How to interview/vet a nanny

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:17:30 is right. No person with a modicum of financial sense would pay a nanny more than the market rate in DC. That rate is $15-18/hr for one child.

Crazy nanny who wants to make $25/hr is just that. Crazy.

Your market rate numbers are based on what source, other than your imagination?

[Anonymous]

I wholeheartedly agree that one must not ask for references prior to meeting a nanny in person.

I see on certain childcare websites like Care and Sittercity that they highly recommend nannies post their references on their profiles since this will increase their chances of getting jobs, but honestly it makes no sense for a family to contact a nanny's references before even speaking to her.

References should only be contacted after meeting a nanny in person and after a family is close to hiring her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wholeheartedly agree that one must not ask for references prior to meeting a nanny in person.

I see on certain childcare websites like Care and Sittercity that they highly recommend nannies post their references on their profiles since this will increase their chances of getting jobs, but honestly it makes no sense for a family to contact a nanny's references before even speaking to her.

References should only be contacted after meeting a nanny in person and after a family is close to hiring her.

Exactly. After all, how many hours do YOU plan to spend on the phone every a former nanny is interviewing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wholeheartedly agree that one must not ask for references prior to meeting a nanny in person.

I see on certain childcare websites like Care and Sittercity that they highly recommend nannies post their references on their profiles since this will increase their chances of getting jobs, but honestly it makes no sense for a family to contact a nanny's references before even speaking to her.

References should only be contacted after meeting a nanny in person and after a family is close to hiring her.

Exactly. After all, how many hours do YOU plan to spend on the phone every a former nanny is interviewing?

*every time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:17:30 is right. No person with a modicum of financial sense would pay a nanny more than the market rate in DC. That rate is $15-18/hr for one child.

Crazy nanny who wants to make $25/hr is just that. Crazy.

Your market rate numbers are based on what source, other than your imagination?

There is no verifiable source, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

You normally don't get to the interviewing stage until references have been checked. Why would an employee even consider you until they know you've checked out?

[Anonymous]

I wholeheartedly agree that one must not ask for references prior to meeting a nanny in person.

I see on certain childcare websites like Care and Sittercity that they highly recommend nannies post their references on their profiles since this will increase their chances of getting jobs, but honestly it makes no sense for a family to contact a nanny's references before even speaking to her.

References should only be contacted after meeting a nanny in person and after a family is close to hiring her.

What you believe or prefer doesn't matter and Care is correct. If a nanny posts their references and the employer can speak to those references before speaking with her, it does increase her chances of getting the job. You may not like it but it has an impact so its appropriate to inform nannies that its up to them to make this choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I wholeheartedly agree that one must not ask for references prior to meeting a nanny in person.

I see on certain childcare websites like Care and Sittercity that they highly recommend nannies post their references on their profiles since this will increase their chances of getting jobs, but honestly it makes no sense for a family to contact a nanny's references before even speaking to her.

References should only be contacted after meeting a nanny in person and after a family is close to hiring her.

What you believe or prefer doesn't matter and Care is correct. If a nanny posts their references and the employer can speak to those references before speaking with her, it does increase her chances of getting the job. You may not like it but it has an impact so its appropriate to inform nannies that its up to them to make this choice.

Who are you to bother former employers if the nanny doesn't even want your job? Your time may have little value, but you must learn to respect the time of other people.

[Anonymous]

I believe that the correct order is this:

Step one you learn a little bit about a nanny from a posting online or from a friend or an agency and contact her.

Step two you email or call the Nanny and tell her about your job. Your email should include all the basic job requirements such as exact hours (or the kind of flexibility required if you are unable to predict exact hours), job responsibilities (and any additional tasks which you would be willing to pay more for), number of children and age of children, other requirements such as first aid or CPR certification, general area where you are located, years of experience required, Transportation requirements (will nanny be able to get to your house via metro/bus or will she be required to have her own car, also who will be transporting your children and how and in whose vehicle), You should also tell her about your general salary range (E. G., $16-18 pre-tax, applicant must be paid on the books), And the benefits package such as specific days off, vacation time (and who chooses the days off) sick time and any other benefits that go with the job. You should also discuss your general parenting style and any goals for your children (We are a laid-back family who tries to practice attachment parenting wherever possible. We want someone who can support our organic food choices and who will help get Larla ready for preschool next fall).

