The nanny interview is a hugely important piece of the nanny screening
process. A comprehensive interview helps parents gather the information they
need to make an informed hiring decision. As you begin the interview process,
keep these 10 tips in mind:
•
Conduct a phone interview before you move onto a face
to face interview. Your time is in short supply, so make sure to talk
with a nanny on the phone before you invest in a longer face to face interview.
During the phone interview you can cover the basics and see if your
personalities mesh well.
•
Write down some key topics you want to make sure you
cover. There are lots of things you need to cover during a nanny interview.
It’s easy to get caught up in the conversation and forget to ask about things
that are important to you. An easy way to make sure you hit all your points is
to go into the interview with notes. It’s easy to refer to your notes
throughout the interview or quickly review them at the end to make sure you’ve
covered all you want to cover.
•
Ask open ended questions. You want to
learn as much about the nanny as possible during the interview. One of the best
ways to do that is to ask open-ended, situational questions rather than yes or
no questions. Doing so forces the nanny to really put thought into her answers.
It also gives you a better view into how she feels, what she thinks, and how
she makes decisions. Instead of asking “Do you use time-outs?” ask, “Tell me
about a time you had to discipline a two-year-old.”
•
Carve out time to talk with the nanny without your
kids. It’s important that your attention is focused on the nanny during the
interview. This is an important decision, and the information she’s offering
during the interview will help you evaluate her and decide if she’s the best
choice for your family.
•
Keep the interview conversational. It can be
nerve-wrenching for nannies to interview for a job they really want. By keeping
the conversation casual, you can help put the nanny at ease. Why is that
important? When a caregiver is comfortable and doesn’t feel guarded, she’ll be
much more likely to share her true self. That will give you the best view into
who she really is and will help you make an informed decision.
•
Give the nanny the chance to ask questions too. There are
lots of things the nanny needs to know about your job. Hopefully, you can cover
many of the job description details during the initial screening process.
However, as you talk during the interview, encourage the nanny to ask questions
about issues that come up. It’s essential that the candidate have all the
information she needs to make the best decision.
•
Ask the nanny back for an additional interview where
she can interact with your child. Although it’s important to meet with the nanny
without your child, clearly her ability to connect with your child is the
biggest factor in your decision. Regardless of your child’s age, invite the
nanny to spend time with your child. Observe her comfort level with your child,
how hands-on she is, if she knows about the developmental stage your child is in,
and how your child reacts to her. Remember, she knows she’s being evaluated, so
chances are she’s nervous and won’t be as relaxed with your child as she
normally would be.
•
If your children are old enough, involve them in the
interview process. The focus of the nanny’s job is your child. If your
kids are old enough to understand you’re choosing a new nanny, ask them to
participate in the selection process. It can be something as simple as asking
the nanny a question or two or having a real voice in the decision making
process.
•
Don’t skip the working interview. When you find
the nanny that fits your needs and meshes well with your family, ask her to
come back for a working interview. Seeing how she actually is on the job will
give you that last bit of information you need to make your final hiring
decision. A working interview also gives the nanny a chance to see if your job
is the best choice for her. This two way match is the key to a long-term,
successful nanny/family relationship.
•
Let the nanny know how you’re feeling after the
interview. If you absolutely love a nanny, let her know it. Highly qualified
nannies are generally interviewing with more than one family, so let a great
candidate know you want to pursue her. Give her a timetable for taking your
next step and let her know when you’ll be contacting her.
A well-thought out interview strategy can help parents learn about the
nanny and make the best choice for their family.
Source: Find a Nanny
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