Finding the right nanny for your beautiful family is a journey. If you’ve never hired a nanny before, you may not know what the journey could look like.
My name is Kasey Major and I’ve been a professional nanny for over 20 years. I’m here to help you understand each stage of the journey, from the initial search, to the welcome into your family, and through to the final stages of what will hopefully be a fulfilling engagement for everyone involved.
Beginning the journey
When you begin your journey to find a nanny, it’s really important to work out what it is you need. The clearer you can be, the better you can advertise the position and find a nanny that’s ideal for your family. For more information on the different type of nanny roles, you can read our article here.
You should consider these needs alongside your values. A nanny will become an extension of yourself and will support your child’s development. If you can be clear with your values, it will help to connect with a nanny who’s suited to your family. You will work together as a team to care for your children, and as a team you’ll have more success if your values are aligned.
Once you’re clear on your values and what you need from a nanny, you can begin advertising the role. Websites like We Need A Nanny are great as they have a large pool of quality candidates in the one location, and you’re able to tailor an ad for your specific position.
Once you have a number of quality candidates and have verified their checks and qualifications, you’ll want to first connect with a friendly phone call. This discovery call is helpful for both the parents and the nanny to understand what they would like from an engagement. If your expectations align, then you should organise a more formal interview to understand the experiences and the personality of the nanny.
At the interview, there are some great questions you can ask to discover whether they’ll be a great fit – in addition to asking about their background and their experience, you should provide the candidate with scenarios you have experienced with your child and ask them how they would respond.
For example, let’s say you have a beautiful two year old. Ask the candidate what they would do if the child was having a tantrum. Or if you have a confident five year old, what would the nanny do if the child refused to do what was asked of them?
Candidates that answer with compassion and provide reasons for their answers will help you identify if your philosophies align.
You should also ask candidates how they would respond to an emergency. They should respond with a clear example. When I share my experiences with a family, I walk them through the stages of response in emergencies I have handled. I would note that my first action is to call the relevant emergency service, rather than the parent, to ensure the child’s immediate need was met. I would then call the parents and provide a clear overview of the situation.
You must also ask the candidates what they are looking for in a role. What families are they comfortable with? What children have they previously looked after? How active do they want to be with the wider family? What are their passions?
If you’re new to this process, you may find that the more experienced nannies will guide you through the interview as they will have a wider range of experiences to draw on. The most important thing is that you don’t rush this interview process, especially if you’re looking for a long-term nanny. Take your time, and listen to your intuition.
Want to keep reading?
Click here for part 2
Click here for part 3
