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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

trial sessions for nannies - does this sound reasonable?

26 replies

motherpeculiar · 26/09/2006 22:59

met 4 potentials today - all good in different ways. have decided we want to take things further (sounds dodgey but ykwim) with two
instead of a 2nd interview I thought of having a (paid) trial half day, where they would spend 4 or 5 hours with me and the kids, maybe knock up a spot of lunch, come to the park with us etc. I want to see how they are with the kids (obviously) but also how good they are at organising themselves and just chat a bit more in order to glean things you can't in an interview situation
Both have fairly busy other lives, and other long term career goals (which is fine as I think we'll be moving on from the nanny solution within 12 months once DD1 hits year 1 at school) so I also want to get a sense of how committed they would be to the job, which I might get a better feel for from a longer, more informal session
what do you all think? is this an accepted procedure or will they think it's all too much?

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thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 26/09/2006 23:13

I think it's ok, as long as you are upfront about what you are doing - ie tell them that you really can't make your mind up (butter them up - it's because they're so good..) and you think this would be the best way. as long as you pay them and tell them, it would be ok. it might depend on what they are currently doing in their lives as to whether they accept - it might be difficult. You can also sell it as a two-way thing - a chance for them to get to know you too.

Original poster

motherpeculiar · 27/09/2006 09:16

thanks twwtswah

good idea to sell as two way thing, it's true too

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WishICouldGiveUpWork · 27/09/2006 10:52

I did exactly this with a girl from Norland-in fact Norland instist on it.
Am VERY pleased we did it (24hrs) as we found out,for all sorts of reasons that we definitely didn't want to employ her.
Had we gone with just the interview and the fact that she was head girl at Norland we would have given her the job and I think had a bad experience.

Definitely go for the trial.

Original poster

motherpeculiar · 27/09/2006 10:59

that's very interesting wicguw, thanks

what kind of things did you find came to light? do you reckon 5 hours would be enough to build up a decent picture? otherwise could ask them to come for a full day I guess...

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WishICouldGiveUpWork · 27/09/2006 11:48

Well shockingly enough-she didn't appear to know how to hold a baby whilst feeding a bottle,was completely inexperienced at bathing which was a huge shock for us given she was head girl at Norland.
It also came to light that she ate very little and when she did,she disappeared into the loo immediately afterwards and appeared to have major food issues.
So,I guess we would have probably picked up on two out of the three in a half day-dd was only 5 mts at the time.
I think longer the better although you will probably know quite quickly if they are wrong for you-takes a little longer to work out whether they are right or not

Original poster

motherpeculiar · 27/09/2006 12:00

oooh, sounds like you did have a lucky escape

did you do the same with subsequent potentials? I'm planning to do with a couple in quick succession as am finding it difficult to decide between them on just one interview and am not sure what else I'd find out in another interview type setting

Know what you mean about knowing quickly enough if they are wrong, not so quickly if right...it's a tricky business

OP posts:

Uwila · 27/09/2006 12:12

I think you can definately do this. And I think paying them is generous. If I went for a new job, I'd expect an interview process ito involve more than one interview, and I'd also expect a second or third interview might tak up half a day.

Also, if they are willing to do this, it would show a level of willingness to accommodate you that might in itself be a requirement for the job. My current nanny showed up a week early so that she could get to know the system and get to know the kids before I suddenly went back to work full time. She was not paid anything more than room and board for this week. It wasn't really full time, but usually about a half day on each day. For example, one day was spent going into London so I could show her around the public transport system since she had never before set foot in the UK. Of course, then July 7th happened and I added to the house rules that she was NEVER to take my children on the tube... but I've since relaxed that rule.

Anyway, who gets paid to go to an interview. I would probably ask them to cime for a three hour interview then take her lunch.

WishICouldGiveUpWork · 27/09/2006 14:28

Have to admit I didn't do it with the one I employed-just felt righ and she was the only one who did.Fortunately she was wonderful but am recruiting at the moment and am definitely going to do a trial day if I have the slightest doubt or there are two to choose from (ha-two to choose from...I should be so lucky!)

jura · 27/09/2006 14:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Uwila · 27/09/2006 15:17

In my experience an expectation on nannyjob is rarely an accurate depiction of the real world. Not the one I live in anyway.

jura · 27/09/2006 15:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Uwila · 27/09/2006 15:40

You are just nicer than I am.

RTKangaMummy · 27/09/2006 15:52

IMHO it would show you to be a generous family and that you value her time to pay her for the day

If not, then imho you are not showing that you think her time is worth paying for

Remember she may be choosing between you and another family

SO you wouldn't want to come accross as mean and penny pinching would you?

