We put up an advert for a part-time nanny a few days ago. We interviewed a lovely Australian girl (Nanny A) whom we got along with very well but who hasn't worked for about 18 months and seems to need a job right away - which is fair enough I suppose. We interviewed her on Sunday and asked her to email us details of her references on the following day.
She emailed less than an hour after leaving our home with 2 telephone references and an email address for a much older position, one that she left about 4 years ago saying that she didn't normally give out this person as a reference but they had 2 children close together as we do and so she thought it would be relevant. She included in the email that she was extremely interested in the position and it was exactly what she was looking for, dream job, etc etc. We only are looking for about 10 hours per week and she hasn't said definitively what she's doing the rest of the time.
Before we can even check references, two days later I receive an email from another candidate, Nanny B, a bit of a vague response, but basically along the lines of 'I am very interested in your position please tell me ASAP if you have found someone or if I can come for interview, maybe you have someone already...' Odd bit? This is from the EXACT email address Nanny A provided us as the 4-year-old reference contact.
I emailed Nanny A asking about this and she quickly replied back 'Oh sorry, it wasn't xxx.xxxx123@yahoo it was xxx.xxxx1234@yahoo'. Also another spiel about how she really wanted job and could we get back to her ASAP.
Am I right in being suspicious of this? Otherwise we got along with her very well and probably would have offered her the job but her extreme exuberance and seeming need to start literally tomorrow. I am scared to even email the reference...thinking it may all be a sham and her mate or something on the other end.
Where are all the good part-time nannies