Interviewing a nanny is an essential part of the hiring process which should be made a high priority. There are a lot of advantages when preparing for a thorough interview. It can save a lot of time both in the hiring process and once you have selected a candidate knowing that she is the best fit for the role.
Consider the following items when interviewing a nanny:
Situational Interview Questions
When conducting an interview it is always standard practice to put our “best-foot-forward.” It is very important to see how the applicant performed in her previous experience through situational questions. By doing this, we can get answers from the applicant based on actual experiences. Some example questions would be – “Can you give a situation when you had to go through a conflict while a child is under your care and you had to resolve it on your own?” Questions such as these can also eliminate the “hypothetical answers” an applicant can give.
Employment History
It is during the interview when you get the chance to verify the information from the applicant’s resume from the applicant themselves. It is important for us to let the applicant walk through their past work experiences and describe their role, tenure, reasons for leaving each job, and the like. Getting this information from the applicant allows us to see how she performed in each of her job which definitely should be considered in hiring her.
Childcare Experience
Possibly related to employment history, yet digging deeper to the applicant’s experience working with children is also a consideration during the interview. This is not only related to the nanny’s paid childcare experiences but also on how comfortable she is in taking care of a child personally. The applicant may have raised children of her own which can be an advantage. You may also ask her of her strategies of establishing a relationship with a child since she is initially a complete stranger, or in cases when a child may be difficult behavior wise.
Values and Philosophy
Since the nanny role is almost like being part of the child’s family knowing their values and philosophies in life is important to understand during the interview. This can gauge whether or not the nanny’s values are in line with the family’s values and knowing this could be an indicator if she can be a good guide and model for your child. The nanny’s view of herself and her role can also be discussed in obtaining this information and would give us an idea if they can establish a good relationship with your child.
Character References
It is important to ask the nanny applicant for character references preferably from her previous employment. You can see if the applicant is confident in giving this information which will give you a clear picture if they are willing to perform a thorough background check. This would also mean that she had a good relationship with her previous employers and not afraid of any other information you may obtain from these references.
It is important to remember that it is never a waste of time to be selective during the hiring process and consider that you would only want the best nanny for your children. Preparing for the interview and knowing what to consider in selecting candidates can make the whole process less stressful. Hir-ing the best candidate doesn’t only mean that the nanny has specific qualities we are looking for, but also means she is best for the role. Hiring someone is more than just taking care of children but also someone who would be a good influence on them would stay in their role in a reasonable period of time.
By: Jessica Tandy
About the Author:
Crunch Care is the premier caregiver staffing service in South Florida. We pride ourselves in our flexibility and ability to fulfill almost any type of home based companion needs. If you are looking for nanny agencies in South Florida or Miami Nanny, we believe we are your best choice.
