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Applying for Child Care Jobs on Care.com: Questions to Expect and Ask

What Questions Should I Expect?

Interviews are valuable̵1;and stressful̵1;precisely because every family and every nanny is different. You never know what the parents will ask or what they might have you do during the interview. Play with their kids? Prepare a meal? There is a margin of unpredictability.

However, here are some questions most parents will likely touch on:

• What kind of experience do you have with children? Which ages are you most comfortable with? Have you ever worked in a day care center, day camp, or school?
• What̵7;s your educational background?
• Do you own a car? Do you have a clean driving record?
• Would you be comfortable cooking and preparing meals for the kids? Outline a day of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
• What activities do you like doing with the kids? What would you do on a rainy day?
• Have you ever experienced a child emergency?
  • If so, how did you handle the situation? At what point do you call the doctor, the parents or 911?
  • If not, they might provide you with an example situation (like an injury on the playground) and ask how you would handle.
  • Do you know CPR?
• Why child care? What are the most challenging parts of working with children? Most rewarding?
• What is your strategy around misbehavior? How do you handle both with the children and the parents?
• What do you like to do in your free time?

Although this is technically an interview, the parents want to get to know you̵1;your likes, dislikes, quirks and hobbies̵1;and you should want to get to know them as well to see if this is a good fit. So answer the questions honestly, but have fun with them and be yourself. At the end of the day, trust your instincts. Ask yourself if you feel a connection with the family and if you can see yourself working for them.

What Questions Should I Ask?

Whether you̵7;ve done this a hundred times or just once, bring a list of questions. Not only will you come across organized and responsible in the eyes of the parents, it will also ease your nerves and you will leave armed with the necessary answers to make an informed decision.

Here are some key topics:

• 
  
  Cars
  
  : Will they provide one for you or will you be expected to drive your own? Do some research as to what the IRS recommends for mileage reimbursement if you are going to be driving. What if something happens to their car under your watch?
• 
  
  Health Insurance
  
  : Will they help pay for it?
• 
  
  Taxes
  
  : Will they pay your taxes? Address the matter if they don̵7;t. Research your state̵7;s requirements and bring this to the family̵7;s attention. It is important to protect yourself in the event you get laid off.
• Hours: Late nights? Early mornings? Weekends? Travel? Be honest about your scheduling needs. If the parents come home late, will there be additional compensation? Research state labor laws and find out what employers are required to provide regarding over time pay and breaks.
• Allergies: Do the kids have any major ones? Asthma?
• Medication: Do the kids have specific medication needs?
• Food: Are you responsible for preparing meals? What are the parents̵7; thoughts on after school snacks? Candy? Also make sure to address dietary concerns or food allergies.
• Housekeeping: Don̵7;t let them off the hook with an ambiguous phrase like ̶0;light housework.̶1; Get specific. This should be outlined in the work agreement or contract.
  • Laundry? If so, how much and how often?
  • Cleaning the kitchen? Just the kids̵7; rooms? Bathrooms?
• Homework
  
  :
  
  Will you be expected to help with homework? Have them clarify what strategies they prefer and if there are certain subjects that need more attention than others.
• References: Ask the parents for one from a former nanny or babysitter. Ask the reference what they enjoyed about the job, biggest challenges and about any conflicts they encountered.

This is an informative meeting for you as well so be proactive. Provide examples in both your questions and answers. Also don̵7;t be afraid to address questions targeted at personality and values: Beyond the call of duty, what are you looking for in a caregiver? What would be your ideal setup? What kind of relationship are you looking to establish? If building a strong bond with your employer is important to you, these questions are key.

• Applying for Child Care Jobs on Care.com: The Job Process Overview
• Applying for Child Care Jobs on Care.com: The Interview
• Applying for Child Care Jobs on Care.com: Questions To Expect and To Ask
• Applying for Child Care Jobs on Care.com: Next Steps