Hiring a Babysitter

• Babysitter Interview Questions You’ll Want To Ask
• Conducting a Babysitter Background Check
• Four Good Reasons To Check References Before Hiring A Babysitter
• How to End an Interview
• How to Write a Babysitter Job Description
• Interviewing Babysitters
• Questions To Ask Yourself Before Hiring A Babysitter
• Thorough Babysitting Questions
• Warning Signs To Watch Out For

Finding the right person to babysit your child is easier when you ask the right babysitter interview questions. If you’re not sure what questions to ask, here are a few suggestions:

• Ask how long the babysitter has been working with children and what ages.
• Ask if the babysitter has had any training such as CPR and first aid.
• Ask what types of tasks the babysitter feels comfortable with, such as driving the children to events and doing light housework.
• Ask what the babysitter’s availability is.
• If the babysitter is a good match, ask what type of rate she or he is looking for.
• Ask the babysitter for a few references if you’re considering hiring her or him.

Besides calling references, you can take another step in making sure you are hiring the right person to babysit your child. A babysitter background check is always a good idea when you are hiring someone to watch your child. A babysitter background check will help ensure you’ve placed your child in the right hands. It can also give you peace of mind.

You can find out information such as whether a babysitter has a criminal record as well as whether he or she has a clean driving record. Although you might feel as though you’re intruding on a babysitter’s privacy, remember you’re not alone in conducting a babysitter background check. In the year 2000, there were seven times as many criminal reference checks performed on childcare workers as there were thirty years ago.

The decision to check references shouldn’t be just a formality when hiring a babysitter, but should be a task that will help you hire the best candidate for the job. Here are four reasons why you should always check references.

1. You might uncover something you didn’t know about the candidate that sways your decision to hire him or her.
2. Sometimes, you’ll find a candidate that interviews well but doesn’t do as well on the job.
3. Checking references will give you peace of mind about the candidate and alleviate doubts.
4. When you check references before hiring a babysitter you’ll get more insight about what to expect before you hire someone.

When you interview for a babysitting job, you'll likely find a few candidates who simply aren't right for the position. So how do you wrap up the meeting politely?

One method is to respond directly by addressing your concerns and thanking the candidate for their time. For instance, if a babysitter asks for a rate that is much higher than your budget, you should be honest and explain that it's more than can pay at that time and wish them luck in their future endeavors.

No matter how you choose to end an interview, always be as honest and polite as possible.

One way to find a number of babysitting candidates is by posting an available job. In order to streamline your hiring process, you’ll want to nail down the babysitter job description to attract the right candidates. Here are some pointers that will help you create the perfect babysitter job description.

• First, decide what you’re looking for in a babysitter. Think about specific details that you’re looking for, including the level of experience, childcare philosophy, availability, and type of babysitting duties.
• Next, jot down a list of what you’re looking for. Include the hours that you need a babysitter to be available, what qualifications you’d like a babysitter to have, and what duties you’d like him or her to perform.
• Then rank each of the items on your list according to two categories: “must-have” and “would like to have”.

Write a description based on your notes. It might be helpful to break the babysitter job description into three parts: summary of role, required qualifications, and specific job duties. You may also consider noting the pay rate if you want to eliminate candidates who are out of your pay range.

When screening babysitters, you’ll want to set up a meeting with a few of the best candidates you can find. Here are some guidelines for interviewing babysitters.

• Contact babysitters via phone first to initiate a potential interview.
• Spend a few minutes to talk to a candidate before you ask to meet her for an interview.
• You can ask questions that will help determine if you want to meet her in person, including what his or her background with children is and availability.
• Set a time to meet.
• Ask some appropriate questions, including the candidate’s work history, interest in caring for children, availability and comfort level with doing specific tasks.
• If the interview is going well, find out what wages the babysitter is expecting.
• Ask for references.
• Then end the interview by letting the candidate know when you expect to make a decision.

Before hiring a babysitter, you should make sure you feel comfortable that he or she will be able to meet your family’s needs and provide for your child or children. Ask yourself these questions before hiring a babysitter.

• Does the babysitter meet all the requirements you’re looking for?
• Are you comfortable having the babysitter in your home?
• Are you confident that the babysitter can meet your children’s needs?
• Does the babysitter have sufficient experience to look after children who are the same ages as yours?
• Do you feel comfortable communicating your preferences with the babysitter?
• Does the babysitter have a reliable track record and do you feel you can count on him or her?
• Does the babysitter seem to enjoy being around and caring for children?

If you really want to be thorough during the hiring process, you should ask open-ended babysitting questions that will tell you a lot about how a babysitter will handle certain situations. Here are some examples of babysitting questions that dig a little deeper:

• What were your responsibilities when you babysat for a particular family?
• What was the biggest challenge when babysitting?
• What is the most enjoyable aspect you found about babysitting?
• Have you ever had to deal with an emergency situation with children? What happened and how did you handle it?
• If you told our child he wasn’t allowed to do something and he refused to listen, how would you handle it?

Sometimes, during the interview process, there are warning signs that indicate you should think carefully before you hire a babysitter. Although the items on this list don’t necessarily mean you should eliminate a candidate completely, they are red flags.

• You should think carefully about whether or not you want to hire a babysitter if he or she is late to the interview.
• If the babysitter lacks any interest in engaging with your child during the interview process, it could be a warning sign that he or she is not an ideal candidate.
• If the babysitter expresses more interest in the salary than the details of the job, that could be a red flag that you should move on to another candidate.
• If you sense something is amiss about the candidate, that’s also a valid warning sign. Parents should always trust their instincts.