General Interview Tips for Families

So you’re getting ready to hire a nanny and you want to know how best to conduct the interview? We’ve already given some tips and insights for families on how best to approach a video-based interview now that pandemic restrictions are lessening and in-person interviews are becoming more common, but what can families do to improve the interview process when hiring a potential nanny? There’s a lot to consider now that we’re adjusting back to more in-person work.

Create a Welcoming Environment

In childcare, it’s pretty typical for someone’s potential workplace to be your home. This, of course, adds an extra layer of trust to the relationship with your potential new employee: you want to feel at ease with them in your home and they want to feel at ease in such an intimate environment. Given this added element, some families opt to work with an agency such as ours to pre-screen candidates. Once you’re comfortable hosting interviews at your home or have made it to the second round with a potential nanny, make use of the space to help give insight to the realities of the position. Once a great nanny feels welcome in your home, they’ll naturally begin to pick up on the rhythm of your household and can adjust to their new work environment. You might have specific qualities to the way your household is run that can, and should, be pointed out in the interview. Does your family travel a lot? Are members of your family and/or your kids active in post-curricular activities and events? Are you a multilingual or multicultural household? It’s a good idea to be open about the dynamic in the house with the potential nanny so that they can show you if they’re a great fit for your family’s specific needs or not. 

Have a clear list of the responsibilities 

If you’re working with an agency such as ours, you will have already spoken to a representative about the specific responsibilities of the job and will have settled on a rate that you’re willing to offer given the workload and skills required. If you aren’t working with an agency, it’s a good idea to make a list of all your expectations for the responsibilities of this position. For instance, will your nanny need a driver’s license, and perhaps a clean driving record, as they’ll be responsible for pick-ups and drop-offs? How do you plan to handle the administrative duties of recording travel expenses and reimbursements? Will the nanny do any light housekeeping, grocery shopping, or cooking? Will they occasionally run errands? It’s good to have a clear idea of your household’s needs going into the interview so that the interviewee can accurately speak about their experience handling related tasks. 

Take charge of the interview 

In addition to being clear about the responsibilities, it will be your responsibility as the employer to set the tone for the interview, which is the first step to what is sure to be a rewarding relationship for everyone. Get a sense of all the soft skills of the candidate in addition to their qualifying skills for the position. What would you say their personal approach to childcare is? Do they have any guiding philosophies or values that drew them to this kind of work? What’s their favorite age to nanny children, and why? There’s an advantage to in-person interviews over video-conferencing interviews, as you’re much more able to pick up on the qualities in a person that they naturally communicate non-verbally, such as body language and personality. Kids are particularly sensitive to these non-verbal methods of communication and the adults in their lives can have a massive impact on them. Make sure not to get caught up in the details and routine of the interview and take your time to assess if you’re using the time wisely to get a clear sense of the person applying for the role. Generally, you can set the tone to be conversational and positive, so that you can organically get a sense of the person who will be filling this position – who will hopefully soon become instrumental to your household. 

If you need help figuring out fair compensation, ask the experts 

Once you’ve found a great fit for your home, we’re here as a resource to help you figure out what might be the best rate to offer your future nanny to seal the deal. Working with an agency like ours can help ease the burden of negotiating a rate, as we handle that part of the process between the two parties. The nanny’s rate could vary greatly depending on what the average might be locally in your area and the specific job requirements. Check out our many service offerings to make the process simpler overall, and best of luck on your nanny search!