Finding a great nanny can become a difficult and long-lasting quest for your family unless you know where to start and what to look for. No matter if you’re after an experienced nanny or totally OK with a young au pair who’s just starting out in their professional life, chances are you’ll need to put enough time and effort into the search process. Thus, you’ll be able to score a great au pair that will become a valuable asset not only for your offspring but also the entire family.
The traditional way to go about your nanny search is via word-of-mouth recommendation. You can take advantage of other parents’ positive experience and hire the person who once worked in the house of your neighbors. You can also put out feelers to find out which of your family friends are using nanny services and ask them to share some useful contacts with you. Still, despite the popularity of this method, it has some obvious downsides to it. So, if you don’t want to waste your precious time, you would be well-advised to rely on professional agencies like Nina Care to make an informed and, most importantly, safe decision. Alternatively, you can visit dedicated websites where babysitters normally advertise their services to check out the available options.
No matter your strategy, below are some simple tips you want to keep in mind when looking for an ideal nanny.
Focus on Vetted Candidates
It’s a normal practice for reputable nanny agencies and dedicated websites to screen their candidates to ensure they are the right fit for the families looking for extra help with their kids and household duties. This process normally involves checking potential candidates’ criminal records, qualification and background checks, psychometric testing, and the like. Needless to say, such services can spare you the bother of having to sift through tons of profiles and contacting each candidate directly every time you want to inquire about their relevant experience, salary expectations, etc.
Check for Fake References
It’s critical that you double-check your preferred candidate’s resume and contact the relevant references they provided. Not only can this save your family a lot of time but also potential psychological problems that might arise after communicating with the wrong candidate. So, never neglect this procedure if you want to hire someone with fake references or highly embellished CV.
Prepare for a Face-to-Face Interview
The onus is on you to carefully prepare for the face-to-face interview with your prospective nanny. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that might seem sensitive or personal. After all, you’re going to let this person into your home and entrust your precious kids to them.
Without being rude or tactless, ask your chosen candidate what they would do in different scenarios and what they think about some specific behavior patterns in those situations. This will help you conduct a quick assessment of your nanny’s wit, decision-making skills, and preferred approaches they would take in emergency situations.
Shop Around a Little More
Even if you think you’ve finally found the nanny of your dream, experienced parents highly recommend interviewing several candidates before making a final decision. You might be mesmerized by your young au pair with the ideal CV and brilliant references. That said, you never can tell if they will be the best fit for your kiddo. And the best way to choose the best is to know how this or that option stacks up against others of its ilk. With this in mind, you want to interview at least two candidates to be able to compare their answers and your impressions.
Opt for a Trial Period
Never skip a trial period. Discuss with your candidate the possibility of completing a paid trial period before sealing the deal. Both your nanny and your family need time to get to know each other, as well as get accustomed to new rules you might want to establish once you invite a new person into your home. While some parents are ready to make a decision in a week’s time, your family may require a month to completely warm up to a new person.
If everything goes smooth and you find yourself fully satisfied with a new nanny, make it official with the contract.
The article provided courtesy of Nina.Care, an online childcare platform
