Paeng, Head of Recruitment at Kido UK
From Recruiter to Leader: Paeng's Journey at Kido. With experience in multiple roles over the past few years, Paeng's recent promotion to Head of Recruitment reflects her dedication and understanding of recruiting for Kido. Learn from her perspective about Kido's culture and growth.
What’s been your career path with Kido so far?
I started as a Parent Relationship Manager in Dec 2018, as part of the new team launching our Kido Windsor Nursery. I loved that role so much! My responsibility was to help increase sales in parent enrollments but also be the first point of contact for the parents within the setting. I love being around people and it was a great experience, building strong relationships with the families and the team. I did that for a year and I actually left for 6 months to join my partner's family business of chiropractors. I then very quickly came back as I realised early years was where my true passions lie.. I like to pretend I never left at all!!
I rejoined Kido in June 2020 as their Parent Relationship Manager again for another year and by this time the company had grown, needing another Recruiter to join the hub team. At that time I think I was ready for that challenge, having been a PRM for 2 years, I wanted to broaden my skill set, so I put myself forward for this role in July 2020, and have been part of the team ever since. It has been a completely different experience to being a Parent Relationship Manager, and I love it!
I grew not only professionally but also personally, SO much growth has happened during that time, and I look back now and I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to get where I am now. After about 2 years I then was able to be promoted to Recruitment Manager and recently Head of Recruitment which includes overseeing our recruitment marketing and compliance too.
As a company we are growing at a wonderful pace, always evolving and I’m excited to see what the future holds for me and for Kido!
What training have you completed in your early years career so far? What other training or qualifications would you like to do?
I have a Level 3 Early Years qualification which I completed as an apprentice. This is where my love of early years stemmed from. I have also completed Paediatric First Aid, Safer Recruitment and many mandatory training and optional training related to our roles. I would love to continue furthering my knowledge and development.
We have a fantastic inhouse people training team for our nurseries, along with so much support from our teams in the Hub to bounce any ideas and help build up my knowledge.
What does a typical workday look like for you from the beginning to the end?
A typical day to me requires a high level of organisation. It's usually back to back calls with candidates or managers, or scheduling/sitting within calls and interviews. Regular communication with my team and across different departments, ensuring they are ok and being available if they require any support from me. It really is quite a fast paced role, and within this industry you have to be prepared for that, which I personally thrive on.
Before you started in early years, what did you think it would be like? How is it different from what you expected?
To be honest I feel like most of my career has been early years, however I think if you haven't been in early years, I can imagine people’s perception to actual reality is completely different. Being in this industry we know it is so much more than you could ever anticipate, we all have a duty of care for the children within Kido, a huge level of responsibility and trust goes into our roles.
Having been on both sides, in the rooms and recruiting for the teams, I know how important it is to ensure we find the right people for our nurseries, people that hold the same values and principles as us, and can bring a positive impact to the nurseries.
Who or what inspired you to choose to work in early years?
I actually worked in early years as a Room Leader in a previous setting for 4 years, and my love for working with children has always been there. Now within this role it is really important for me to ensure we are hiring the best and right people for our nurseries and teams. I love to see the same spark in their eyes that I had when I was in the nurseries with the children, and that’s what makes this job so rewarding.
What's been your biggest achievement since working for Kido?
When I look back, I am super proud of what I have achieved over the last 4.5 years. I worked really hard during a time that was challenging in my personal life and I was able to channel my energy into this role. Of course naturally transitioning into a new role, there were many ups and downs. I remember my first 6 months was an emotional rollercoaster, but I have such a fantastic support network, with the guidance and support from my partner and my team, it has really made such a difference in my journey and experience. I am still learning so much and I really look forward to continuing my growth here at Kido.
What challenges have you faced in your job and how do you overcome them?
For me when I moved over to the recruitment team, as it was a mainly remote role, and I am such a people person, I missed the nursery interaction which I got as Parent Relationship Manager. I struggled at first with this, but as this role is always talking with people I soon adjusted and we still visit the nurseries regularly and meet with the recruitment team in person weekly.
Another challenge I would say would be the transition in roles, from PRM up until now, It comes with a lot of responsibilities and relationship changes. I overcame this by trying to always remember I am learning myself and I want to be able to support the team to achieve their goals and equally have their support too!
I think for me having that balance is important, being open, showing empathy and compassion whilst also putting in boundaries and achievable goals that my team can achieve so we can all be successful. I think there also has to be a level of respect and understanding, ensuring that I open myself up to be a sounding board for my teams, and always bounce ideas off with one another. I always want to be able to see if we can improve or make our roles easier!
What support have you received from your line manager and team?
So much! Transitioning into the recruitment team has been a whirlwind and I have learnt and will continually learn so much. Being able to ask questions, have someone as a sounding board and really inspire my journey has been amazing! I have a really fab team, and I am grateful for their hard work and support every day!
What's one piece of advice would you give to someone who is just starting out with us?
Get stuck in, be open-minded, willing to learn and work hard!
Describe working at Kido in one word...
Rewarding