How to check nanny references?
Naturally, nannies show up at the interviews with their best personalities. Most likely you will be impressed with all of them one way or another. Now, you get to take the final decision and you are totally confused. Well, do not worry as you still have the best way to figure out a way out of it. Of course, we are talking about impressive references to seal the deal.
You are about to dig into the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate by simply calling several of her previous employers. Then, mix up those replies you have collected. Now, you have got the face to face impression of the person together with her past on-field records. Get them in the mix and form either a favorable or an unfavorable opinion about her depending on the total outcome.
What should you cross-check in nanny reference?
We have come up with a comprehensive checklist for you in this respect. Let’s roll.
- What were her responsibilities in your house?
- Was the nanny reliable, punctual and responsible?
- Did she have a sound child care strategy?
- How good was her communication skills?
- Does she immediately grasp the instructions?
- How does she handle an unsupervised environment?
- Can you mention any emergency and describe the ways she tackled it?
- Does she have a friendly personality?
- How did she process constructive feedback?
- Why did she leave your place?
- Did she maintain cleanliness?
- Did she abide by your house rules?
- What was the payment structure and hourly rate?
- Was she willing to put in voluntary efforts if the situation called for it?
- Will you entertain me with your personal thoughts or comments on her?
- Would you hire her again if stars align?
How to check nanny references?
You need to sort out what you are going to ask before starting reference checking. A well prepared set of questions will take less call time which is universally appreciated by the references. The phone call must not exceed five minutes and try to finish it even before with all the information you require. Gently ask them whether they are free for an insightful chat with you prior to diving into the core issues. If they are busy, you can pull out and postpone it for a future time. Most importantly, identify yourself very well as it will send a strong and positive signal to the other side and will probably bring out the best replies.