What exactly is a "trial"?

[Anonymous]

I responded to an ad on care.com and the MB asked if I could do a few trial hours today. I have never met or spoken with these parents before but have exchanged some information on certifications, education, and experience with two philosophies.

What can I expect today? Is it like a long job interview but with hands-on with baby?

TIA

[Anonymous]

She wants free care
You let her know upfront that you charge your regular rate and have a 3 or 4 hour minimum or OT after 8 hours.

I know a family where the MB tries to screw nannies all the time with "trial" days.

[Anonymous]

I had the top three nanny contenders to half-days for a trial. I paid them cash, by the hour.

It was a working interview. I did things around the house while they cared for the baby.

[Anonymous]

It is a working interview to see how you are with the kids, how you handle MB requests, how competent you are. Paid or unpaid is not clear. I hope the MB would pay, as I would but there are lots of interviews, in the nanny field as well as other job fields, where it is unpaid. You are not entitled to pay as you have not gotten the job yet. It is part of the interview process.

I would expect the worst (unpaid) but hope for the best(paid). If it seems like a long time (period of many days), and you need to spend your time on a paid job, I would either explain it or say you can only do a short trial.

Being obnoxious about making sure it is paid may eliminate you from the running, say, if another candidate was just the same as you are, but didn't make a big deal about the pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She wants free care
You let her know upfront that you charge your regular rate and have a 3 or 4 hour minimum or OT after 8 hours.

I know a family where the MB tries to screw nannies all the time with "trial" days.

How ignorant. You cannot charge OT after 8 hours.

You can charge whatever rate you want. And explain that after 8 hours, your rate will go up. You will sound like a crazy person. Go ahead and try it.

[Anonymous]

A trial is for her to see how well the three of you work together. You, her and the child involved.

She wants to see how competent and loving you are and if you are someone she can trust alone with her child.

Make sure you are both clear that you are to be paid for the hours you are there. Esp. since she stated it would be more than one hour.

[Anonymous]

I think it's weird that she wouldn't schedule a formal interview first.
And then decide on the nannies she wants to do trial days with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's weird that she wouldn't schedule a formal interview first.
And then decide on the nannies she wants to do trial days with.

It sounds like they emailed back and forth and covered everything that would be covered in a formal interview. A working interview or trial day seems like the next logical step. We recently went through this, and yes they were all paid.

[Anonymous]

OP here and my "trial" was a very good and pleasant experience! Great family and adorable baby. I was with the mother pretty much the whole time so we had time to really talk and she could watch me interact with the baby. The MB offered to pay me but I declined (I really did enjoy my time with them) and I was already sure I would accept the position if offered -- and it was offered!

A great experience all around for everyone.

Thank you all for responding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and my "trial" was a very good and pleasant experience! Great family and adorable baby. I was with the mother pretty much the whole time so we had time to really talk and she could watch me interact with the baby. The MB offered to pay me but I declined (I really did enjoy my time with them) and I was already sure I would accept the position if offered -- and it was offered!

A great experience all around for everyone.

Thank you all for responding.

I'm glad you had a good experience. But why didn't you take the money you earned? Make sure you treat this experience as a job. Be professional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here and my "trial" was a very good and pleasant experience! Great family and adorable baby. I was with the mother pretty much the whole time so we had time to really talk and she could watch me interact with the baby. The MB offered to pay me but I declined (I really did enjoy my time with them) and I was already sure I would accept the position if offered -- and it was offered!

A great experience all around for everyone.

Thank you all for responding.

I'm glad you had a good experience. But why didn't you take the money you earned? Make sure you treat this experience as a job. Be professional.

OP here and I saw it as just a long interview - I didn't do anything to justify taking payment. I am a professional and this is an exceptional job. I mean - a truly exceptional job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here and my "trial" was a very good and pleasant experience! Great family and adorable baby. I was with the mother pretty much the whole time so we had time to really talk and she could watch me interact with the baby. The MB offered to pay me but I declined (I really did enjoy my time with them) and I was already sure I would accept the position if offered -- and it was offered!

A great experience all around for everyone.

Thank you all for responding.

I'm glad you had a good experience. But why didn't you take the money you earned? Make sure you treat this experience as a job. Be professional.

OP was offered the job - that is professional in my book. She was simply not short-sighted.

Congrats, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here and my "trial" was a very good and pleasant experience! Great family and adorable baby. I was with the mother pretty much the whole time so we had time to really talk and she could watch me interact with the baby. The MB offered to pay me but I declined (I really did enjoy my time with them) and I was already sure I would accept the position if offered -- and it was offered!

A great experience all around for everyone.

Thank you all for responding.

I'm glad you had a good experience. But why didn't you take the money you earned? Make sure you treat this experience as a job. Be professional.

Nonsense. As a professional in another field, I have endured more cumulative hours in interviews for one position than this trial. BIG PICTURE HERE - OP gat a brilliant job and everyone is happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She wants free care
You let her know upfront that you charge your regular rate and have a 3 or 4 hour minimum or OT after 8 hours.

I know a family where the MB tries to screw nannies all the time with "trial" days.

How ignorant. You cannot charge OT after 8 hours.

You can charge whatever rate you want. And explain that after 8 hours, your rate will go up. You will sound like a crazy person. Go ahead and try it.

You are incorrect. In both the District and VA, if it is an 8 hour assignment and the job runs over, OT is paid. In another life, I worked one summer for a temp agency and OT applied for jobs over 8 hours.

[Anonymous]

Interviews for nannies and interviews for office jobs are apples and oranges. A trial day for a nanny is work and she should be paid. A long interview or successive interviews in an office are not paid because you are interviewing, not working.