Recruiting customer service professionals families can trust

A targeted recruitment campaign helped Goodstart Early Learning attract and onboard 14 customer service professionals in two weeks while maintaining a strong focus on empathy, quality and candidate suitability. 

Finding the right people when demand increased 

For Goodstart Early Learning, customer service involves more than responding to enquiries. Frontline employees support families as they make decisions about their children’s early learning and care. Parents may be looking for information, reassurance and guidance as they consider their options. 

As customer demand increased, Goodstart needed to recruit and begin onboarding 14 customer service professionals within two weeks. 

The timeframe was tight, but speed was only one requirement. 

Successful candidates needed to communicate clearly, listen carefully and adapt their approach to different families. Empathy, emotional intelligence, maturity and resilience were also important. 

The recruitment process needed to meet compliance requirements, including police checks, Working with Children credentials and vaccination requirements. 

Having supported Goodstart with similar workforce requirements for several years, Davidson Executive & Talent was engaged to deliver the campaign. 

Recruiting for the conversation, not just the role 

Davidson worked with Goodstart to develop a clear profile of the capabilities and behaviours required. 

The focus extended beyond previous customer service experience. 

Candidates needed strong listening and problem-solving skills. They also needed the maturity to respond appropriately to different circumstances and the confidence to adapt conversations to individual needs. 

Davidson expected the campaign would require approximately 80 applicants, with 30 to 40 candidates progressing through assessment activities to achieve the required hiring outcome. 

Multiple sourcing channels were used, combining established networks, market knowledge and targeted recruitment activity. 



Candidates then completed a structured assessment process examining how their behaviours, strengths and communication style aligned with the role. 

This created a consistent basis for evaluating candidates while keeping the qualities required for family-facing conversations central to selection decisions. 

14 hires within the required two weeks 

All 14 successful candidates were recruited and commenced onboarding within Goodstart’s required two-week timeframe. 

This gave Goodstart the additional frontline capability it needed as customer demand increased. 

The outcome also built on an established recruitment model rather than a one-off hiring campaign. 

This was the third consecutive year Davidson had supported Goodstart with similar workforce requirements. 

That repeat engagement meant the recruitment team already understood Goodstart’s purpose, employee value proposition and customer environment when the new requirement emerged. 

The relationship itself also provides evidence of Goodstart’s experience with the recruitment support.