Casual Style

Tips For Hiring A Nanny

Having a nanny can be a great addition to have for your family and can help make it easier for new parents to transition back to going to work. Although it might sound like an overwhelming task to find and hire a nanny, it doesn’t need to be. Depending on your budget, time, and comfort level, you can either employ an agency if you need help or do a lot of the legwork on your own. 

Hiring a nanny instead of using a daycare

Child care decisions are highly personal – what might work for your sister or friend might not be the best thing for your family and you. Although licensed in-home facilities and daycare centers can be great options, there are some families who prefer to have a nanny to give their child personalized attention. 

Tips For Hiring A Nanny 

Create a job description 

Before you start searching for a nanny, consider what is important for your family and you, then write your needs down in job description form. 

Write down the hour that you are expecting your nanny to work, along with the start and end times. Think about how much experience you would like your caregiver to have. Would you like a person who is certified for infant CPR? Is it important to you that your nanny is proficient in a second language? Will you expect your nanny to perform non-childcare-related chores such as grocery shopping or empty out the diaper genie? Determine exactly what you are searching for and then be sure to clearly spell out your needs. 

Find Candidates

There are several different ways that you can connect with prospective nannies. Probably the best way is word of mouth from other parents – ask moms and dads that you see at group meet-ups, baby classes, or at the playground. There will often be someone who knows of a nanny who has been “aged out” from another family – which means their children are old enough now to be in school or are self-sufficient enough that they do not need any or as much supervision. 

Schedule an interview 

After you have narrowed your list down to a couple of prospective candidates, schedule some interviews to get a better idea of their expectations, caregiving styles, and personalities. You should ask various questions such as their training, education, and background, along with more in-depth questions as well. 

Here are some questions that can help you screen prospective nannies: What made you want to become a nanny? In the future, what can you see yourself doing? Is your schedule flexible? What would you do if there was an emergency? Those questions can give you a good idea of the candidate’s commitment to the job, personality, and professional knowledge. You may want to take a look at nanny payroll calculator.

Call their references

When it comes to the nanny hiring process, one of the most critical steps is to ensure that the candidate has the proper experience – along with high ratings from their past employers. Ask for contact information from two past employers at least for your finalist candidates. 

Conduct a background check 

Before extending an offer, call the prospective nanny’s references and also have a thorough background check done – even if the website or agency you use to find nannies also runs them. 

To do that, you will need written permission from the candidate in order to have a background check run, along with their full name, driver’s license, and social security number. It is also a good idea to check the Child Abuse and Neglect Records as well as the National Sex Offender Registry. It can be worthwhile to run an international background check if the prospective nanny is from a foreign country. If a nanny refuses to allow you to conduct a background check, then that is a big red flag.