Hiring A Nanny
Nine Things To Remember When Hiring A Nanny
Hiring a nanny may be a new experience for you. This is a very important task, as this person will be trusted with your young child. There are several things to consider when you bring this person into your household. Here are nine tips that may help.
Hiring A Nanny Photo by stevengatto via Flickr
1. It is very important to check all references before hiring a nanny. Do not assume anything when it comes to employees. They may look nice and trustworthy. However, it is vital that you completely check this person out. Do not take any shortcuts, as it may take some time to find the right person.
2. Conduct a complete and thorough interview. Make sure you know the exact reason that this person left their last job. Find out everything that you can about the prospective employee. Ask about personal likes and dislikes. Make sure that this person loves kids and is not simply doing it for the money. Find out if they want a full time position or are only looking for summer nanny jobs.
3. Do you want childcare or a housekeeper? In most cases, you will not be able to have both. When someone watches a child full time, it may be too much to expect them to also clean house. However, it is reasonable to expect people to clean up after themselves.
4. Make sure that you go over all job duties before you hire someone. It may be a good idea to ask her or him about the last job. Find out what duties they expect to perform and what they are qualified to do. Do not leave any of this to chance.
5. Discuss all salary matters before you hire anyone. For example, you may offer a salary amount and it may be accepted. However, make sure that you are specific on any tax deductions. You should offer amounts that are based on take home pay.
6. Make certain that you discuss hours and days off. Do not forget about holidays, too. It may be best to have a schedule already written down.
7. Be clear about your house policies. For example, do you allow your employee to have any guests in your home? If so, under what circumstances is this allowed? These things are important to discuss ahead of time. Do not assume that your new employee already knows certain things.
8. Put all important job features on paper. This way, there will not be any uncertainties or surprises. Let your prospective employee read and sign the agreement.
9. Discuss child raising philosophies. You have certain ideas as to how to raise your child. Make sure that the nanny knows what those ideas and philosophies are. Also, make certain that everyone agrees on that philosophy.
Summary
Hiring a nanny is a very important issue, so do not leave anything to chance. Check all references and do a complete interview. Go over all job duties ahead of time, and discuss all salary issues. Make sure that everyone is clear on hours, days off, and holidays. Be clear about your child rearing philosophy and get everything down on paper, so there will be no surprises. This can insure that you will have a good working relationship with your nanny.
January 12th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
[...] can be a great deal of finding and hiring a nanny for your child. You may need to spend a lot of time going through classified ads. You may have to [...]