No matter how much you will it, Mary Poppins isn’t going to float down from the sky and land on your doorstep. Instead, finding the right nanny can take quite a bit of searching, whether you’re relying on word of mouth, sponsoring someone from overseas or using an online agency like Nannies Inc. and CanadianNanny.ca, which help to connect parents with local nannies. It’s like online dating, but instead of seeking a soul mate, you’re finding Mrs. Doubtfire!
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Like with any job, interviewing is a crucial part of the process, which should begin a few months before you needs your caregiver to start. John Phillip Green, CEO and founder of CareGuide, which owns and operates CanadianNanny.ca, explains that parents can get the most out of a nanny interview by asking the right questions and trusting their own instincts. First, he recommends screening the best candidates on the phone?much like in the broader job market?to see if they check certain boxes on the family’s nanny wish list. Depending on how those go, parents would then narrow the candidates down to a handful of top picks before scheduling more formal, in-person interviews, often held over 30 to 60 minutes in the family’s home, which Green says allows potential candidates to ?get a lay of the land.? Once you?ve gotten to this stage, it?s just a matter of getting to know the individuals so you can select your perfect Nanny McPhee. You can always do an online search to see if t...