I've got an interview on Tuesday...Help!

[letsgoflyakite]

Hello,

I have an interview for an overseas nanny position on Tuesday. I am meeting with a family friend, and NOT a member of the family.

One of my questions will be "Will there be a chance to meet the children prior to accepting the position, if it were offered to me?". I don't think I want to travel 6000 miles to live with a family that I have never met, and with children who I can't bond with, or vice versa.

Has anyone accepted a position (overseas or otherwise) where they have not met the family? I did when I was an au-pair, but this is much more 'important', I think.

I also want to know about the children's routine as one of the children is disabled. There are other childcarers employed, but it is an informal household.

Any other questions I need to be asking? I already have a good idea about the accomodation etc, but should I ask anyway? Same with salary...should I mention it or will they bring it up?

Cheers in advance :)

Has salary not been mentioned already - are you applying for a job where you don't know the salary? I would not even be applying without knowing at least a salary range?

What do you know about the country they live in? May be worth asking questions about that, what daily life is like. It may be somewhere that you have to have a security escort at all times when outside of the home, or it may not be the case. Also you will want to establish what visa you need, who will arrange that and pay the costs? What about any injections you may need.

If it is 6000 miles, it may be tricky to meet the children... but maybe they could arrange for a webcam chat. Not ideal though... maybe a trial weekend but it's a bit far to go - it's not just flying over the Channel.

Whilst it may be an informal household - is that how the other 'staff' see it? Could you talk with any of the existing staff?

Thanks for replying Nick. I know the salary! But it is a 'range', with £100 a week difference 'depending on experience'. I've worked as a weekend nanny for a high profile family in the UK for the last 3 years, but obviously this is part time, and previous to that I was a full time temporary nanny for 8 months. I will be a qualified children's nurse when I go, and have an NVQ 3 CCLD. Not sure if this 'experience' is acceptable to head for the higher range of the offer.

I know a little bit about the country, but will ask questions about it, for sure. It's not an Arab country, (is that PC?!) so probably wouldn't require security escorts, and same with cultural dress. It's pretty Westernised, I do believe.

It is a 14 hour flight, so I'd have to be there for a week, but the agency did say it is pretty common 'these families' to fly you over.

I can ask to speak to existing staff. There is another nanny employed by the same agency. Should I ask the woman interviewing me or the agency?

:)

I've never done nannying abroad, so I have no idea. The person interviewing you may not know all the in's and out's of the job, so maybe best to show your best side to them so the parents are interested in you, then discuss with agency about talking to staff and visit out there.

I worked abroad as a nanny without meeting the family. ( Pre-Skype ) I had numerous phone calls with the Mum boss and went over on a 3mth holiday visa before applying for a full visa. This gave us both a chance to end things if we felt it wasn't working.

I would insist on a Skype call with the family and have a trial period written into your contract. Make sure you have the funds to be able to get home if things don't work out. My job was hard - they went through several nannies due to the Mum being a bit neurotic - A4 pages of to do's every day including a diagram of what size to cut the green beans - but I knew she meant well and I knew it was only for 2yrs tops due to visa restrictions. I loved living abroad and embraced a new life style.

Good luck with the interview. I hope it goes well.

Thanks Ebb.

I will use Skype if a visit isn't possible, but the family travel frequently, so I guess there is a possibility they might come this way (even if it's to somewhere in Europe) that I can fly to in order to meet them. I also want a trial period built in, just in case. I do have the funds to get home, but would the family/agency be responsible unless it was gross misdconduct? As in, if they don't like me, do I have to pay for my flight home, even if I am willing to uphold my part of the contract? It's not something I want to ask about really!

Same with me, I am looking forward to earning loads of money over a 2 year period! It's ONLY 2 years, and that's fine by me!

where were you working?