Some Great Tips To Interview Nannies

It is easy to get a nanny, but a very difficult task to get the right nanny who comes up to your expectations. The search for a nanny is an exciting adventure, with a few important steps contributing to the effective selection of a nanny.

Some great nanny interviewing tips:

 
1) Write out a job description prior to interviewing process: Spending some time laying down specific terms would help make for effective interviewing and selection of a nanny. You have to put down clearly on paper if you want her full time or part time and the specified timings. You also need to specify if she is responsible for household chores, her workdays and hours and also expected duties and rules of the house. 

2) Interview the first 10 candidates on phone: A short telephonic interview of 5 minutes each would help you know about the desirability of each candidate for your family and the chores you want to assign to her. You could then get the feel of her style and experience before the in-person interview.  

3) Make a choice of about 5 potentials, who you want to personally interview: This choice should be based on the telephonic interview as well as intuition; this would help you’re your time and that of the potential hire. Some may not sound good on phone, but you may want to view them personally before rejecting them.

4) Connect with the potential hires in a public place as a coffee shop: Both parents should be present at the interview; this would enable those concerned with childcare to know exactly what the nanny says, how she is dressed and how she connects to the resume. Lasting for less than thirty minutes, it is an opportunity to ask questions both general and specific and know the person you are entrusting your child/children to. You could enumerate the basics as well as find out if your potential hire can handle certain situations and also your chance to ask for references.    

5) Interview references and do background checks: Interviewing references are a great chance to not only get a deep sense of the nanny’s parenting skills, but also one to gauge her work skills and habits such as communication style and chronic tardiness. It would also help to do a background check through a consumer reporting agency and also check the traffic records if the nanny has to do some driving as a part of her job.

6) Perform the interview at home: Once you are convinced that a few potentials have come up to your standard and expectation, it is time to conduct an in-home interview. Providing another chance to analyze the candidate and make sure that she is responsible, caring, organized and loves what she does, ensure that the communication flows freely between you and her. It is also appropriate now to bring in your child to the room to find out how she interacts with him/her and gauge the nanny’s comfort level.  

7) Trust your gut and make the right choice: Have complete confidence in your choice; what suits another family may not be the right choice for you. Give yourself a day or two to make the right choice; ensure there are no loose ends and everything like salary, benefits, vacation time and other job responsibilities are clear.

The most important decision of hiring a nanny can become an important asset when done with care and supply you with confidence and peace of mind.  

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