A nanny is an integral part of your child’s upbringing. She is your trusted caregiver whenever you are away and your go-to helper whenever you need a helping hand with your baby. Therefore, the one you hire should be trustworthy and a person of virtues.
The moment you leave your home and go to work, either outside or inside London, the nanny will be left with the children. What happens back at your house is at the sole discretion of the nanny. That means the better the personnel, the safer they are. If she is an individual of questionable morals, you might never be at ease while away wondering what they will do next.
How to Get the Right Nanny
To avoid any doubts about the conduct of the nanny you left with your kids, you must ensure you do everything right. The “everything” in this context boils down to the hiring process. It has to be a due diligence process and a thorough one as you would want a trustworthy person, whether you will be hiring them on a permanent, long-term, or temporary basis.
In short, the interview and screening process calls the shots. It matters most as it sets the entire play into motion. Here, both of you get to know each other well long enough before you decide whether you can work together.
What Are Usual Questions from Clients While Hiring A Nanny?
So, how do you pick the best candidate in a pool of them? Below are the usual questions that clients ask while seeking a reliable and dependable nanny. They also have their possible responses, and a client can add other questions they feel are relevant.
- What can you tell us about yourself?
I am 35-years-old with over nine years of experience as a nanny. I also have a nanny basic skills certification that I acquired in the year 2015. Since I graduated, I have worked for three clients; two households and a child care organization. Both of the families have been here in London while the organization was based outside London.
As a nanny, I have helped take care and bring up children in a home set up in a respectable manner while instilling discipline, nurturing their talents, and teaching them basic life skills. In addition, I am an individual who looks out for every opportunity to learn more and improve on my scope by working in different setups.
- Why did you choose to become a nanny?
Being a nanny was all I wanted to be. It is the fun that comes from being with kids that pulled me to it. It is also a role that gives me an opportunity to be creative and imaginative. In addition, the role comes with the pleasure of helping kids grow, see them explore and learn about life, and use my skills to nurture their upbringing and talents.
- How long did you stay with your last employer?
I joined a family in Brentford in 2011 up to 2015. My duties included taking care of the kid’s laundry, cleaning their rooms and play areas, seeing them off to school, and picking them up in the evening. I also helped them with their homework.
- Why did you leave your previous job?
I was taking care of twins at the family in Brentford. After the four years, they moved to high school, and the family gave me two choices; to either stay for some minor jobs or look for another nanny’s job and I chose the latter.
- What childcare qualification do you have?
Before my first job, I worked at a day-care at Brentford. Having worked there for five years, it gave me the push to do more and beyond the day-care setup. Also, I doubled up as a teacher for younger school-going children and taught me a lot about what kids want and how to deal with their needs.
- What age do you prefer taking care of and why?
Honestly, I have never favoured a particular age over others. I take care of each age group by ensuring that each day, I have a working schedule based on their ages, personalities, needs, and skill levels. That way, I am able to create an environment that is stimulating for any age group.
- What’s your view on disciplining children?
For younger children, discipline is critical. It is important that they are taught what is right and wrong as well as taking responsibility for their deeds. I always believe in giving them a warning first and offer them an opportunity to change. If the behaviour persists, you should apply a method that fits their age and the incident without debating with the child.
- You stayed for one year with the organization. Why was that?
The organization had just set up offices in Manchester. They had advertised for a one-year casual engagement role, and they took me in. My third employer engaged me while waiting for the organization to decide whether to renew the contract.
- Are you looking for a long-term or temporary engagement?
Staying with a family for a long term is beneficial to both parties. It helps me create a better bond with them. It also helps us to understand each other better and understand the family’s needs well. This allows me to offer my best.
- We do background checks here. Are you comfortable with that?
I always try to be open regarding who I am and my past engagements. However, you are welcome to confirm any of the details through your preferred background checks.
- Are you ready to take a drug-screening test?
I understand the severity of substance abuse. I also understand your concern and have no objections to any such tests.
Summary
Hiring a nanny calls for thoroughness. It is worth having honest and clear communication with your nanny about what you expect from them and what they will be expecting from you. Also, the interview process calls the shots, and the way you do it with the right questions determines the kind of a candidate you land.
