Searching for a nanny on your own can be a tedious and daunting task. Especially if you have no experience and no clue what to ask for. That is where an agency comes in handy. An agency will prescreen applicants for you and select good candidates for you to interview from. After that asking the right questions is key for getting enough information to make an informed decision.
Asking the right questions can solve lots of heartache and misunderstanding. For example, a neighbor recommends her old nanny to you and says she perfect. You will love her! Yet you cannot understand why three weeks later you must let her go. However, your friend failed to tell you that the nanny was a terrific nanny for young children or babies, and you have two active boys in elementary school that need to be picked up and driven to activities. What didn’t you ask the nanny about was what she would do to entertain elementary school boys with tons of energy? One of the key components in finding a nanny is a JOB DESCRIPTION. Search the web to find job descriptions for school age, newborn and toddler caregivers. Each stage has very different needs and types of caregivers that work well for each age group.
Here are three awesome interviews questions to get you started.
These three questions are more telling than you think. They open the door to learning more about her and her style with children. You will not be disappointed with the information and the conversation flow afterwards.
Also, an interview buddy is key. An interview buddy will see and hear things you will not. You will also have someone to discuss the many candidates with. I recommend a female buddy or an astute husband.
At the end of day, I wish you all the best and if you would rather not go through it all and prefer someone else to do it for you, we would love to help.
