There are 5 things that a family should know and understand before hiring a nanny. The more you know, the better off your nanny experience will be.
Finding the right nanny is essential. Nannies provide a service that is important to the smooth operation of your home and transition into going back to work or adding a child to your family unit. Nannies have a direct impact on your child(ren)’s lives. The process of sourcing and vetting a nanny can be overwhelming at first. More often than not, families will attempt a nanny search on their own and find themselves with a revolving door of unreliable and inexperienced candidates.
Sourcing career nannies is a skill that is learned over years of industry experience. Hello, Nanny!™offers a seamless process and is here to support families when they are ready to embark on the journey of hiring a career nanny.
Here are a few ways Hello, Nanny!™ prepares families for the interview process, onboarding process, and making sure you choose the best fit for your family.
Assess Your Family Needs
Hello, Nanny!™ spend’s time with your family in order to learn exactly what and who you are looking for. During the hiring process, we assist you in forming an understanding of what your family would like your nanny’s duties to be. When we are recruiting and presenting candidates to you, having a knowledgeable and in depth understanding of who this person is will ensure that you and your possible nanny are on the same page, resulting in a more pleasant environment–and fewer surprises down the road. Job description topics to consider are:
- Guaranteed hours
- Pet care
- Transportation
- Specific diets, allergies or health needs
- Assistance with schoolwork
- Light housekeeping
- Grocery shopping
- Running errands
- Children’s sports and activities
- Age appropriate activities and crafts
- Petty cash
- Playdates
- Going to parks, zoos, or events
- And so much more…
Interviewing Preparation
Explain your expectations throughout the interview process to evaluate if you and the candidate are a good fit. We also encourage our nannies to bring a list of their own questions with them. It is critical that both parties ensure that they are a good match.
Explain parenting techniques, how you want them to handle situations, or what the daily schedule will be. Consider topics like how much screen time is okay, how much time spent outside, and types of activities. Discuss your schedule and any important things your nanny should follow. Once you share this with them, you can determine if they will fit your lifestyle and parenting style.
When you are interviewing candidates, a great question can start with: “Give me an example of a time when…” This can include:
- A time when you felt unsupported with a previous position. How did you manage that?
- A time when you felt overwhelmed. How did you overcome that feeling and situation
- A time when you left a position. Why did you leave?
- A time when you were let go. Why were you let go?
This forces the candidate to speak and leverage real experience as opposed to being able to gloss over and fluff an answer.
When you work with us at Hello, Nanny!™ we provide families all the tools and resources they’ll need to truly interview and assess whether the candidates we source will be a good fit. We recommend families and nannies have a virtual interview, followed by an in person meet and greet. If all goes well, we will assist in coordinating a working trial.
The best part is when working with us, families can rest assured that we have done all the pre screening for every candidate we send your way. We make sure they are not only highly qualified, but they are also a good personality match for your family.
Trial Period Preparation
Hello, Nanny!™ is with you every step of the way, including preparation for a paid working trial. There are many great nannies out there, but sometimes they don’t fit exactly what you’re looking for. With different personalities and styles, it can be hard to know which nanny will be the best for you. Once you have met with a few candidates, it is important to arrange a paid working trial in order for your family and potential candidate to get a feel for the routine together. This is a fantastic time to show them around your neighborhood, provide time for bonding, and go for a trip to the park together so you can assess their driving and get to know each other better.
Nannies Vetting
This is a step that shouldn’t be overlooked. At Hello, Nanny!™ we take the background and reference check process extremely seriously. We always make sure to make direct contact with previous families they have worked for, and have a keen eye for differentiating mock up references vs. legitimate references. This process is also a craft, including using your intuition, reading between the lines, and a lot of FBI work. Our candidates go through a rigorous screening process- not every candidate makes it into our Hello, Nanny!™ network. All of our candidates are screened and verified prior to adding them to our network. When you review a profile, you will also be reviewing references. They two go hand in hand at Hello, Nanny!™ You will have an in depth understanding of the candidates work history, their strengths, and more.
Work Agreement Preparation
Work agreements are often times the difference between a long term placement, and a position that has high turnover. At Hello, Nanny!™ families can rest assured that we will guide you in the process with your nanny.
We will assist you if you have had difficulty finding a qualified and trustworthy nanny. Our knowledge of the industry is combined with a personal touch. From the beginning, your family and nanny will be supported. We’ll be there for you every step of the journey, and we’ll be a constant source of information and support. Making long lasting partnerships is what we thrive on.
If you’re ready to say: Hello, Nanny!™ and Goodbye, Stress, we look forward to hearing from you!
