Nanny interview checklist
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Anonymous
| Help! We are interviewing nannies this week and my husband is insanely busy with work so I will most likely doing these solo. I have two kids (one toddler and one infant). We've never had a nanny before, so I'm not quite sure what questions to ask, flags to look out for, etc. Any tips and advice appreciated! |
Anonymous
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Here are things I look for:
Being on time Clean fingernails (not manicured, just clean) Clean clothes that are appropriate for a job interview (no short shorts) Non-slutty clothes No gum-chewing Someone who doesn't walk in drinking a soda People who can make eye contact People who can speak without mumbling Someone whose price range is what I'm looking to pay Someone who has ideas and is comfortable being assertive enough to offer suggestions, yet is open to adhering to our schedule when needed Someone who passes a credit, criminal and background check with a clean driving record Someone who likes pets Someone who finds a way to bond with the kids Proper handshake |
Anonymous
| Someone who wants you to train them. |
Anonymous
| This is the most stupid thing to say..... |
Anonymous
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Ask questions related to discipline and child rearing. Giving circumstances would help give you an idea of how they would respond.
I would also ask questions related with taking care of two kids at once, since that is your situation. |
Anonymous
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Ask her what the hardest part of nannying is for her. Ask her some "what would you do if..." questions - be aware that this is not a right/wrong scenario but an opportunity for you to hear her train of thought when it comes to kids. Ask her about her philosophies on sleep training (since you have an infant) and toddler discipline (how does she do it, what is she comfortable with). Ask her how she likes to check in with parents about the day. Ask her if she is comfortable keeping a short log or sending you photos during the day (if that's what you want). And when you call her references, along with asking about punctuality, reliability, responsibility, warmth, etc. make sure to ask the parents if they felt like she kept them involved (as much as possible) in their days. This is indicative of a nanny who knows how to build a good working relationship with the parents and that is easily as important as her ability to be sweet with the children.
Also, look for nannies who will give you slightly less than perfect answers. The very best nannies will be interviewing you as much as you're interviewing them (even if it doesn't seem like it) as they'll want to be sure you're the right fit for each other. The mediocre (and crappy) nannies will be so anxious for a job they'll gloss over issues that could turn out to be huge stumbling blocks down the road, so even though they may sound better in the interview ("she agreed with everything we said!") it might not turn out well in the end. Also, don't worry about setting up two interviews for candidates you like. Especially for your first time through it is completely reasonable to have a first interview with just you/DH and the nanny and a second interview to meet the kids. This may or may not be possible for you, but even if the kids are there the first time, go ahead and have a second interview if you need to distinguish between a couple of strong candidates. Sometimes a great nanny might be having a bad day, or a bad nanny might be having a good day, or maybe you didn't sleep well the night before and are having a hard time reading the candidates well. Do whatever you need to feel comfortable. |
Anonymous
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"Proper handshake" WTF lol
Some people are insane ! |
Anonymous
You can tell a lot by an individual's handshake. A proper handshake shows confidence, professionalism, and experience. A bad handshakes shows your inexperience in professional situations and can reflect on a personality that skates by or doesn't pay attention to the details. Knowing how to properly shake your interviewers hand is also part of having good interview skills, which is are essential to being a successful nanny. Two nannies can have identical backgrounds, but given the choice between the confident professional nanny who can shake hands and leave a great impression or the frazzled less professional limp handshake giving nanny who seems less put together, who do you think gets the job? |
Anonymous
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You're nuts !
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Anonymous
| If you say so. I'm a nanny, not the PP, but I totally agree that it says something about your candidate. I make sure my interview skills are sharp, and I believe it makes it easier to get better jobs and be taken seriously when negotiating compensation. You can't go into an interview like a schlub and then ask for the world in your compensation. It just doesn't work that way. |
Anonymous
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There is a helpful guideline from 4nannytaxes
http://www.info.4nannytaxes.com/how-to-interview-a-nanny |
Anonymous
As a nanny these are things I believe are important to ask during an interview... - How much experience do you have working with children? - Why are you a nanny? - Are you willing to work on the books with taxes taken out? - Are you CPR and First-Aid trained/certified? - What age appropriate activities would you do with the children? - Are you willing to do light-cleaning related to childcare (bottle cleaning, laundry, meal prep) - Have you ever had an emergency while working, if so, how did you handle it? - Do you have anything else in your schedule that could conflict with the hours of care needed? - Are you willing to take care of sick children (colds, stomach bugs, etc) - What would your references say are your strongpoints and what would they say are you weakness? - Do you smoke cigarettes? - Do you have a car and/or would you be willing to drive the children to activities as long as gas was provided? - Are you looking for a long term commitment? 1-2 years is standard Other advice I might offer...feel the people out. Ask them about their beliefs with discipline. Make sure they are on the same page as you. See if they are open-minded or if they are set in their ways. You want a nanny who will support you and your family and help the household run smoothly. Make sure whoever you choose understands that you don't want your children plopped on the couch and watching TV all day. Also, same with cell phone usage. I wish you the best. |
Anonymous
| A wet dishcloth handshake is what you tend to get from a doormat. If she comes off as "strong", she might be secure in how she does her job. So give careful thought as to which type of person you hope to find. Parents tend to want one or the other. |
Anonymous
| I always ask of they would be comfortable with a detailed background check including fingerprinting. A lot of nannies may shy away from this if there's something in the past. Found out one lady was using someone else's Social Security number to work. I think its a fair question. The cost is about $60 to do at local police station and gives you peace of mind that the correct person is using the correct name. |
Anonymous
Never heard of nanny fingerprinting. You can see her driver's license to confirm identity. If she didn't have a SS#, she was illegal but such a deal for those who want it. |