Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think these two moms PP are misunderstanding what the OP is saying. Nanny here. I'm very open to an initial zoom call or just a call. But parents are taking the mistake of wanting and asking for a zoom call and taking it instead of a real interview in person. Asking for references before give us the chance to go meet them in person, see if the work environment would work for us, we like each other person etc. Being right there at their house after a first call or a first zoom call; it will really tell us if we might be a good fit. Someone above commented about they need to see our "body language in a zoom call". That's what the meeting in person is. You will see if you really like the nanny and nanny likes you and how everyone express. Wanting a nanny accept a position only with a first phone call and then a zoom call *which they take like their interview" instead meeting in person; either their house, it's not right. Sorry parents.

You sound really difficult. A zoom call first makes sense especially with covid. You can ask them to show you the house and other questions. If after you do a phone call or zoom call, then you can ask to meet the kids in person to see if tis a good fit.

You are the one who sounds very difficult. You don't want to see, or you just want to refuse to see the point of OP. This is exactly what OP is saying and asking from families. I completely agree with her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think these two moms PP are misunderstanding what the OP is saying. Nanny here. I'm very open to an initial zoom call or just a call. But parents are taking the mistake of wanting and asking for a zoom call and taking it instead of a real interview in person. Asking for references before give us the chance to go meet them in person, see if the work environment would work for us, we like each other person etc. Being right there at their house after a first call or a first zoom call; it will really tell us if we might be a good fit. Someone above commented about they need to see our "body language in a zoom call". That's what the meeting in person is. You will see if you really like the nanny and nanny likes you and how everyone express. Wanting a nanny accept a position only with a first phone call and then a zoom call *which they take like their interview" instead meeting in person; either their house, it's not right. Sorry parents.

You sound really difficult. A zoom call first makes sense especially with covid. You can ask them to show you the house and other questions. If after you do a phone call or zoom call, then you can ask to meet the kids in person to see if tis a good fit.

That’s exactly what OP is complaining about: parents who refuse an in-person interview and expect a nanny to accept a job based on a zoom call alone.

Anonymous wrote:I think these two moms PP are misunderstanding what the OP is saying. Nanny here. I'm very open to an initial zoom call or just a call. But parents are taking the mistake of wanting and asking for a zoom call and taking it instead of a real interview in person. Asking for references before give us the chance to go meet them in person, see if the work environment would work for us, we like each other person etc. Being right there at their house after a first call or a first zoom call; it will really tell us if we might be a good fit. Someone above commented about they need to see our "body language in a zoom call". That's what the meeting in person is. You will see if you really like the nanny and nanny likes you and how everyone express. Wanting a nanny accept a position only with a first phone call and then a zoom call *which they take like their interview" instead meeting in person; either their house, it's not right. Sorry parents.

You sound really difficult. A zoom call first makes sense especially with covid. You can ask them to show you the house and other questions. If after you do a phone call or zoom call, then you can ask to meet the kids in person to see if tis a good fit.

I always start with a phone conversation, and if it seems promising I would want to move on to in person. If the parents would prefer to add a zoom call instead of the phone conversation or between the phone conversation and the in person, that would be totally fine. But no, I’m not going to except a position or give out my references until I’ve actually seen the home and met the family.

If you were a parent who objects to this, think about How incredibly vulnerable it is to turn down other offers and accept the position and build your life around the assumption that a family will be your source of income. Now imagine that you are an experienced nanny and you know that the teenage stepson who has his own space and won’t be in the way is actually going to be smoking weed and watching video games in the living room all day, or the friendly silly dog who is so good with the baby according to the zoom call weighs more than you do and is completely out of control, or that the house they described as being “lived in like most people with kids“ is actually a disgusting pigsty. There are crucial things that I will only be able to evaluate by entering the actual space and meeting the actual people involved. If that doesn’t work for you and you are not interested in hiring someone who requires at least one in person interview before references, that’s fine. But most experienced nannies with options Will keep on looking.

Finally, think about how busy you are and how stressful your life is and how much free time you as a parent typically have. Now imagine that an old friend asks you for a favor that will take you about half an hour, possibly more. If they ask you to do this once, or twice or even three times you would absolutely say yes. If they are asking you to devote half an hour a day to them for a few weeks on end, you are going to get tired of it and eventually tell them that it’s not working for you anymore. This is how my references would feel if I gave out their number to every person who interviews me.

