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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

Interviewing prosective nannies

26 replies

lobsters · 25/05/2009 20:55

I'm starting interviewing tomorrow, I've got the questions from nannyjob and developing some of my own, but rather than reinventing the wheel I wondered if anyone out there had any good questions I could borrow.

Also any tips on how to approach the interview? I do some interviewing at work, and I know I have a reputation for being quite tough, not many people get through my interviews. I'm guessing I should lighten up a bit for these interviews, but any tips as the best way to approach the interview. Ultimately this job is more important than any I've interviewed for at work, so I need to make sure I get the best possible candidate.

(and if anyone is interested in applying details on the mums wanting childcare thread, full time, permanent in Reading from October - plug, plug )

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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nannynick · 25/05/2009 21:26

How many nannies are you going to interview?

Nanny Interview Questions - this list has just some of the many questions you may want to ask a nanny. Some questions on the list you would not ask, as would not be relevant to your particular job.

Go with gut instincts. See who you and your child like best (I know your child - boy or girl? - is still young, but even babies can indicate who they like).

nannynick · 25/05/2009 21:28

I'm impressed that you are interviewing tomorrow for an October start. Nothing like sorting it all out in advance.

Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 21:30

I've got 2 candidates so far, but just put ads on gumtree and nannyjob, so will see who else appears. I'm with an agency who are being quite pushy and seeing 2 of their candidates, one of whom looks promising.

DD is 4 and a half months, to be honest at the moment she smiles at everyone. It's lovely but she's not very discerning.

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Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 21:31

I'm interviering now as if I don't find someone I'll need to make a commitment to a nursery within a month or so. I was guessing that there may be some nannies whose jobs come to an end in August/ September as children head off to school and might like to get a job lined up early.

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nannynick · 25/05/2009 21:34

Be picky about who you interview, as you have plenty of time. Agencies can be pushy, but you should make sure candidates they want to send meet all your requirements.

While your DD may well smile at everyone, she may not like being picked up by everyone. Nanny candidates also may not be that keen to pick her up - it can be tricky to work out when during an interview you are able to touch a baby.

Will your DD be present during the interviews, or will you aim for her to be asleep?

nannynick · 25/05/2009 21:37

Yes, I always like to line up jobs as early as possible. In past nanny jobs, I have either known in advance when it would end, or I have needed to give an academic terms notice.

snickersnack · 25/05/2009 21:38

I certainly wouldn't try and intimidate them! Nannynick's linked list is good. I asked all the nannies if they knew the area, had friends locally and if not what they would do to make friends and find activities. I also spent a bit of time describing my dcs' temperaments and asking them how they would respond in certain situations (tantrums, refusal to eat etc). And the scenario thing is a good one - "what would you do if you got locked out of the house with the dcs/what would you do if one of them started choking/what would you do if there was a fire in the kitchen" type thing. Just to check their ability to stay cool in a crisis. My favourite question for sifting good nannies from not so good is "what do you like best about children?".

Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 21:38

If I'm honest I have no idea, when I arranged the interviews I planned that she would be asleep for the first 30 mins or so and wake up at the end for introductions, however routine has just gone out of the window for reasons I'm trying to work out, so anything could happen.

I'm happy to see both candidates so far, they meet my minimum requirements, but I'm not going to be rushed into a decision. I'm trying to keep my work head on to an extent as I'm far more hard headed and hearted at work and able to make better decisions

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foxinsocks · 25/05/2009 21:40

I think you're interviewing v v early

we'll be looking for someone from Sept/Oct and I'm not even going to bother till mid July

last time I had to interview, I ended up finding the person I wanted only a few weeks before the job started.

So you may be in for a long haul!

foxinsocks · 25/05/2009 21:45

I also interview at work but am a bit of a pussycat I think . I might need some tips from you on toughening up my technique!

I have known instinctively when I've employed nannies. You may well find the same.

