Interviewing

• The Telephone Interview:
   
  
• Interviewing in person:
   
  
• Questions to Ask:
   
• Talking Money:
   
• Second Interviews:

The Telephone Interview:

It is a good idea that your first contact with a prospective childcarer is over the phone. This means you can weed out unsuitable candidates without having to go through a lengthy face-to-face interview - essential if you have chosen to advertise privately. Good nanny agencies will have taken care to match you with any childcarers they send so girls you see should match your basic requirements such as non-smoker etc.

Below are some basic points you need to know about a nanny before you decide to go ahead with a full interview. It may be handy to keep a written list of questions by the phone in case you forget to mention an important point.

• Full name.
  
• Date of birth.
  
• Contact details.
  
• Smoker/non smoker?
  
• Qualifications?
  
• Does she have references? Remember, no references no job.
  
• Experience: how long? How many children? What ages?
  
• Driver/non-driver?

You should also give her a brief outline about your family and the job you are advertising, including the following points:

• Number of children, their ages and sex.
  
• Description of your home and the accommodation you are providing, if relevant.
  
• Give details of pets.
  
• Give details of any special circumstances or illnesses that the childcarer would have to deal with.
  
• Explain exactly what sort of help you are looking for.
  
• Give details of other help you have at home - cleaner etc. This can be a big plus for a nanny.

If any of these points appears to be a stumbling block you know that the match isn't going to work but atleast you haven't wasted valuable time on a face to face interview.

Interviewing in person:

When you find a candidate you think you would like to take to the next stage make sure you allow plenty of time to interview them in person. Conducting a properly thought out interview may seem like hassle when you have several childcarers to see but it could save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

It is definitely worth making a list of questions before the interview but don't forget, it is important to make the interviewee relaxed and comfortable. Obviously you don't want to scare off any candidates with interrogation-style questioning but there are dozens of different points that may be of particular importance to you and your family. Karen Murphy from Ideal Nannies in London suggests that you offer a cup of tea and start off with some easy, general questions to help your interviewee relax. "Find out what she's been doing and why she likes nannying so that she feels at ease before you start with the more probing questions - that way you'll get better answers". Karen also suggests that you need to be realistic about the sort of answers you expect. If you are asking questions about First Aid you can only seriously expect a thorough knowledge of basic First Aid - remember you are employing a nanny not a nurse.

Questions to Ask:

• What was the childcarers last position - how long was she there for and why did she leave? Was she happy? If not why not?
  
• Training (see qualifications for more information on the different nanny courses) Make sure the childcarer finished the course, ask to see originals of any certificates, and find out which aspects of the course she enjoyed most.
  
• Does she have First Aid training? Check that it is still valid. If it is not, would she be prepared to retake the course?
  
• Has she had to deal with any emergencies? How did she cope?
  
• What would the childcarer do if a child was choking, burnt itself, had a high temperature or a rash?
  
• What age of children is she most experienced with, does this fit in with your age?
  
• What sort of activities would she suggest as suitable for your children?
  
• What are her views on discipline? How would she discipline a child of - insert age of your child.
  
• Why does she like being a nanny? (This question has been known to elicit some illuminating responses).
  
• What does she feel is the most important responsibility in the job?
  
• What does she think children like about her?
  
• Does she forsee a long-term career in childcare?
  
• What does she consider to be a nutritious, healthy diet - can she cook?
  
• Does she insist on 'sole charge'? Is she aware of the full responsibility it entails? (If you are a mum at home you need to make sure that the childcarer can work in tandem with you)
  
• Will she help out with light household chores?
  
• Does she smoke?
  
• Does she take drugs (medicinal or recreational)?
  
• Does she have any medical problems that could hinder her effectiveness in the job?
  
• Does she drive?
  
• What is her family background? Is she close to her family etc?
  
• Discuss your babysitting requirements.
  
• Does she have a boyfriend (how will he fit in? Will he babysit with her?)
  
• How does she feel about accompanying you on holiday?
  
• Ask for her references - question her closely about her referees. Make sure you have their telephone numbers and addresses and speak privately with the referees. If you can manage it try and see referees in person.
  
• Does she have a police check? Would she be prepared to obtain one?
  
• Talk about any house rules that are important to you. How do you work the use of the telephone, what are your rules on friends visiting, TV during the day, is the nanny allowed use of the car in her spare time or is it nursery duties only, etc. All these points need to be discussed for the match between parent and nanny to work happily.

This is a starting point for your interview. Think about what you need from your childcarer and add other questions that are relevant to you.

Ask the childcarer if they have any questions and be prepared to answer openly and honestly. There is no point in trying to 'sell' the job if the reality of what you expect and want is different, it will only lead to a falling out if the childcarer finds you cannot live up to your promises.

Let's Talk Money: (also see Pay and Conditions):
Most nannies will not accept a penny less than that they were earning at their last employers. Find out what salary they are on and the hours they are working and make your offer accordingly. Now is the time to discuss perks, time off and holidays as well as pay. (See contracts for more information.)

Second Interviews:
It is always a good idea to do second interviews for serious candidates. They should meet all members of the family and any nagging doubts can be dispelled or confirmed on both sides. At the second interview you may go into greater detail about your routine and what you expect in terms of house rules. Most nannies agree that they would rather thrash out issues including ones that may seem embarrassing such as: "can my boyfriend stay overnight?" before they start a job. Again it prevents potential problems on both sides.
Spending a day or the afternoon together is a good idea. As one of our Best Bear mother's says, "It is possible to keep up a front through an interview but it is really difficult for a whole day." Try and arrange an activity such as taking the children to the park together. It will give you a chance to asses the childcarer in an informal situation, see her with the children and give you a much clearer insight into whether her personality will suit the family and vice versa.