I’m going to protect the time and the privacy of my previous employers, just as you would like me to protect your time and privacy if you were to become my current employer. The time to ask for references is when we have discussed everything else and you are ready to hire me provided that there are no red flags in my background check. if we haven’t discussed whether we are on the same page about sleep training, or the importance of family dinner, or the pay range, then you don’t have enough information yet to need my references. It’s entirely possible that you won’t want to hire me because I’m a bad fit even if all of my references are glowing.

If it’s really important to you to have a full background check on every nanny who enters your home for an in person interview, the only way to accomplish that is to either weed out lots and lots of nannies who will want to see the environment in which they will have to work in person, or to go through an agency who will do a background check and reference check on all of their nannies before they place them.

I think these two moms PP are misunderstanding what the OP is saying. Nanny here. I'm very open to an initial zoom call or just a call. But parents are taking the mistake of wanting and asking for a zoom call and taking it instead of a real interview in person. Asking for references before give us the chance to go meet them in person, see if the work environment would work for us, we like each other person etc. Being right there at their house after a first call or a first zoom call; it will really tell us if we might be a good fit. Someone above commented about they need to see our "body language in a zoom call". That's what the meeting in person is. You will see if you really like the nanny and nanny likes you and how everyone express. Wanting a nanny accept a position only with a first phone call and then a zoom call *which they take like their interview" instead meeting in person; either their house, it's not right. Sorry parents.

I’m okay with an initial interview via zoom but don’t make the mistake of accepting a position without seeing the home and getting a feel for the neighborhood. I accepted a job before meeting the family in person or seeing their house. The layout of the house is really not ideal and the neighborhood is even worse. Yes, I should have done more research, but prior to Covid I would have never accepted a position without an in person, in home meeting.

If you refuse a Zoom or FaceTime interview given we’re in a pandemic, I’m not going to entertain the idea of hiring you. Thank you, next.

Anyone who is anti-zoom calls and thinks covid is getting better is not taking care of my under 5 and is not smart enough for the job

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given covid and young kids aren't vaccinated a zoom or phone call is not unreasonable.

Read well. Nobody is against with a first phone call.

I did but what's wrong with a zoom call to see body language, etc.

Yeah I am over the zoom as well. But it’s ok just not given references until we meet.

100 Agree. Now Covid is getting better be open to interview in person after the first call. If you like each other. But don't take the zoom call like a real Interview.

Anonymous wrote:Given covid and young kids aren't vaccinated a zoom or phone call is not unreasonable.

Read well. Nobody is against with a first phone call.

Yes to everything. That's how I end up working for current family because I forgot to ask how far they live from my place. 26 minutes without traffic. My rules are 15 minutes top. I like my job but hate the commute

Given covid and young kids aren't vaccinated a zoom or phone call is not unreasonable.

Hi dear nannies,

Please, tell me how have been your experiences lately, looking for your new position?

I'm still getting some families asking to talk on a Zoom-face time call. I'm really tired of this. And from the parents view; they e mail you and they ask upfront for a Face time call. And in the Zoom call, asking also you share your reference. Instead giving the chance of meet in person interview after the first call; if both agreed to go next step (if we seemed to be a good match).

Don't assume we are really interested in the position only because you said everything in your family and position sounds perfect, overall in the Zoom call. Be respectful about our previous Families'time; if you wish to call before meet in person (again, no Zoom call). Since until we meet each other in person we could see if your family it would be a good fit for us aswell and until then; it will be a pleasure share our references with you bcs that means; we are really interested in the position. We want to respect your time, our previous Families's time and our time.

I said that; since some families ask for references on Zoom call; wanting to call our previous families; when we didn't even met your family in person; see how is your interactions in real life with us, see your location, where you live, see how is the environment in your house (show us where mom and dad will be working if you will keep doing it) outside in the neighborhood. And if you have pets; that you never mentioned on the Zoom call; etc. This is very important to us.

And please be honest of what you are looking for, in the very first phone call (No zoom please). Since we don't want to waste our time meeting with you in a interview and then find out; when we meet you; you also requiere total care for your "dog" taking them outside on a leash, doing a second job as a Dog walker. I'm not saying it's not nice that you have pets. As long you have a dog walker who comes everything to that job. But youn can not ask nannies do a second Job; since we are looking for a nanny position. Same goes if you are also looking for a Housekeeper and you never said that before in the phone call.

In short. Please do not ask for a Zoom call. ( we would love to met you in person; not just meet our Face on the screen) Just be nice and fair and ask for a first phone call; then if both agree, be open to set up a meet in person Interview to go next step if both parties thing we might be a good fit.

Thank you.