You need to be prepared for the interview too…
As professional recruiters we’ve interviewed countless nannies and we understand how important it is for you to find the perfect fit.
A super nanny is a highly desirable nanny and there are many great ones out there, but… there are also some not-so-great ones, unfortunately. If you’re spending the time and money to hire a Super Nanny you’ll want to make sure you hire the best possible one for your family.
Vetting CVs and checking references are critical aspects of the hiring process, but the most important part is the interview. As long as you’re prepared you can be confident that when it’s through you will know whether or not each candidate is fit for you and your family.
Here is our guide to conducting a Super Nanny candidate interview (and more):
So once you know what kind of Super Nanny you want (don’t forget to do your homework on candidates), make sure you discuss with her at the interview and double-check that indeed they have the qualities and experience you need: either the childcare degree, the number of years’ experience, the driving license, specific skills, etc… Super nannies are super at what they do! Click To Tweet
1. References
Whether you do the whole process yourself or you go through an agency, it should be on your MUST to do list: check at least 2-4 long term, most recent references. This will not only give you a bigger picture for the nanny’s experience and personality and also peace of mind, but by speaking to previous employers, you will be able to vet any problems that could arise with the nanny in the future.
2. DBS check
When you leave your children with someone new (and let’s face it! – still a bit of a stranger even if you’ve done all the other checks on her) you want to be 100% sure that they will be safe. So another MUST before you employ the nanny is to get a DBS check on them. You should do that even if they have had one done 3-6 months ago, as a lot of things can happen during that time
3. First aid
No one who works with children should be without first aid, so another important thing would be to double-check if the super nanny has an up to date first aid. You want to feel reassured that they knows how to act in case of an emergency when alone with your child(ren).
4. Philosophy
When interviewing the nanny, find out their parenting philosophy and make sure you are both are on the same page when it comes to raising your children. You want them to share the same ideas as you; otherwise, the children will be very confused (and will not know who to listen to anymore). If a new nanny applies different rules to yours or they tries to educate them differently it can cause serious problems that are difficult to overcome.
5. Personality
During the formal interview but also from informal conversations with them, try and find out what kind of person the nanny is. Are they an indoors or an outdoors person? You want to make sure that they have plenty of activities that will keep the children busy and they will create a balance between the outdoors and the indoors activities.
6. Love
It’s kind of implied that if the nanny does this job, they should love children, but how can you know for sure? There are so many people who work in childcare as an ‘in between’ job. Listen to the super nanny and how they talks about previous children they have looked after. If you can, also see how they interacts with your children and listen to your gut feeling!
7. Troubleshooting certain things
Discuss with the nanny if they would be able to help you fix any problems that you might have with the children, such as potty training, sleep training etc. Make sure you listen to the advice/ solutions they come up with and you are happy with them because if you are not on the same page, then you should look at hiring someone else (for example she wants to use the cry it out method, whereas you do not agree with it, etc.)
8. Schedule
Hours and duties should be discussed from the beginning and confirm that both parties agree and are happy with everything. You want everything to be 100% clarified before the nanny starts so you can avoid any problems later on
9. Travelling
Asking the super nanny this question will help you understand if they are happy to travel with you and your family (if you need them to do so) but also their previous experience travelling with children and how they can deal with routines in places other than the child’s home. This conversation should also clarify things such as pay while travelling, accommodation, flights etc.
10. Salary
Finally, discuss salary. Super nannies can be quite expensive so you need to know what they are looking to earn before you make an offer.
At Polo and Tweed, we understand how important it is to find the right super nanny for you, your child(ren) and the whole family, so if you are looking for the best one on the market, then please do not hesitate to contact us today. We will do all the work for you, letting you enjoy happy moments with your family.