Interviewing Nannies - A Parent"s Guide
Parents are often very nervous about interviewing.
Understandably so, the person who will look after your children for a large proportion of the week will have a large input into your family's life Once you have selected which nannies you wish to meet, you first of all need to decide where you would like the interview to take place and what date(s)/ time(s) you are available so a mutually convenient can be arranged.
Parents usually hold a formal interview to start with between themselves and the nanny and then arrange for the favourite candidate(s) to meet them again with their children present before they make their final decision.
Although it's important to see how the nanny engages with your children at some stage before offering the job, it could be distracting to have them around for the crucial first interview.
Interview format The interview will probably last between 45 minutes and one hour.
Try to keep to a semi-formal structure, in order to cover all the things you want to discuss and find out about him or her.
Do, however, make her feel comfortable and at ease, many will feel nervous at the prospect of being interviewed and if she feels relaxed she give better responses to your questions and a better sense of her true personality since interviews by their very nature are artificial situations.
The general order of the interview will go something like this: 1.
Introductions, talking about your children and the position.
2.
Ask her about herself and what she's looking for in her next nanny role.
3.
Parents give out a written job description and/ or go through their requirements.
4.
Discussion of nanny's CV and going through her employment history.
5.
Specific questions (see examples below) to get a feel for her abilities as a child carer, her nanny 'style', views on discipline, activities ideas, cooking abilities etc.
Background and job info • Why did you decide to become a nanny? • When would you be able to start working • Would you ever be available to do extra (paid) work on weekends or evenings if needed? • What do children like best about you? Illness and emergencies • What would you do if my child had an accident and seemed not him/herself? • What would you do if a child was choking? • When did you last do a paediatric first aid course? Child wellbeing and entertainment • How do you comfort children? • What are your thoughts on disciplining on children (of same age as yours)? • How do you occupy a child (of same age as yours) on a rainy day? • What are your favourite activities to do with a child / children the same age as mine? • What are your favourite parts of your job? • What do you like least? • (If relevant) - do you have any experience of potty training children and how do you go about it? • What kind of food would you cook for our child(ren)? Closing the interview Once you have asked all your questions, encourage the nanny to ask you anything she's not sure about the family, or specific details about the job.
Understandably so, the person who will look after your children for a large proportion of the week will have a large input into your family's life Once you have selected which nannies you wish to meet, you first of all need to decide where you would like the interview to take place and what date(s)/ time(s) you are available so a mutually convenient can be arranged.
Parents usually hold a formal interview to start with between themselves and the nanny and then arrange for the favourite candidate(s) to meet them again with their children present before they make their final decision.
Although it's important to see how the nanny engages with your children at some stage before offering the job, it could be distracting to have them around for the crucial first interview.
Interview format The interview will probably last between 45 minutes and one hour.
Try to keep to a semi-formal structure, in order to cover all the things you want to discuss and find out about him or her.
Do, however, make her feel comfortable and at ease, many will feel nervous at the prospect of being interviewed and if she feels relaxed she give better responses to your questions and a better sense of her true personality since interviews by their very nature are artificial situations.
The general order of the interview will go something like this: 1.
Introductions, talking about your children and the position.
2.
Ask her about herself and what she's looking for in her next nanny role.
3.
Parents give out a written job description and/ or go through their requirements.
4.
Discussion of nanny's CV and going through her employment history.
5.
Specific questions (see examples below) to get a feel for her abilities as a child carer, her nanny 'style', views on discipline, activities ideas, cooking abilities etc.
Background and job info • Why did you decide to become a nanny? • When would you be able to start working • Would you ever be available to do extra (paid) work on weekends or evenings if needed? • What do children like best about you? Illness and emergencies • What would you do if my child had an accident and seemed not him/herself? • What would you do if a child was choking? • When did you last do a paediatric first aid course? Child wellbeing and entertainment • How do you comfort children? • What are your thoughts on disciplining on children (of same age as yours)? • How do you occupy a child (of same age as yours) on a rainy day? • What are your favourite activities to do with a child / children the same age as mine? • What are your favourite parts of your job? • What do you like least? • (If relevant) - do you have any experience of potty training children and how do you go about it? • What kind of food would you cook for our child(ren)? Closing the interview Once you have asked all your questions, encourage the nanny to ask you anything she's not sure about the family, or specific details about the job.
