Would you hire this person?

[Anonymous]

I'm looking to hire a part-time (25 hours/week) nanny to watch my 3 year old just for the summer. Since it's a summer job, it tends to attract students and recent grads with limited to no nannying experience and I am fine with all of this as it is just for the summer. The candidate in question is a mid-20s graduate student with occasional sitting experience. She is American, but as she has been living abroad until about a year ago, I cannot verify her most important references, namely, the bulk of her caregiving experience and her two-year full-time office job. Her only American references are her weekend job as a waitress and occasional babysitting for a friend's nephew and niece.

The reason I am considering hiring her is because of her linguistic skills; she is fully bilingual in the language she spoke abroad and that I speak to DD. Looking for a bilingual caregiver inherently restricts the candidate pool and I know that by hiring one, I am not getting the "best" person, but I still want someone "great." The fact that I cannot verify this candidate's references really bothers me. She seems very nice and good with DD, but who knows what she will be like when I am not there. I do have a back-up candidate who is qualified (preschool teacher) with references, but not as strong with the second language.

I'm not sure how to deal with the lack of references of the first candidate. Ideas?

[Anonymous]

Is there any way you can email with the references that are abroad? skype? any contact at all?

[Anonymous]

I would never hire anyone without the ability to check references. Why can't you call her references?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why you can't call her references abroad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you can't call her references abroad.

Yes, why can't you check them, especially since you speak the language?

[Anonymous]

how can you not verify references? in this day in age its so easy to contact others internationally. if a phone call is too much, how about providing an email? I would not hire her. go with the preschool teacher.

[Anonymous]

25 hours a week for just eight weeks is not worth not being able to verify references. Hire the preschool teacher.

[Anonymous]

can't you just email her references?

[Anonymous]

preschool teacher.

[Anonymous]

The second language is not enough, I would not hire someone whose references I can't check.

Nanny.

[Anonymous]

I have to go w/the majority here.

While it is ideal that your top candidate can fluently speak another language, that should not be the one determining factor for you in hiring someone to supervise + love your precious child even if only for eight weeks.

If the Grad student cannot supply you w/any references, then it would be too risky for you & your child to employ her.

I would hire the Preschool teacher instead.

- Nanny

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thanks everyone for the responses. My question has become moot; the grad student messaged to say she can no longer take the position if offered. I'm kind of relieved that the decision has been made for me as I know our other candidate will be fantastic.