When it comes to finding a nanny for your kids, you can never be too complacent. You should take the necessary measure to ensure that you get the right person to do the job. This is especially true if you work most of the time during weekdays and cannot spend as much time as you can with the kids. Keep in mind that the nanny you will be hiring would be the person who's mostly going to spend time with the kids and she will be directly handling them. So it really helps to have someone you can trust in more ways than one.
Step 1: Create a Nanny Profile
In creating a nanny profile, the first thing you needed to accomplish is what type of nanny you need in terms of availability. There are either part-time or full-time nannies to choose from. Typically, the part-time nannies are no different from the usual baby-sitter you may come across with around your neighborhood. However, most of these part-time nannies are typically young, are currently single (not married), and are yet to have a child of their own. They are usually working students who needed the job to pay for their education or someone who's currently taking several jobs a day.
On the other hand, full-time nannies are those who usually advertise in local newspapers and even through the internet. Most of them really have gained experienced with the job—either from a previous nanny work or through attending nanny trainings. But most of the nannies who are interested to do full-time work are already older. Some of them may also have their own kids so the experience they have is not just work-related. These nannies would only need little orientation and they would also be a stay-at-home nanny so you can expect someone to always be there for the kids. The only difference that these nannies have over the part-timers is that they can be a bit costly. Plus, they may also be stricter and stereotypical rule-wise.
Step 2: Go Through Nanny Advertisements
You can either choose to post your own ad stating your need for a nanny, use a nanny agency or you can simply go through the numerous nanny advertisements out in the market. But between the two, it's actually better to go with the second way because by then you'll really be able to assess the candidates and scout for potential nannies instead of simply relying on the responses you get from the advertisement you posted. These days, there are plenty of venues where you can get your next nanny.
The newspaper is the classic way of getting nannies, but thanks to technological innovations you can also look for your perfect nanny through various websites online. Aside from these, you can also visit nanny training institutions and check out their list of newly certified nannies. At least it will give you a reliable verification that the nanny you will hire has expertise and training for the job at hand.
Step 3: Take Time to Interview Your Potential Nanny
As soon as you have already created a shortlist of your nanny candidates, it's now time to get to know them face to face. Do not simply let their papers and credentials do the talking, interview them as you would imagine being interviewed for a typical office work. During the interview, there are a lot of key things which you should take note of: the way the person dresses, how she talks, verification of the facts she stated in her resume and other credentials, and even her personal views which may not be found on the papers she sent you.
You should also carefully digest all of the contact details provided in her papers. Make sure that you double-check it with her as you do the interview. Let the nanny applicant brief you through her previous work experience. It would also be advised that you do some research on your own regarding the institutions or people she might have indicated in her papers and see if they are authentic.
Step 4: Background Check is a MUST
Before you get sold on that perfect nanny for your kids, never ever forget to do a background check. Make sure that the contact details she provided can still be reached and that the references she gave you are people who really knew her. It is also best if you get to talk to her previous employer to have a clearer grasp of how the person actually works. Plus, don't forget to ask your nanny applicant to go through a recent medical background check. This way, you can be sure that she's really safe to handle the kids and be someone who might potentially reside in your home as a stay-in-nanny.
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