expectations from applicants make filling vacancies challenging. Daycare centres need to be active, visible, and attractive in order to attract qualified professionals.
How do I write a good childcare job advertisement?
Put candidates at the centre, describe the daily work clearly, mention workload and benefits, and avoid generic phrases. An honest and welcoming job advertisement attracts more qualified applicants.
Are specialised job platforms worthwhile compared to general portals?
Yes. Specialised platforms such as Kinderkrippe.ch specifically reach childcare professionals, reduce wasted reach, and deliver higher-quality applications compared to broad job portals.
How can I retain childcare professionals long-term?
Fair working conditions, appreciation, participation, and clear development opportunities are essential. Training apprentices internally also helps secure qualified future employees and reduces recruitment efforts over time.
Reach the Right Professionals Now – With Kinderkrippe.ch
Do you want to fill your open positions with qualified childcare professionals without getting lost among thousands of general job listings?
Then choose the direct path to your target audience.
On Kinderkrippe.ch, the leading recruitment platform for Swiss childcare, you reach exactly the professionals who can help your daycare centre grow.
Publish your job vacancies on Kinderkrippe.ch today and attract the best childcare professionals for your organisation.
