Finding a nanny to work with your children can be extremely difficult, and can cause a lot of tension and stress for your family during the search process. After all, entrusting your children into the hands of a stranger can be not only intimidating and scary, but potentially scary should you make the wrong hiring decision. When searching, there are many approaches to finding the perfect nanny for your family’s needs – and exploring several of your options will help you find the best, most qualified candidates to work with your kids.
Top-Notch Nannies: What to Look For When Selecting a Perfect Caretaker for Your Kids
When you are performing your interview, you should make sure to ask pertinent and appropriate questions that access the nanny’s personality and experience, which can help you determine how she will handle working with your beloved children. Though it isn’t good to judge a book by its cover, it is especially important to select a nanny that is generally put-together and has good hygiene, which will serve as a good indicator of how she will take care of your children. She should also be punctual and have a strong sense of responsibility, and plenty of work with children in her past as demonstrated by a thorough resume and strong references.
If your search for a Nanny is due to am imminent return to work, before you start seeking Nanny Mcphee, check whether your employer or the “business center” may have an onsite creche. Much has been done in recent years to make the transition back to work easier for both parents and children alike.
Posting in the Classifieds: A Great Resource, or a Rip-Off?
If you’re looking to explore your local community for a nanny, posting in the classifieds might seem like a great option for you and your family to explore. In these paid-per-post forums, it is possible to test the waters and see how many responses you receive after running your advertisements just a few times. However, many families report that even though the costs were minimal, the results were simply lacking to make the classifieds approach worth it. If only four or five people respond to an ad that costs $25, and only one or two qualified candidates come out of that search, perhaps you are not pooling enough resources through this method.
Approaching Online Searches with a Critical Eye
One great feature about using the internet to search for your new nanny is that you have a wealth of information available, and yet it can be hard to make a confident hiring decision based on what people post online. Of particular concern are open and free forums, such as Craigslist and other boards, where it can be easy to fake one’s credentials or impersonate the identity of someone else. If you do select this risky route, make sure to follow up with plenty of research, a background check, and in-person interviews before making a final decision. Even if you find a nanny that is “good enough,” your odds of finding the best nanny for your family using this method is slim to none.
Working with an Agency: A Fantastic Method of Finding Your New Nanny
Finding a nanny is far easier when someone does the grunt work for you – and a nanny agency is a great way to narrow your search pool and interview only the best candidates for your nanny position. Agencies have plenty of experience working with families in search of childcare, and know how to run thorough background checks and research on their potential nanny hires. If you are looking for nannies in the UK or international in particular, it would be best to work with a reputable agency that specializes in making these matches for you.
These agencies will be backed with a guarantee that ensures your satisfaction, and will provide protection should any unforeseen issues happen to occur. This is because these agencies will check the references for you and undergo their own research and interview processes, which will help you know to trust the person you decide to ultimately hire. Since they work from a larger bank of nanny applicants, you know that they will be able to find someone who fits your family’s particular needs and requirements.
This is a guest post by Lilly Sheperd, a freelance writer who shares her thoughts on various blogs.
