Hiring Gen-Y Needs a Paradigm Shift in Employer’s Mentality - Adelene

As one of our Senior Center Managers, Adelene is notable for her endurance and capacity to groom and build leaders for R.E.A.L Kids. Under her leadership, she has transformed a few passionate teachers into leaders who not only work their parts but look their part. In case if you question the need for this coaching, think about your impression as a parent when you last walked into a preschool. How did you feel about the teachers? What made you feel that they were professional or competent? Was it solely their command of language, or the way they carry themselves and also the way they dressed up befittingly?

Often times, employers or Hiring Managers would resort to hiring experienced professionals from outside the company to take up crucial roles during pressing times. It would seem so much easier to hire externally than to groom internally. However, this is not Adelene’s practice. Under her leadership, she has successfully brought up 4 principals inhouse from teacher to principals, namely Lorraine, Esther Chien, Chris Wong and Elizabeth Tan. A pretty amazing feat worth applause.

We’ve got the opportunity to work with Adelene on her center’s recruitment. This gave us a glimpse of how she hired teachers through roadshows and Open Days.

“Hiring gen-Y’s is very different from our time. If they could stay for two years, it’s already something. I’ve got a good teacher who worked two years for me and left to try marketing. She returned after a year and has been very happy working for us for more than another two years now. It’s just the way they are. My two daughters are gen-Y’s and they did the same. These people are ambitious and are always on the move. The only way they could progress or command for more is to change jobs. They would explore a few years in a company, a different area in another and then moved on to a completely different trade after. Jack of all trades. It is different from us, we were contented. But once their priorities changed, from career to family, that’s when they will come back to us.” - Adelene shared casually wheeling her chair fondly next to our cubicle.

Of course, her point of view might not be appropriate for your type of recruitment. To hire somebody with her family as her top priority might not be the best option for FMCG or Tech Industries but when it comes to hiring teachers for preschools, this might just click. Then again, this might not apply to all positions across the industry. Perhaps you might need a more career-minded marketing and sales professional for your school’s aggressive 3-year expansion plan.

That being said, we were really happy to hear that Adelene as one of our Hiring Managers, is able to accept that we are working with a new age workforce that could be a little bit too ambitious for us to cope with but still open-heartedly mentor them for long term. Yes, we might end up grooming a really talented staff for our competitors. But isn’t that what all great teachers do? We are not afraid of imparting skills, knowledge and wisdom to the young ones regardless of whom they serve ultimately. May the best employer win the battle for talents. Bon voyage~