Choosing the right childcare giver is important for parents for many reasons including safety and good care of their children. Hiring an au pair is one of the best ways to give your child the care they need in your absence. There are many agencies which can provide the perfect au pair for you.
When hiring an au pair it is important to consider a few essential things to make the process foolproof and more efficient. Here are the guidelines on selecting an au pair for you.
1. Set your Requirements very clearly
To hire the perfect au pair, the first thing you need to do is set your requirements straight. If you are hiring through an agency or through personal ad, make sure to put together a list of traits you need your au pair to possess. If you want the au pair to be well educated, know different languages, know cooking or anything else, be sure to mention these clearly. This will help you filter out the applicants that do not fit your requirements.
2. Multiple Interviews
The key to finding the right au pair is to conduct multiple interviews. Do not settle for one candidate. Some candidates may look perfect on the paper, but may lack the personality you are looking for. After you have identified a candidate based on the resume, now it’s time for some face to face interaction. This direct interview gives you a chance to get to know the au pair personally. This is important since you will be leaving the child with her and the interview will help you determine whether the au pair matches your requirements or not.
3. Assess the Personality
Apart from the technical aspect like the qualifications and recommendations, there are other things that you may want to consider. You can use the three senses primarily used to access any information; these are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. You can assess how the au pair speaks and evaluate their word choices. Likewise, you can watch the video of the interview or the live interview to see what their body language is like; is it child friendly? The last one is kinesthetic where you feel things in your heart. If you are moved by the responses of the au pair, such as those regarding their motivations and opinions, then you may determine the au pair is perfect for your family.
4. Au pair matches your child care requirements
It is very important that the au pair you are hiring is well suited for your childcare needs. If your child is sick or has a medical condition, then it is important that you choose au pair well qualified to take care of your child. It is important that the au pair matches your child’s unique requirements.
The guidelines to select au pair can help you select the right au pair for your home and give you peace of mind.