What You Would Really Like To Ask The Prospective Nanny During A Screening Or Selection Interview
Here are some A through Z type questions that you can ask during interviews with prospective nannies and potential care-givers of/for your kid(s), offering at home basic service all working parents need: Allow the prospective employee/nanny to do most of the talking herself. That way you will learn a lot, more about her/him. Pick questions that matter to you, your kids, your circumstance, what you would really like to and need to know in order to make a confident, wiser and informed decision.
Are you expecting to entertain, receive any friends, family, home visitors?
Availability, access, live-in, live-out, fees, costs and what is covered, what is not.
Clarify and ask them to paraphrase the job-specifications, as they understand and interpret them, the scope and nature of the task, duties, roles and responsibilities that they will have
Cooking and house-keeping duties in addition to child-care?
Do you have a license to drive a vehicle? Have you had any run ins with the law or federal government?
How and what type of activities for children at different stages of development would you do with the kids during the summer, in a typical day, routines, schedules, creativity, initiative, budget?
How do you feel about snacks, nutritious meal planning and routines, television (kids watching too much)?
How do you handle problems and discipline?
How do you relate to children generally speaking, when tired, under stress, multi-tasking, doing many things at once? What comes first and how do you decide that something is more important? Would you describe yourself as dealing with kids and others always in a positive manner?
How do you resolve conflict? Punish? Reward?
How would you ensure safety of the children, yourself in case of an emergency? How to you ensure that there are no threats from dangerous objects and materials lying around? Give examples?
Language use and prowess will influence your child’s development as well – bear that in mind too as part of your hiring criteria.
Pets, allergies?
Were you ever fired in similar positions? If so, why? Could you have done something differently?
What do you like most about yourself, what you do, what would you like to improve?
What is the best/worse experience, crises you have ever had while looking after someone else’s children? What did you do, how did you react?
What is your own level of self-esteem and self-confidence, and are you aware that corporal punishment is not permitted in this country and household?
What is your personal level of comfort, prowess, competency and skill dealing with children, taking care of little ones: what age group, how long, how many, etc. Experience, expertise and access to learning opportunities and other supports through their association with home child care agencies, early baby-sitting, siblings, family, relative, young families with young(er) children, CRP, courses, training, previous contracts?
When can you/he/she start and finish? Why and what do children like most/least about you?
Worries, concerns or questions from the interviewee’s perspective and point of view? For providing these services in this state, do you have any visa, entry, permits or health care services coverage?
As you talk it through and try to hire the best, (or leave it up to the agency to place a summer au pair , nanny or baby-sitter), look at the following aspects, rating the candidate for yourself and then opting either for/against hiring into your household, home, family and the life/lives of your child/children:
Attention
Attitude
Availability
Energy
Experience
Flexibility
Focus
Intuitive take on suitability
Salary Requirements