What to look for in a nanny during your interview. Beyond satisfactory answers to your interview questions, make sure the applicant: Looks put-together. No, you can’t judge a book by its cover, but how well a prospective nanny cares for herself is one way to predict how well she’ll care for your baby. Is she neatly dressed and groomed? (A strong fashion sense isn’t important, but dirty fingernails and unwashed hair are bad signs.) Interacts well with your child. Part of the interview should include some face time with your baby. Does the applicant seem patient, caring, and attentive? Is she comfortable holding and playing with your little one? It’s not necessarily a deal-breaker if your baby is crying or seems disinterested (she may have some stranger anxiety) — what’s more telling is how the candidate handles the situation. Asks appropriate questions. An applicant’s questions are another way to gauge whether or not she’ll be a good nanny for your family. For example, “Does your baby cry a lot?” may mean she’s not up on normal infant behaviour (most babies cry a lot). If she asks more questions about when and what she’ll eat for lunch than she does about childcare issues, that’s a red flag too. No questions (or comments) at all can also be telling — she may be more interested in any job rather than your specific position, or she may be non-communicative, neither of which bodes well for your baby. Questions to ask yourself after the interview. If there’s any time to rely on your gut reaction, it’s when you’re making important decisions in childcare like this one. So if something feels off, it probably is. At the very least, jot down your first impressions post-interview. Ask yourself: Does she seem intelligent? Being able to interact well with you, follow instructions, and think on her feet are key characteristics that should be on the top of your list of what to look for in a nanny. She should also be able to read books to your baby and engage her in stimulating ways. Did the two of you have good chemistry? You don’t want to become best buds, but you do want to feel you can talk to her about touchy subjects. For this relationship to work, you’ll need to be in constant contact, so a good nanny should be as comfortable with you as she is with your baby. Was she easy to talk to? Did she have a sense of humour? Did she seem likely to tell you all about your little one’s antics or do you suspect getting info about your baby’s day will be like pulling teeth? Does she seem reliable? Being late for the interview (even with an excuse) may be a sign that she has trouble sticking to a schedule. Does she seem physically capable of handling the job? Did she huff and puff after walking the flight of stairs to the nursery? If so, consider how she’ll do on the four-block walk to the park each day — or whether she’ll be up to chasing after a toddler once your baby grows into one.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 09:21:09 +0000
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