Choosing a nanny or au pair for your children is a process that should be organized and performed carefully, to ensure you find someone who can be trusted, will contribute significantly to the development of your child and integrate well into your family.
The step-by-step process described below will help you make an informed decision and choose the best possible nanny for your kids, ensuring their well being and safety.
Step 1 Define requirements and expectations
The first part of the hiring process is to define your exact requirements and expectations. Ask yourself questions and build a list of all requirements, then narrow it down to the most important ones. Are you looking for a nanny in a full-time or part-time position? Does she need to be flexible with over-time? Are you looking for a young, outgoing and energetic nanny or do your kids require an older and more authoritative person? How important to you are tidiness and cleanliness? Is the nanny expected to cook for your kids? Is she expected to drive them around? Are there any additional duties she is expected to perform?
Step 2 Interview
Once you know what you expect, you can start interviewing the nannies. The interviews should be structured with a standard set of questions that are asked of all candidates. This makes it easier to evaluate and compare the candidates and to ensure that all critical topics are indeed covered.
The phone interview
In order to save time and effort, it is recommended to start with a phone interview. First explain the requirements of the job and the duties it includes. Ask about past experience with similar age groups, the motivation for choosing this sort of profession, the reasons for leaving the previous place of employment, future plans, other responsibilities which may affect the job and any other questions you consider important at this stage. Also ask for names and phone numbers of references. If satisfied with the responses, invite the nanny for a face-to-face interview at your home.
The Face-to-Face interview
In the face-to-face interview, it is time to find as much as possible about the nanny as well as provide her with all necessary information to allow her to decide whether she indeed wants the job. Discuss your child