So you’ve decided that two hands is not enough for the children and all that you have to do around the house – it’s time to hire a nanny! Given that this person is going to be caring for beloved members of your family, you want to be sure that the person that you hire will be the right fit for you and your family. Following are a few tips to help in your search:
What is it you are looking for?
The first step is to sit down and think about things such as job duties, what the schedule will be, how much you will be paying for the position, and what the requirements of the position will be. Are there any special skills or abilities, such as speaking another language, that you would like your nanny to have? Think about the kinds of activities your child enjoys, and whether or not they will need to help your child with a certain subject in school. Do you need someone with lots of experience, or perhaps you will be around enough of the time that someone with less experience would work for you? If you have an infant, requiring a whooping cough vaccination could be important. Will this position require the nanny to drive your child? If so, will you provide the vehicle or will they need to have reliable transportation?
In all cases, having a clean background check and DMV record, as well as CPR and First Aid training should be required. If the nanny does not yet have their CPR and First Aid training, give them a deadline to get the training completed.
Identifying Potential Candidates
The next step is to place an ad, e.g. online or in print, with a description of the position (e.g. duties, requirements, compensation, schedule, etc.), asking them to email you their resume. The use of email will ensure that you don’t get hundreds of phone calls, allow you to initially screen candidates based on their resume, and ask any follow up questions you may have. Call the qualified candidates to conduct a preliminary interview.
You will want to find out why they are looking for a new position, what it is that they are currently doing for work/school, and what their long term plans are. You should also discuss your position with them to ensure that you are both on the same page in terms of what is expected.
In-Person Interview
Now it is time to decide who you would like to meet in person. It is very important that you meet with more than one nanny!!! You should be meeting with at least three candidates. This will allow you to compare and contrast each candidate and will help you zero in on what qualities are important to you.
The in-person interview will allow you to check for proper documentation, and to discuss your position with them in more detail. Ask open ended questions about what kinds of activities they would do with your child, how they feel about discipline, what their child rearing philosophy is, and what they did in other nanny positions.
You will also want to call and check the references of recent and relevant positions.
Job Offer
Once you have settled on a nanny, you will want to run background checks and have them work a trial week with you. Assuming all goes well with the background checks and the trial week, you would then offer the position to them! It is a good idea to provide them with a written job offer outlining all of the specifics of your position. This will ensure that you have a place to look back on should a question regarding the position ever come up.
The above are just a few tips that will help you find the right nanny for your family Of course, if you are limited on time or just plain overwhelmed by the process, that what Crunch Care is for! Give us a call, 877-553-4231, to find out more about how we work, and how we can help your family find the perfect nanny!
