Skype nanny interviews can be even more nerve-wracking than normal interviews for nanny jobs. On top of all the worries about what questions you’ll be asked and whether you’ll have spinach between your teeth you start to worry about the technology failing and how you’re going to judge a family when you can’t meet them. Luckily there are some simple things you can do to make sure you stand out as the best nanny over Skype.
Continue reading “How to succeed at a Skype nanny interview”
This month meet Emma, London nanny consultant at Nannies Inc, one of the biggest London agencies placing nannies in London, throughout the UK and internationally.
How long has your agency been established?
Nannies Incorporated has been established since 1989 and we are very proud that 26 years later we are the trusted nanny agency in London and worldwide. Many of our clients, maternity nurses and nannies have been loyal to us and keep using our services over and over again. We pride ourselves on our caring relationships with candidates and clients and are always on the lookout for new experienced candidates.
That breastfeeding is the optimal start for children is unquestioned, but there is little support for mothers who want to continue breastfeeding and put their babies in childcare. The default assumption is that mothers will have introduced a bottle, and often formula, in preparation for their return to work. In reality, there are many things that childcarers can do to facilitate the breastfeeding relationship.
Most contracts have a probationary period, a time with a reduced notice period that allows both parties to decide whether the arrangement works for them. The length can be anywhere from 1 to 6 months, and the notice due on either side is usually just a week.
Think carefully about how long the probationary period needs to be. A probationary period that is too short doesn’t allow a thorough evaluation of how things are going, and if there are still bumps after a month (which is fairly normal) the pressure to make a decision may mean cutting short a relationship that could have worked well, and recruiting a new nanny. On the flip side a long probationary period can be unattractive although it gives more flexibility to let a nanny go if things aren’t working out. In general, though, it’s better to have a shorter probationary period that can be extended following a performance review. A nanny can also ask for the probationary period to be extended, although this is very rare.
While it’s always important for nannies and employers to communicate with each other, the probationary period is a time for regular, fairly structured feedback, and most nannies expect to told how things are going so they can adjust if needed in the early days. Positive feedback is just as important as constructive criticism, but issues which aren’t dealt with at the beginning can turn out to be deal-breakers further down the line.
If at the end of the probationary period nanny or family decide it’s not working out that isn’t necessarily a negative reflection on either side. It just means that in this case it wasn’t a good fit for reasons that weren’t clear at interview. Unless notice was given for disciplinary reasons it’s best to agree a reference and move on.
Taking up references on a nanny is a vital part of the recruitment process. Parents should always telephone the contacts provided themselves, rather than relying on a third party to do it for them, especially after the tragedy that led to a lawsuit being filed against an American website supposedly offering a reference checking service. References allow previous employers to share their experience of employing a particular nanny and can help you discover both their strengths and the potential pitfalls.
Try to find a time when and the person you are talking to will be free from interruptions. Prepare your questions in advance and pay attention to both what they say and their tone of voice. If you sense that they are hesitating or might be hiding something that could be a bad sign. Keep your questions open ended and allow the other person space to reply in their own time.
Remember to ask questions that are specific to your situation. If you need a nanny to do overnight care then ask whether this what part of their previous job and how they coped. Written references will seldom give you all the details that you need, another reason why a personal conversation with ex-employers is so important.
At the end of your nanny’s time with you don’t forget to write them a reference of your own!
Please note that we at Nannyjob.co.uk do not at any point check the identity or references of jobseekers and advise you to double check references which have been taken up by a nanny agency on your behalf.
When parents employ a nanny it’s often the first time they have need to administer a payroll and pay regularly for services. In all the confusion it can be easy to let some things slip through the cracks, like transferring the money on the right date…
Problem #1 My boss never pays me on time
This is more common than you’d think. Many nannies report late payments from their employers, or having to leave messages to make sure they’re paid on time. It has a knock on effect on nanny’s bank balance and they may incur charges if their direct debits go out without sufficient funds. Solution? Set up a standing order when the job starts.
Problem #2 The amount in my account and on my payslip don’t match up
First you need to make sure you’re looking at your payslip correctly. The figure that should be in your account is in the bottom right, not the top right. The top right is the gross figure that you should have agreed at interview and written in your contract. The bottom figure is the net amount, which is what ends up in your account. If that net amount on your payslip doesn’t match what’s in your account then your boss has either over or under paid you, and you need to find out why. Sometimes this is because overtime has been added to your pay but not processed through payroll, or because you’ve had time off sick but it’s not been processed through payroll. Sometimes it’s because you agreed a net wage which is very difficult to match up on a payroll run each month even if your boss has paid what you agreed. Solution? Check your payslip, your contract and your working hours. There will be a discrepancy in the figures somewhere and when you find out what it is you can sort it.
Problem #3 My overtime hasn’t been counted
If you do overtime late in the month it can be tough for employers to get that information to the nanny payroll company on time, or they may have forgotten to add it to the payslip. The other, more alarming, situation is where your overtime appears on your payslip but not in your account. This probably means your employers have a standing order, notified the payroll company and forgot to manually transfer you the overtime payment. Solution? Gently remind them to declare your overtime and/or pay you.