I am at the norland nanny but IMHO {and IME} experience is worth more than qualifications

Uwila · 27/09/2006 16:16

Who is inerviewing whom in your scenario, Kanga? When I interview a nanny, she must convince me that she is the best person for the job. Of course it goes both ways, but I'm not going to pass out my hard earned money if she isn't the one. I'd rather give the money and the loyalty to the one that I do hire, and not the one that I might hire.

Nobody gets paid to go to an interview. (or if they do I'm in the wrong profession -- which is a distinct possibility)

RTKangaMummy · 27/09/2006 16:23

When I was in Canada I was the one who was choosing the best family for me so it was their job to impress me iyswim

But yes in this case the question was the other way round, but still think that it shows you to be valueing her time, and it shows that you are kind

And this is more than an interview isn't it?

It depends if you want to be kind really doesn't it?

RTKangaMummy · 27/09/2006 16:25

Happy nanny = happy children = happy parents = happy home

Uwila · 27/09/2006 16:28

I think it depends how much money you have to throw at your childcare arrangements really. And if that is limited, do you want to give some of it to the person you aren't going to hire? Or would you rather use that £50 on welcome present for the one you do hire?

I expect my nanny to as loyal to me as I am to be employer. And I would not ask to be paid for a second interview. Once I have an offer of employment and a start date thenI expect to be paid from that day forward. But not before.

Uwila · 27/09/2006 16:29

you can only have one equal sign in an equation. For example, cheap nanny = happy parent.

Anchovy · 27/09/2006 16:34

My current nanny is absolutely excellent. When I was interviewing her she was holding a number of offers - basically every family she went to see for an interview offered her a job. My experience is that this is the case for very good nannies when they come onto the market - certainly where I live. So in response to the the question "who is interviewing whom", with a good nanny there is clearly a case that they are interviewing you as well. In my experience it is also not a question of the salary - I think they are looking for the parents they can get on with best, the attitude of the parents to the children and to the nanny. I think this is also a benefit of an extended interview or day session.

My nanny came for a second interview at the weekend - an hour or so to meet the children, who were asleep when we did first interviews. I think any longer that a couple of hours should be paid. I am astonished that your nanny did a "free" week on integration even working part time. I wouldn't do that at work. (I had three days when I was paying 2 nannies, the old one and the new one as I thought it was important for everyone for there to be an overlap).

Anchovy · 27/09/2006 16:36

BTW, I completely disagree on the cheap nanny = happy parent equation.

annh · 27/09/2006 17:27

Also disagree with the cheap nanny = happy parent scenario. IMO, cheap nanny keeps parent happy only until nanny finds out how much less she is paid then the going rate at which time she loses whatever flexibility she had, enthusiasm lessens and she fairly quickly finds a new job.

Any interview process (and not just for a nanny) is surely a two-way process. It's been a while since I interviewed for anything but always thought of the process as a two-way exchange of information and now that I interview for jobs in our company a lot, I am happy when candidates are obviously using the interview process as an information gathering opportunity and are really considering whether the job is a good "fit" for them.

Coolmama · 27/09/2006 17:41

we had two fairly indepth interviews with current nanny - she also spent half a day with DS just getting acquainted - we did pay her for that.
We also added a 6 week probationary period for both her and us - was important to me that she be as happy with us as we were with her.

Uwila · 27/09/2006 20:02

ok, I was joking about cheap nanny = happy parent. It was an example of an equation with one equal sign.

But, I still think you are not morally obligated to pay for an second interview. If you can and want to fine, that's nice. But, I don't think it's required.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 27/09/2006 20:55

uwila - I think there are some differences here between a trial session for a nanny and a second interview for many of us. first of all, nannies are more likely to incur loss of earnings by taking the time to do a trial session, secondly - certainly in London - their earnings and their outgoings must be very finely balanced (I certainly wouldn;t like to live on a nanny's wage in London)so I think they are less likely than those of us who earn more to be able to afford to do a half day's work for free. The other element of this is the nature of what's being done. mp isn't talking about an extended interview, she's talking about actually doing some work. In my line of work it is very common, at interview, or in preparation for interview, to be asked to do a written test. this is a mock-up, it is part of the interview process and afterwards it ends up in the bin - and I would not expect to be paid for it. If, however, it was "for real" and the employer went on to actually use what I had produced I would be pd annoyed - if they want to use what I had done I would reasonably expect a consultancy fee. In some lines of work (like nannying)there may be a fine line between an extended interview and a trial where you actually do some real work, but given what I said above about nannies and their wages, I personally, am happier with my own conscience if I consider "trial" time as work, for which they deserve to be paid, not interview.

Original poster

motherpeculiar · 27/09/2006 21:22

well, looks like it is a standard thing to do then and they won't think I am barmy...thanks guys

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