How long are your nanny interviews?

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Hi. I am in the process of looking for a new nanny as our nanny of 4 yrs decided not to move with us to Sevenoaks (from London). Thing is, we haven't made the move yet and i will be interviewing candidates tom at a pub (!) in sevenoaks tomorrow.
I am interviewing a few candidates in my temporary offices and was wondering how much time to allocate. Also, if you were in my shoes, how many candidates would you limit it to before brain started to atrophy....
DH and DCs will not be there but will be in the area. If somebody was completely stand out, i figured i could text them to come and meet candidate....

Personally, I wouldnt go any interview if the interview is not going to be held in potential employers' house. But thats me anyway.

ah, that is a problem as there is no house as yet! (though we are looking at 2 rentals that morning)

Oh, I see. I thought you are one of those paranoid parents who doesnt want nannies to see their house and the kids at first interview. As they(kids) might get confused!

Good luck for the interviews.

oh Mtorun, i wish as that would mean i have a house to move into!
I toyed with idea of making them come to London but i thought it is easier for them if i just parked myself in a local pub and have a nice chat there.
Thanks for wishing me luck -- we are looking for our 3rd nanny (1st stayed for 2.5 yrs, the current one has been with us for nearly 4) sooooo not a lot of experience interviewing and hoping the ol "gut instinct" still works as it did the first 2 times around...

Dont worry, I'm sure it will be all fine. Where are you going to move, if you dont mind me asking?

the million dollar question!
around sevenoaks. the only certain thing is my children are going to primary school in the middle of 7oaks so we have to move by sept!

When i got my current position i was interveiwed in a hotel lobby as they were moving to the area. I was there about an hour and towards the end of the hour the dad and the children turned up. I'm sure if she didn't like me, she wouuldn,t have kept me talking (and i've now been with them 3 1/2years)

When i got my current position i was interveiwed in a hotel lobby as they were moving to the area. I was there about an hour and towards the end of the hour the dad and the children turned up. I'm sure if she didn't like me, she wouuldn,t have kept me talking (and i've now been with them 3 1/2years)

See. Every time I read something you have written I laugh. Nanny interviews in a pub. Now there's a new one. Perhaps you should should guage how well the bartender knows them.

Oh the glamour Strix!

I dont see a problem with meeting in a pub neutral ground for an intial meeting and shows you are committed to finding a nanny coming to them rather than getting them to travel to london.

I would give yourself an hr per canditate as then gives you 30-45mins to interview and 15mins in between to make some notes to reflect on later - and get another drink (soft drink of course!!)

I would say 4-5 nannies max as if starting say at 10am that will be 2-3pm before you are done.

If you have 3 excellent potential ones I would just go with those rather than interviewing other for the sake of it.

ha ha

knew this was you from the title

as i said i met my current mb&dc in starbucks as they were moving from london (like you) tho had their house, just hadnt completed and 2nd interview meeting db was in a pub and had lunch

i see from your email you sent that you have every 45mins - i would have left an hour but maybe say at beginning of each one that you have a timescale as ideally you dont want nannies bumping into each other

or make sure the bar manager holds them until you go to him iyswim

see you at 1.30 x

We interviewed nannies on a farm (national trust type place) and at a motorway service station in similar circumstances. We took more like an hour and a half for each nanny, although the first one dragged on as we were giving nanny a chance to actually interact with the children (she gave text-book perfect answers to our questions but ignored the children for the entire time).
I would guess if the kids aren't present, 45 mins would be fine. Remember to take a lot of notes - and ask them all the same basic questions so you can compare easily. Good luck.