Your children are your most precious people and finding the right nanny could be the most important task you ever have. The key is to give yourself plenty of time to find the right fit and explore all your options. Also, follow these helpful tips to make sure you use every resource to find the best possible candidates.
Create a Checklist
Finding a nanny should be a family effort. Sit down with your spouse and children and make a list of qualifications and qualities your nanny must have. For example, do they need to have their own transportation? Should they be able to cook? Is it important that they be well-educated and be able to help your child with educational activities?
Narrowing down the qualities that are a priority will allow you to eliminate candidates who do not fit the bill.
Let Your Friends Know You Are Looking
It is always great to be able to hire someone who is well known by someone you trust. Let your friends, family and fellow school or daycare parents know you are looking. You never know when someone will know just the right person to meet your needs.
Turn to the Professionals
There are several resources for finding a nanny and these are great because they usually take care of the vetting process for you. For example, sites like Abracadabra Brighton Domestic Agencies make sure every nanny they list has experience, certification, first aid training and much more. A good agency such as this supplies all the background information you need to conduct thorough interviews.
Check References
So many times a candidate looks so great on paper with so many references that you might think there is no need to call everyone on their list. But remember that everyone puts their best foot forward in an interview. It is important to gather all the facts you can before making a decision.
When you do call their references, keep your priority checklist in mind and ask how the nanny handled each of these situations and if he or she fits your criteria. Be as thorough as possible and always ask for as many references as you feel comfortable with.
Never hire a nanny without getting to know as much as you can. Narrow down your search to two or three viable candidates and ask each to do a trial run for a few days. This way, you can observe them before you trust them alone with your children. Finding a nanny does not have to be hard, but it certainly shouldn’t be rushed. Take your time and find just the right fit for your family.