Problem#4 My boss is making extra deductions
The standard deductions that should be made from your pay are tax and employee national insurance contributions. You may also have deductions for your pension and student loan repayments. Your contract may specific additional situations where your employer can take money out of your pay, for example if you are responsible for damaging their car they may deduct the insurance excess directly from your pay. If you see extra deductions, or you think other things have been deducted from your pay check your contract to see whether it’s allowed. Solution? Call the payroll company to check what’s being taken off and talk to your boss.
Problem #5 My boss never reimburses my expenses
Many nanny employers provide a kitty which means their nanny doesn’t have to pay for activities and so on out of their own pocket, but some prefer to reimburse expenses. Mileage is an expense which is commonly reimbursed, rather than taken out of the kitty. Paying up front can leave you short of cash at the end of the month, and if your boss doesn’t pay you back you’re effectively subsidising your charges. Solution? Stop paying out. Insist on having a kitty or only do free activities within walking distance.
It’s springtime, it’s a tiny bit warmer but it’s still pretty darn wet! What better way to make the most of this than to go puddle jumping?
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappopriate clothing” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Many parents and nannies believe that every day, rain or shine, children can get out and about. With a good set of waterproofs, plenty of layers and some sturdy welly boots everyone can get out to play. If you do get wet then when you get home dry off, change clothes and warm up with a hot drink. Hot chocolate tastes even better when it’s going into a chilly tummy.
Jumping in puddles is just a natural childhood instinct. It’s also a way for children to see that they can have a big effect on the world around them. They can spend ages jumping in and out of puddles, watching the water fly everywhere and then return to its tranquil state or examining reflections or making water muddy and watching it settle again. This is the start of science, in a playful way.
Puddle jumping a universal game. There’s a little spark of childish glee in all of us when we see a puddle and we get to jump in it. Don’t hold back! Children thrive on experiencing fun alongside adults and are encouraged by adults participating.
“Childhood is a state of mind which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle rather than an opportunity” – Unknown
So what will it be? Obstacle? Or opportunity?
Last one to get their welly boots on is a banana!
As of December last year businesses providing food, which includes childcare providers, have to give information about the allergens in the food they provide. This applies not only to home-made food but also pre-prepared food bought and served when out and about. In practice children are unable to make their own decisions about avoiding allergens so it’s important to communicate with parents about foods to avoid, what you will be serving, and when their children have consumed allergens.
The legislation applies to 14 allergens:
Nannies tend to cook food that parents provide, so the parents should be aware of which allergens are available for consumption. It’s worth noting down in a communication diary what allergens were contained in the food consumed that day. Similarly if eating out inform the parents what allergens were present in writing, so make a habit of noting down food information when out and about.
NB Self-employed nannies, as a business, do have a responsibility to provide this information, like nurseries and childminders.
Fancy some sensory play without the mess ? Help is at hand in the form of sensory bags. Just fill up a ziplock bag, shut it and for extra security tape it shut.
Try:
Paint – either one colour or two colours in opposite corners of the bag so they can be mixed
Hair gel and glitter
Cornflour and water
Shaving foam and a few drops of food colouring
Oil and coloured water
Sand and water
Miniature toys or googly eyes and hair gel or water
You can also create windows in bags by taping over part of the bag and just leaving a few gaps. Children can manipulate objects until they can see them and watch them appear and disappear from view.
Even if you’re an experienced recruiter thinking up questions to ask a potential nanny can be tricky. Here’s a list of useful questions for you!
Professional training and experience
What qualifications do you have? Why did you choose to study those?
Did you qualifications involve placements? How long did you spend on placement? What kind of setting were the placements?
What course/part of the course did you enjoy most? Why?
How long have you been working with children? How long have you been nannying?
What’s your experience with weaning/potty training/babies/toddlers/school aged children?
Tell me what you did with X family (look at their CV).
When did you last update your First Aid certificate? Have you ever needed to use your First Aid knowledge?
Why are you leaving your current job? Why did you leave your previous jobs?
Job satisfaction
Why did you decide to become a nanny?
What do you enjoy most about the job? And least?
What makes a job good for you?
What are your deal-breakers in a job?
Childcare style
How do you deal with temper tantrums?
What kind of meals do you cook for children? What kind of snacks would you feed the children?
What activities would you suggest for our children now? How would you encourage their future development?
What kind of books do you like to read children?
What are your views on TV for children? What are your views on electronic devices (iPad etc)?
What does a typical day look like for you?
How often do you like to go out? Attend groups? Organise playdates?
What do you consider is important for children to learn from a young age?
How do you encourage children to have good manners?
How would you react in an emergency? (Try to give a couple of scenarios e.g. choking, parent not arriving home)
Living in
Would you want to have guests to stay from time to time?
Are you a morning or an evening person?
What kind of food do you like to eat? Do you prefer to eat your evening meal with the children or later on?
Do you have any evening commitments? Do you plan to go to the gym/evening classes?
What do you like to do at weekends?
Living out
How far away do you live? How do you plan to get to work?
What would you do if we were delayed on the way home and you had to stay longer at work?
Are you occasionally able to start early or finish late?
