How many nannys did you interview?

[Misty9]

We've seen three so far and none have resulted in me thinking "yes, that one!" Am I being unrealistic? We have another three lined up but then we really need to make a decision. Or do we keep looking? Did you just know when you met the right nanny? Dd is 11 months and very reticent with unfamiliar people so we can't necessarily go by her reaction...
Help!

Where abouts are you based?

East of England.

I wash e of 6 when I got my current Job :-)

Current job - I was the second nanny they interviewed
Previous job - I was the fifth

I actually don't know how you know you've met the right nanny unless they have a trial session. Best of luck with your search.

See the other 3 and then decide

In some ways 3 isn't a lot to see - often nannies will see 5/6 familiies and decide none of them are the right job so why shouldn't employers

We only met 5 but I only met people if I really liked the CV. Liked 3 of the 5 enough for my partner to meet them. We then had two we really liked in different ways, so not sure I could say either was "the one".

Then convinced myself the nanny we had hired was probably horrible and wouldn't bond with my DD and it was all going to be a disaster, but did a few days together while she finished up her previous job which made me feel much happier. And several months on it all seems to be going really well.

So I suppose I think looking for " the one" is not very realistic, but then I think the same about relationships, so maybe I'm just insufficiently romantic

I was one of 5 nannies my current employers interviewed. They said they really liked my CV and when my initial interview went well I came back for a second 24hr interview (I'm a live-in nanny) which I suppose was like a trial shift. We really "clicked" so I was offered the job at the end of the 24hrs and they didn't call anyone else back.

It was clearly the right decision as everything is still going well 18mths later!

See as many as you need to. A nanny won't work unless you're totally comfortable with her.

Bit different as we have an au pair rather than a nanny, but both times we have recruited I have waited until I found the candidate with whom I felt something 'click'. I liken it to finding a partner: it doesn't matter how early or late in 'looking' you find them - it just matters that you find the right person.

1. We liked 2 and would have been happy with either. 3 isn't many. You aren't being fussy. It is a very personal decision to get the right fit for your family.

I telephone interview if I like the CV. I telephone interview around 12 candidates usually, then meet in person 3 or 4. I only meet candidates if they are a serious recruitment possibility. Of the ones I meet I generally know which one I want to give the job to!

We got about 12 cvs. Narrowed down to 4 we wanted to interview. 3 attended interview (1 had already found a job by then). We decided between 2. I say start with 3 - 4 interviews and if none of those applicants are suitable, setup some more.

1. But I was v v lucky and they came pre vetted by reputable sources. Was thinking about interviewing someone else but thought "what else could I be looking for?" As they matched pretty much exactly with everything I wanted for the kids/me/my husband.

Well, we've still only seen three as the other three have all called off interviews due to sickness!! Argh! I can't think I'd cancel a job interview unless I was really ill, or contagious. And it doesn't exactly bode well for reliability either.

Getting pretty stressed about the whole thing and now looking at the nursery ds goes to as an alternative option. I can't even really remember the first candidate!