Transforming Early Years Education Recruitment through Strategic Partnership
3 Minutes Read22.5%
increase in hires
384%
increase in head start hires
65%
reduction in vacant roles
75%
reduction in time to fill
59%
reduction in cost per hire
It's always been easy, which is just so appreciated. You helped us burn it down and build it back up. Our candidates have had their hands held through the whole process in a really productive and supportive way.
We don't need to supervise. We just check in - and the work is done. That's the kind of partnership you hope for. You're available, you're flexible, and we're building partnerships that act like pipelines.
ABCD is a respected early years education provider based in California, dedicated to delivering high-quality educational experiences for young learners. When we began working with them, they were grappling with major recruitment challenges - outdated systems, stretched HR teams, and ongoing talent shortages for qualified early years educators. Since partnering with Instant Impact, they've completely transformed their recruitment approach, achieving remarkable results in just six months that typically take a full year.
The
Challenge
Managing recruitment for qualified early years educators presented unique and complex challenges. With HR teams stretched thin and outdated systems, the organisation struggled to attract and hire the specialised talent they needed.
The goals were clear:
- Modernise outdated and fragmented recruitment processes
- Reduce the burden on internal HR teams
- Build confidence among hiring managers
- Address ongoing talent shortages in early years education
- Improve candidate experience and conversion rates
- Create sustainable talent pipelines to reduce reactive hiring
The
Solution
We partnered with ABCD to build a comprehensive recruitment transformation centered around embedded expertise:
- Dedicated Embedded Partner: We embedded a recruitment specialist who became an integral part of their internal team, handling all hiring efforts with minimal oversight and allowing HR to focus on strategic initiatives.
- Technology Integration: We implemented Pinpoint across the organisation, providing managers with visibility, structure, and a single source of truth for all recruitment activities.
- Enhanced Candidate Experience: Through prompt, personalized engagement, we dramatically improved conversion rates and created a supportive journey for all candidates.
- Strategic Talent Pipelines: We established new partnerships with job boards and educational institutions, creating ongoing teacher pipelines that reduced reliance on reactive hiring approaches.
This embedded approach enabled the organisation to move from chaotic, outdated processes to a confident, proactive hiring strategy tailored specifically for the education sector.
The
Results
Our partnership delivered exceptional outcomes in just six months, achieving results that typically take a full year. We helped reduce vacant roles by 65% while achieving a 75% reduction in time-to-fill and a 59% reduction in cost per hire. The 22.5% increase in overall hires, combined with a remarkable 384% increase in head start hires, demonstrated the effectiveness of our targeted approach.
Most importantly, we transformed their recruitment function from a burdensome process requiring constant oversight into a streamlined, efficient operation. As Rachel noted: "We don't need to supervise. We just check in - and the work is done. That's the kind of partnership you hope for." The improved candidate experience, modernised technology platform, and sustainable talent pipelines have created a foundation for continued success in attracting top educational talent.
