Gap Year Job Interview

[temperedolive]

My DD (now in Y13) is planning a gap year before uni. She's hoping to go to either France or Quebec to perfect her French and take some art and cookery classes while earning
some money.

She registered with an au pair agency and has just been invited to interview with a family in Paris for a summer start. It's early to be interviewing, but they have triplets and have had the same au pair for three years, so they want to sort things early. The conditions sound good - current au pair likes them, static caravan in the garden where she can live but meals available with the family, a car for her use, etc. She's excited.

Does anyone have any advice on what she should be asking them regarding the personal side of things? She has a reasonably long-term girlfriend (two years); would it be a good or bad idea to ask in the interview stage how the family would feel about her visiting on occasion? Should she ask about how the au pair slots into family life - is she a big sister or more of a housemate? - or is that something to sort later?

She's interviewed for jobs befoew, so she knows how to handle the professional side of things. But as au pair jobs straddle the line between professional and personal, I'm not sure how to advise her on that.

Is she particularly interested in childcare as a career choice? Because my first thought is that if caring for young triplets she isn’t going to have much of a life, not going to be out making friends, practicing her French. Surely a bar, restaurant, etc, would be a better job option, where she can be in regular contact with others her age.

@NewJobProblem

She has quite a bit of child care experience, including experience caring for multiples (my sister has twins and DD is her regular sitter), so she feels confident about managing triplets. She also likes the cultural exchange aspect of au pair work, and the hours are limited partially to allow YP to take classes on the side. I don't think she'd be interested in a rural placement, but the current au pair says there's quite a strong au pair network in Paris with girls from all over the world.

I think there is quite a lot of info about au pairing on the childcare section. As far as i know, they can only do childcare for a certain number of hours a week and you get free housing and bills and food but you are paid "pocket money" rather than wages so it isn't a very much.
Caravans are very cold in winter. Might be worth watching out for.

I have used au pairs myself - (such a brilliant thing!!) - I think she should mention hoping to have visitors - and mention she has a girlfriend. When my au pair (who I loved) - did the interview she mentioned that her boyfriend was living in the UK and that was a reason she wanted to take an au pair role here as well - so she planned on visiting him etc

I think there is nothing to lose - if they hate the idea of her having a life or visitors then better to know now?

@Geneticsbunny Ooh, very good suggestion to ask about heating in the caravan! I doubt she or I would have thought of that. TYVM!

@waterrat This is my thinking as well. Might as well find out early if they are able to accept her having a life outside work, right?

What happens on her day(s) off? If she is in the garden what's to stop the triplets knocking on the door (sorry I don't think you mentioned the age).

Do they want her to teach the children English?

What happens when they go on a family holiday? Does DD go with them or stay behind.

Is the interview by zoom or similar or is it in person? Sorry I should have put that first.

I don't fully understand hiw her days off will work, but an au pair must be housed with a family. It's one of the stipulations of the program. The au pair is there for cultural exchange and exchanges child care for housing and pocket money. She'll actually get more privacy with the garden than most au pairs probably get. I don't think I could have tolerated it as a young person, but they must work it out! For whatever reason, she's quite excited about the element.

Yes, She'll be teaching the children English and the interview is over Zoom.