Anonymous wrote:My personal experience is if their truly interested in you, they'll ask for references that day and you'll know within 24 hours or less if they want to hire you.

Mine as well.

Because once a family meets a person who they feel really good about, they want to hire them ASAP before another family does.

My personal experience is if their truly interested in you, they'll ask for references that day and you'll know within 24 hours or less if they want to hire you.

In all the time I've interviewed for nanny positions, I've been the only person interviewed once, and the last person interviewed once. All the rest have said something about talking with, meeting or interviewing other candidates/nannies/caregivers (don't get me started on parents' usage of the generic "caregiver"). If they are interested, they always ask how much time I would need before I started, and they always threw out a ballpark number for gross salary per week, with the proviso that it would be hammered out later as to how many hours, hourly wage and guaranteed hours. The only ones that I know aren't interested are the families hiring their second nanny who either had the "perfect" nanny the first time... or they had the worst. Every second or third comment is a comparison to the last nanny, and either you can never measure up to the paragon or they assume that you will be just as bad as the last.

I HATE turning someone down (MB here). I have hired the wrong nanny a couple of times because once I met a very nice person, I hated to say "no" to her.

So, when I say, "we're seeing other candidates," that's all it means. I just want to say out loud that we haven't made a decision yet, and I am also saying that we are not ready to make an offer. In our most recent nanny search, our first interview was our first choice, but I was glad I took the time to interview the other people.

In my experience that's not always the case. I've gotten 2 jobs that have said that.

Any time a family mentions that after you, they will be meeting with other applicants is a tip off that you most likely are no longer in the running for the position.

They may be telling you this to kindly let you know they will not hire you.

A sign that they are interested is saying something to the effect of, "So..Are you interviewing with a lot of other families?"

Because trust me, once a family meets a nanny they KNOW pretty much that they have found a good match. And they want to assure that that person doesn't get snatched away by another family before they snatch her. So they will want to make a quick decision, and during the interview is a good time to let them know where things currently stand.

MB here. I wouldn't make a blanket assumption about that statement. I've said things like that in interviews many times. I always feel it's important to let candidates know what our hiring time frame is and when we think we might make a decision - especially if I have 2 or 3 more interviews set up so you might not hear from me for a few days.

If I really think you're the absolute top candidate, and couldn't possibly be beaten, I might say something like "You really seem great. Do you have your references with you so I can be in touch w/ them? Can you tell me where you are in terms of other interviews or when you'd like to start working?"

That would indicate really strong interest from me and concern that I might lose you if I don't move fast. But telling you I have some other candidates doesn't automatically mean you won't get the job.

Now, for some folks, that could be a gracious exit line and perhaps it means you're not the top candidate. But you can't really know so trying to read too much into it will just make you crazy.

P.S.

I understand and get the part where the family states they will make a final decision and get back to me when they do.

Everyone basically tells me that and that is fine.

It's just when they mention "other candidates" that I feel they have already decided against me.

I have a question about interviews.

I have noticed that the positions that I interview for and end up not obtaining are usually the ones where the parents will comment at the conclusion of our meeting, "Well thank you very much for taking the time to meet w/us, we will be interviewing some other candidates, then make our final decision and let you know."

So...Is the statement that they are going to be interviewing others, is that pretty much a sign that they are not going to hire me? Kind of like an indirect statement so I know not to get my hopes up?

Thanks you for any advice given.