It's as much someone who fits into the way you like things done and your general approach to life as anything else (so if you like laidback, then look for that and if you like spotless/tidy/routine, look for that in their general characteristics, rather than striving for what you think might make an ideal nanny iyswim).

nannynick · 25/05/2009 21:51

If you are who I think you are, then ask them about how they feel about you working at home one day per week (is that you?). Oh, if that is you - then see if your cat can be present for the interview... whomever your cat sits on, hire them. Cats seem able to tell who is nice.

Consider where the nanny lives, Reading traffic can be a nightmare - so you want them to be your side of Reading, not having to travel through the centre.

nannynick · 25/05/2009 21:56

I planned that she would be asleep for the first 30 mins or so and wake up at the end for introductions.

Nice plan... pity it's unlikely to happen that way. Probably best to just go with the flow on the day of the interview... if your DD is awake so be it, if she is asleep you can always invite candidate back for a second interview.

I don't think you are interview that early... as in my current job I interviewed about 3.5-4 months before starting.

foxinsocks · 25/05/2009 22:01

oh I don't think there's any harm in starting early. Have always planned to do that but it's ended up dragging on and on.....

Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 22:01

Yep it's me who will be at home one day a week, if all goes to plan and my boss says yes.

Cat plan is a good one, she does like to size people up.

Worse scenario with DD is that she needs feeding, so if it looks like there is a clash I'll try and feed her beforehand. Although with the heat, she seems to think lunch is for wimps.

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foxinsocks · 25/05/2009 22:03

(also would see how you are going to make sure they don't take another job in the meantime - have had that happen to a few friends of ours who thought they'd secured a nanny months in advance only to find out they kept their eye open for other jobs and took them!)

Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 22:07

Good tip fox, I've been told one of them is with their current employer until September, but good thing to add to my list.

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nannynick · 25/05/2009 22:07

Another place to look for people to interview is Find A Babysitter (use the Map View, note I have selected a Reading postcode at random)

nannynick · 25/05/2009 22:18

There is a great nursery in your part of Reading that I temped at a few years back. Alas have just read (on a BBC website) that it is closing in October this year.

nannynick · 25/05/2009 22:20

Ask nannies why they want to leave their current job. Mind you, I'm never good at answering that question - sometimes nannies just want a change... though do check that a nanny who want's a change has been in the job quite a while, as you don't want them to leave your job after only a few months.

Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 22:39

If you want to throw people at work interviews, being heavily pregnant seemed to do the trick. I think a few candidates were a little scared I was going to go into labour during the interview. And in a few I was so bored I was tempted to pretend

I think my interviewing got tougher when I was pregnant as I was awlways knackered, and just lost my patience with people demanding an enormous salary, thinking they were the best thing to ever happen in financial services, and actually knowing next to nothing. I'm terrible for looking very bored and annoyed and not keeping a neutral face, so will have to practice.

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Original poster

lobsters · 25/05/2009 22:40

I have DD's name down at 2 nurseries just in case. Wonder which one is closing, can't find the story.

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Judy1234 · 25/05/2009 22:44

I think it's useful to know about future plans such as is she about to emigrate at Christmas. For us as our children got older things ilke being able to drive started to matter.

We interviewed our first daily nanny who stayed 10 years before the baby was born (as I didn't have long off work) and that was well in advance but we felt we needed the certainty that we had someone.

nannynick · 26/05/2009 07:29

The story is on the BBC staff website... the BBC are closing all their workplace nurseries.

Xenia makes a good point about future plans. What you want from a nanny when your DD is little may well differ from what you want when DD is 4 / 5 years old or even older. You ideally want to find a nanny who is great with babies, as well as with older children.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time... is a horrible interview question, but is one that is often asked.

frAKKINPannikin · 26/05/2009 13:46

'Where do you see yourself in 5 years time' I've only ever been asked in a job I didn't particularly want so I answered with "not here!"

Blondeshavemorefun · 26/05/2009 13:54

i dont think you are looking too early for oct

we are nearly at end of may - it may take you a month to find someone,interview,check ref etc so end of june, i have 2mths notice in my contract, which taakes to end of august, so only sept left and job starts in oct

you are right many nannies leave sept/oct, i left my last job after 5years end of oct, so i could settle my youngest into school, it would have been too much for her to lose me , start new school and have a new after school nanny

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