It can be hard for young couples to manage between work, home, social life, and their baby. It is because of it that young mommies and daddies are turning towards finding a caretaker for their baby to relieve some of the pressure.
We won’t dwell too much on it so this article will serve as a guide to finding the perfect nanny. We are going to discuss some of the key things to consider before hiring a nanny.
Contents
1. Consider The Ratings
There are a lot of nanny agencies out there who do most of the work that goes with hiring a nanny. It’s the job of these agencies to do background checks on their employees to make sure that they are perfect for any nanny job. Instead of finding a nanny through the back pages of the newspaper, consider hiring one from a nanny agency.
2. Do a Thorough Interview
Even if you do hire a nanny from a reputable agency, you still must do the interview yourself to make sure you’re hiring the right person. Ask them questions about previous work done in the industry and even ask for references, if you want. Discuss some key topics with the candidate such as parenting and discipline styles, and ask the nanny if she is willing to follow your methods.
3. Relevant Past Experience is Super Important
According to CannadianNanny.ca, its super important if the candidate has had any past experience relevant to childcare. Has the person actually been in the industry before? Has the person been paid to do a similar job before? Has the person had any prior experience relevant to the job such as child caretaker, teacher, daycare provider, camp counselor, and babysitter? These are all questions that need to be answered if you’re looking for the right person for the job.
4. Consider the Candidate’s Education
Since the babysitting industry doesn’t require anything special than providing care for children, most of the agencies require candidates to show their high school diploma. But if you want to go an extra mile, then consider the right candidate to be a person with a college degree or applicable professional certification. This is very important if you’re striving to find a nanny that will take on a teacher-like role.
5. Do a Background Check Yourself
We mentioned that a reputable agency will certainly do a background check of their employees. However, if you want to be extra sure about the candidate, then do backgrounds check yourself. Agencies, most of the time, will look into their employees’ federal and criminal record, as well as if the person has had any previous sex offenses. If you’re planning on the nanny driving your kid from kindergarten and back, then consider looking at the nanny’s DMV record. Another type of check is to ask for a drug test, although most nannies will think of this sort of stuff as degrading and will probably turn you down.
6. Consider the Candidate’s Legal Status
A person can be a legal resident within the United States if the person has a visa, but that doesn’t mean that the person is legal to work within the United States. Before hiring a nanny, consider asking her to fill an I-9, in order to determine if the person is a legal resident of the US and is legal to work.