Reply to How Long to Find the Right Nanny?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP to PP, you got a lot of it, particularly the part about actively working with a child to teach them, not just watching and waiting, and juggling the interests of multiple children.  It seems like a lot of nannies talk the talk but then don't perform.  Obviously I haven't figured out how to screen for these qualities.[/quote]

OP, 15.59 here.  I'm actually a nanny, so you may or may not find my advice useful, but I'll give it a try.

Prior to your interview, how much information do you have for each candidate?  The most prepared parents who interview me have a profile that they save and edit when needed.  Some also send me questionnaires, and a few have the same questions asked in different ways.  Some of the questionnaires are short, half a page to maybe a page long.  Others have taken me more than 3 hours to finish.  Every single family who interviewed me after receiving the questionnaire asked questions based on my answers, and I assume that they were looking for more information about some answers as well as checking to make sure that my verbal answers matched the written answers.

When you interview, how are you doing it?  If the candidate can answer with yes/no, short phrases or even one sentence, it's not going to give you much insight.  If you can get the candidate talking, you'll see more of who she is.  Some interviews that have been successful were simply conversations, others were series of open-ended questions from the parents, followed by more questions from me.

How do you evaluate whether the nanny is a good fit?  Some families do one shadow day, some do one week and then evaluate, some have a month-long trial period.  The longer your trial period, the more likely it is that she won't be able to hide flaws from you.  There will be small things about her that annoy you just like there will be small things about you that annoy her.  Trust your gut to know whether it will work, and watch your child's involuntary actions.  If the child likes the nanny, it should be obvious.

If you think that the issue is compensation, what can you do to sweeten it for a professional?  Each nanny is different in what she will want to supplement average or sub-par pay, so be clear with what you are offering.  Also, be clear about what you require (5 years experience or a second specific language) and what would be ideal but not required (degree, 10 years experience).  Good luck, OP![/quote]

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