Trial day for nanny

[jclm]

We are recruiting a part time nanny. We have interviewed four women and now have whittled it down to a favourite and a second favourite. Our favourite is not sure about taking the job because of her long commute (30 mins drive, one way, for a four-hour long job). She will come for a trial day next week anyway.

My question is, should we invite our second favourite candidate for a trial, now? Is it usual to trial two nannies? I'm also a bit worried that, for the second preferred candidate, it makes us look bad that we are not going to be contacting her for at least another four days after the interview. It may become obvious to her that she is not our preferred candidate.

I've done loads of trials and most say "we have a few more nannies to see and we'll let you know by X date"

Perfectly normal in my eyes!

I've never done a trial day, until after being offered the job. At that point it's me of a settling in session.

I don't know if I'd be happy with this or not....I think it would depend on how much I wanted the job and what other offers I had.

I assume you're going to pay them for the trial day?

I would be wary of the one with a long commute just in case she changes her mind 3 months in. It is a long commute for four hours work.

Also, whatever you do, I wouldn't just not contact her for four days.

It takes two minutes to send an email saying, 'It was lovely to meet you today, thank you for coming. We thought you interviewed really well. We have a few more interviews this week, but will be making a decision by the end of the week and will let you know by Saturday'.

I think a trial day for more than one nanny is fine as long as, as Nuff said, you pay them for it. You should also expect that the nannies may also have other employers to trial, as it goes both ways. So you may well offer one of them the job, but find that she keeps you waiting while she sees another employer. Its so important for both nannies and employers that the right decision is made

I've never done a trial day but I wouldn't personally have a problem. The only issue could be. The longer you drag out the process of interviewing and adding trial days into the mix, you risk the cost of losing a nanny if they get offered a position.

I think your fave nanny will take your job until she takes something better.

I've never had a trial day. I have had interviews and been told that they are also interviewing others, then usually offered the job and will then do a settling in day (which I am paid for)
I've got to be honest, I know an awful lot of nannies and this tends to be what happens with everyone I know. I think if you offered me a trial day I would (perhaps wrongly) assume that I'd pretty much got the job!

Trial day, why? There is a trial month or more, called a probationary period.

For those who have had a trial day, how does it work? Presumably they need to not be working somewhere already, or it is on a day they don't work elsewhere.

30 mins is not a long commute in my view but if they view it as being quite far, then is that nanny really your first choice?

Have they both met your children? Would having second interview during the day when the children are around help you decide which is the best candidate. Then offer them the job and if they accept then have several months probationary period. Keep the second best candidates details on file, so it it falls apart in the first couple of weeks you can contact them and see if they are still looking for work.

Never had a trial day but Obv you need to pay her

30mins driving for 4hrs work seems ok and normal

I've had a trial day before. It was on a Sunday 11hrs completely over the top of you ask me a couple of hours is plenty.
If you can afford to pay for two nannies to trial I would cause how they interact and do things in your home on that day may change your opinion.
I think 30 minutes is a great commute but if she is already thinking it is long that would send a red flag up for me. She may always be looking for that better job closer to home.

The favourite might not leave based solely on the commute. I left a job on my doorstep for one with a 45 minute job, because the job was better suited to me. Maybe I'm in the minority though.
I would assume, if I was offered a trial that it was pretty much in the bag though. Maybe it's changed since I left nannying (10 years ago) as I never had a trial day for any of my jobs.

thanks for all the replies. we decided to just do the one trial session with our first choice nanny. it was a trial for 4 hours and i paid her the normal rate. it was more for her benefit, rather than ours, so that she could meet the children and decide whether she could work with us or not. she has accepted the job and we are so happy. she is mary poppins!