You’ve done your initial screening of applicants and narrowed them down to your top choices. You’ve also done your research on each one of your top candidates and prepped your questions for your initial meeting.
Now you’re finally set to meet and interview an applicant. What else should you know?
Having a set of important questions to ask the sitter is just one of the ways to learn about the candidate. Aside from the answers, you will also need to keep all your senses in tune as you will need them in getting an overall assessment of the candidate.
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You’ll definitely have a better chance of connecting to a great babysitter if you know what to look out for.
Below are the 4 important things you should watch out for when interviewing your potential sitter:
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4. Punctuality
It’s simple. If she can’t make it on time for the interview, she’ll never make it on time anytime. This is a red flag. You should look out for this. Related read: Here’s the latest coupon offer from Sittercity
You have to make sure you’ve exhausted every single step of the screening and hiring process. That’s the reason why the interview phase of the system is very important.
If the applicant is serious about her job, she should make an extra effort to be on time. There are just no excuses for being late. There’s just no way anyone can look professional by being late.
You want someone that shows up on time. You want someone that takes her job seriously. You want someone you can get along with. And you also want someone your kids will like. That’s the reason why you really need to take the interview phase seriously.
3. Rapport
Rapport is very important. You want someone that can get along with your kids. At the same time, you also want someone you can get along with. After all, you’ll be teaming up with her to ensure your kids are safe.
You can only create an effective team if there’s rapport. So you simply cannot miss this important factor of the interview phase. You need to watch out for this as well.
2. Manner Of Dressing
Her manner of dressing matters a lot. This is one of the most important things you should look out for. Is she dressed for the occasion? Or is she hardly dressed at all?
Babysitting is a serious profession. Coming face-to-face with someone that’s hardly dressed means you haven’t found the right one yet. You want someone that’s professionally dressed for the job.
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1. Demeanor
During the interview stage, you need to closely watch her demeanor. How she talks, how she looks at you, and how she moves matter. You need to take a close look at her.
Consider every single thing she does and say. Write down all your observations. Whether your observations are good or bad, write them down. Take note of her tone of voice. A well-modulated voice reflects confidence and professionalism. While a high-pitched voice depicts she’s nervous.
Take note of how she converses with you. Does she make eye contact with you? If she doesn’t, you may need to think twice or even thrice about hiring her.
Take note of how she converses with you. Does she make eye contact with you? If she doesn’t, you may need to think twice or even thrice about hiring her.
You can learn a lot about her by taking note of her demeanor. That’s why this face-to-face interaction is very important. You can’t ignore the wealth of information collected during this phase.
It really is no joke to hire a babysitter. The process is long and tedious. Complying with the Sittercity process of finding a sitter is one of the best ways to keep the kids safe.
You cannot afford to take things for granted most especially when it concerns your kids. You have to make sure you leave no stone unturned. You have to make sure you’ve exhausted every single step of the screening and hiring process. That’s the reason why the interview phase of the system is very important.
Sittercity’s 4-Step Screening requires that you never skip the face-to-face encounter with the applicants. The system is well laid out so that all you need to do is follow it to ensure that you have the best chance of finding the right sitter to suit your family’s needs.
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Do you have other tips on what to watch out for when hiring a new babysitter?
Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate. Click here for details.
A nerd at heart (haha), I have been following and analyzing the world of online sitters for a couple of years now and have seen a lot of innovations and changes in this market. In between taking care of my loving (and demanding 😜) family and writing, I also do a lot of “traveling” on the Travel Channel and Discovery Channel. Read More
It’s good to keep an eye on those four things but at the end of the day, the background checks matter most to me. I don’t think I can ask an applicant pointblank if she’s a sex offender or she has committed a crime. Even if I did, she probably won’t tell me the truth. Background checks provide the kind of information that’s not easy to get from an applicant.
I wouldn’t even consider an applicant who shows up late. I will just go on with the next applicant. There’s no way I’m going to waste my time on an applicant who didn’t make an extra effort to show up on time. With Sittercity, I have a lot of other options to choose from. I don’t have to settle for someone who’s late because she will most likely be late again.
I am very strict with dressing. A babysitter should be dressed decently. That means no shorts and plunging necklines. She should have respect for my home, which is her workplace. I really make it a point to observe her manner of dressing right from the start.
I’d like to add one more thing to your list. These days when I look for a babysitter, I make sure to check her social media accounts. I don’t want to hire someone who spends more time in the virtual world than in the real world.
Yes. I agree with you. I really take time to check the applicant’s social media account and if she doesn’t have one, I make sure to run a more in depth background check on her. Just to make sure:)
I absolutely agree with you. If the babysitter can’t make it on time for her interview, then she’s most likely to show up late on her first day of work. That’s the kind of babysitter I want to stay away from. I only hire babysitters who I can really depend on. I don’t have to settle for those individuals who don’t take babysitting seriously.
I’m big on eye-contact. If the babysitter can’t look straight at me, then she’s out. Even if she has great reviews and a clean background check, I’d never consider her.