Aupair world a few questions

[naughtymummy]

We are currently in the process of trying to recruit our first aupair and wondered if anyone could lend us some advice. We are getting up to 50 responses a day is thisnormal? Do you realy respond to them all as the website suggests or just contact the hopeful one directly. Also how many potential au pairs should we be responding to ? Any advice gratefully recieved.

Are you in London? We are in the sticks and only get a few applications each day - some of which are straightforward 'No's, some of which I umm and errr over and don't answer imediately and some of which I answer "Yes' and send a standard email at the same time. If they respond to the standard email I send a list of questions and take it from there.
I try to 'run' 3 or 4 good potential applicants at a time (or I get too confused) but the drop out rate is high! Not sure if that's because we are outside London though.

yes reply to all of them.

respond yes to as many as fulfil your basic criteria (eg dont smoke, age range, willing to look after children of the right age)

you will be amazed how quickly hopeful applicants can disappear. The good ones get loads of applications from families, and end up choosing between 20 offers.