How do you know you have the job?

[Anonymous]

I am a fairly new nanny and have received all my offers within 72 hours of my interview. My last position ended and I'm having a little bit of a rough time finding a nanny family that I like. For two families that I've interviewed with yesterday and today, I told them I have another offer ( I do but for like he family) and I will need to make a decision by a certain date. Basically to let them know where I am. Both have said " that's helpful and we really liked you". They gave me a few compliments and then said " We have a few more candidates to interview but will get back to you". My question is done that mean they don't like me or are they just being thorough? I figured if a family likes a nanny, they would give an offer right away and either forgo other interviews. That's basically what happened in all of my 3 other jobs. They liked me and gave me notice within 48 hours ( we were in contact almost immediately after interview) and canceled other later interviews.

So is this a bad sign or normal?

[Anonymous]

I am considering interviewing for a nanny and I would not cancel subsequent interviews. As a first time employer I would want to be sure I am making the right choice for my children and not just hire the first person I liked... However once due diligence had been done if the first person was who I liked best I would call them.

[Anonymous]

As an experienced nanny it actually kind of puts me off when someone offers me the job right away (like at the end of the interview). It feels like a rushed decision that the parents didn't take much time to think through, and it puts me on the spot. I would much rather them sit on it for a few days. I've also found that a lot of families will say they are still interviewing other people when they actually aren't, but they say that to be polite when really they just want time to think.

If it's been over a week or two I would assume that I didn't get a job, and I would continue my search. Usually by that time it means they've chosen someone else, and they will only offer you the job if you were their second choice and the first turns them down.

[Anonymous]

I have had 2 nanny jobs offered to me and then rescinded. I've started a nanny job and worked 1 day of shadowing the mother and then told I'm no longer needed. I've been a nanny for 15 years. You just never know even when offered a job it can be gone in an instant. I've also had wonderful experiences and stayed with a few families for 4+ years.

[Anonymous]

All the jobs I've been offered that worked out well we're offered within 24, hrs. I always email and/or talk on the phone enough that we have a good feel for whether it's a match before we meet for the first time. I'm pretty easy going so it has to be pretty bad for me to think no way will I work for these people. I have zero tolerance for poor communicators and micro managers. I too have had people cancel interviews to hire me. IMO the excuse of we have other interviews is code for you're nice but not exactly what we're looking for. I do the same thing for families I meet who I realize aren't a good match.