Would you set up an interview w/ this lady?

[Anonymous]

I had a woman contact me today about needing a nanny ASAP for their 6 month old. We spoke on the phone and she seemed fine until I ask if they had employed nanny before. This woman told me " We had a nanny that we liked, but this week she has decided she is sick and took off work yesterday and today. This is why we need someone urgently." I am on the fence. I do not know if this any was unreliable prior to this incident and they got fed up. On the other hand, nannies are humans who get sick, and I don't want to potentially work for a family who fired me because I " decided to be sick". She wants to set up an interview but I am on the fence. Would you of would you not interview with her?

[Anonymous]

If you do, get some refs for her. She might be a nut case. Oh yeah, tell her you'd like to speak with the last nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you do, get some refs for her. She might be a nut case. Oh yeah, tell her you'd like to speak with the last nanny.

I thought it was an off choice of words to use. For her being a law partner, I expected more professionalism.

[Anonymous]

I'd definitely get more details from her. I know some people say it's reasonable to ask to speak with their last nanny, but I've never felt comfortable asking something like that. Even if you did, it sounds like things aren't ending amicably so you'd likely just be trying to figure out whose version of the story is more accurate.

I'd be honest with her. Tell her your concerns. Ask for more specifics. And if you do decide to work with her make sure you have a contract that has a very clear sick day, notice, severance policy in it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd definitely get more details from her. I know some people say it's reasonable to ask to speak with their last nanny, but I've never felt comfortable asking something like that. Even if you did, it sounds like things aren't ending amicably so you'd likely just be trying to figure out whose version of the story is more accurate.

I'd be honest with her. Tell her your concerns. Ask for more specifics. And if you do decide to work with her make sure you have a contract that has a very clear sick day, notice, severance policy in it!

You know that none of that can ever be enforced, right?
That's why you need references for potential employers.

[Anonymous]

It never hurts to go to an interview

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do the interview. If your gut is saying that there's something hinky, walk away.

[Anonymous]

Red flag, OP! Do the interview (always good practice) and then turn down the offer. If she would do this to her old nanny - she will do this to you.

[Anonymous]

No one ever "decides" to be sick OP. Her wording is just off here.

Yes, huge red flag. Don't even waste your time meeting her. Regardless of the logistics of the current nanny's reliability, just the wording is very strange to me.

I have met parents who tell me they are secretly interviewing other nanny candidates because they are unhappy w/their current nanny. They say when they find someone to replace her, they will let her go.

I usually write off these parents because if I were ever to be hired to work for them, I would wonder when I would be on the chopping block.