If your initial contact email or phone discussion is thorough and covers all of these topics, then the nanny should have no problem giving you references at that point. The nannies who say they always wait until after the interview are used to families who say "We need a nanny for about 40 hours a week working Monday through Friday for two kids sometimes only one." If I hasn't nanny gave out my prior employer's contact information to everyone who had even a vague interest in hiring some sort of nanny, then those people would quickly tire of being my references. Instead I give out my references to people who have a position in which I am actually interested.

Once you have discussed basic details with nanny via phone or email and then spoken with her references, you can do in person interview or even a working interview. I will say that as a nanny I seem to do better when my initial interview is parent only. It can be a lot of pressure to try and answer questions and discuss with the parent while also engaging in a way with a potential charge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe that the correct order is this:

Step one you learn a little bit about a nanny from a posting online or from a friend or an agency and contact her.

Step two you email or call the Nanny and tell her about your job. Your email should include all the basic job requirements such as exact hours (or the kind of flexibility required if you are unable to predict exact hours), job responsibilities (and any additional tasks which you would be willing to pay more for), number of children and age of children, other requirements such as first aid or CPR certification, general area where you are located, years of experience required, Transportation requirements (will nanny be able to get to your house via metro/bus or will she be required to have her own car, also who will be transporting your children and how and in whose vehicle), You should also tell her about your general salary range (E. G., $16-18 pre-tax, applicant must be paid on the books), And the benefits package such as specific days off, vacation time (and who chooses the days off) sick time and any other benefits that go with the job. You should also discuss your general parenting style and any goals for your children (We are a laid-back family who tries to practice attachment parenting wherever possible. We want someone who can support our organic food choices and who will help get Larla ready for preschool next fall).

If your initial contact email or phone discussion is thorough and covers all of these topics, then the nanny should have no problem giving you references at that point. The nannies who say they always wait until after the interview are used to families who say "We need a nanny for about 40 hours a week working Monday through Friday for two kids sometimes only one." If I hasn't nanny gave out my prior employer's contact information to everyone who had even a vague interest in hiring some sort of nanny, then those people would quickly tire of being my references. Instead I give out my references to people who have a position in which I am actually interested.

Once you have discussed basic details with nanny via phone or email and then spoken with her references, you can do in person interview or even a working interview. I will say that as a nanny I seem to do better when my initial interview is parent only. It can be a lot of pressure to try and answer questions and discuss with the parent while also engaging in a way with a potential charge.

I agree with this order

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only if you are able to get a nanny you want, is 18. a "good" rate. Many top nannies earn 20-25 and more, for one child in the Washington area.

Nannies in Washington don't make close to $25/hr.. For the love of God, stop spreading your false lies and inflating rates. We all know nannies and the general rate and we no it does NOT come close to what you're suggesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:17:30 is right. No person with a modicum of financial sense would pay a nanny more than the market rate in DC. That rate is $15-18/hr for one child.

Crazy nanny who wants to make $25/hr is just that. Crazy.

Your market rate numbers are based on what source, other than your imagination?

Stop with the $25/hr lies. We all know the market rate and you pretending it's higher isn't going to "fool" anyone. Parents who can afford private childcare didn't get that way by being dumb with their money. They're not going to pay someone $25/hour. Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Some nannies do earn $25/hr. and more. Everyone knows that.

[Anonymous]

At least one nanny on this forum earns $52./hr.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous



At least one nanny on this forum earns $52./hr.

One nanny said that, but we can't verify that it's true.