Assessment of candidates
It happens that a family doesn’t have time to interview a large number of candidates (nannies, babysitters or mentors) due to many every-day obligations, and sometimes they do not consider themselves as completely professional persons to conduct the entire candidate assessment on their own, while the need for a trustworthy person becomes urgent. In such situations, Happymamma team of psychologists can be helpful. We will take detailed requests from you, speak to you thoroughly about the habits of your family and the specific expectations you have from the future nanny, babysitter or mentor, and conduct professional selection and assessment of candidates based on the clearly defined guidelines.
When the time comes for the family to consider the option of engaging a person who should take care of a child or children, it faces a demanding task. The first step is to think about how much time we will need help with the children. Sometimes, it is just an occasional-type need – of a few hours and days per week, when we start searching for a babysitter, and sometimes it is a more long-term engagement which entails several hours on a daily level, every working day. In that case, we will search for a nanny. Of course, when children grow up, and school obligations pile up, there is a need for an experienced mentor to help out with the homework or study issues. Whichever need is in question, having defined the duration of engagement, and, of course, having planned the budget for the engagement of that trustworthy person, parents come to the next step which requires the defining of personality type of the nanny, babysitter or mentor.
Some of the classical demands of the parents are for the nanny to be warm, communicative and cooperative; to easily accept the guidelines of the parents and to accept the criticism constructively; to be familiar with pedagogy in terms of education. Sometimes it is necessary for the nanny to take the child from the kindergarten and then spend time with them in creative work, stimulating the child to free its imagination and to learn and develop its capabilities by playing, drawing, reading stories or acting in mini plays. For the assistance with a new-born, the profile of the qualified pediatric nurse or midwife, who has vast experience in working with new-born babies, is always the preferred one.
Whichever personality profile you consider would fit into your family best, it is necessary to conduct the candidate assessment precisely based on your criteria. It happens that the parents obtain a certain number of candidates through recommendations. Whether your friends, relatives or maybe neighbours whose children just started school and their nanny is left out of work, recommend the candidates, it is simply not enough that the person be recommended and to start working for you immediately. Needs, habits, communication style, expectations are all important aspects which differ from family to family.
As much as you appreciate your friends and have lovely relationship with them, perhaps their expectations from a nanny are not aligned with your needs. Therefore, it is very common that you interview a lot of candidates, but you are simply not sure which of these persons will fit your family style best, or you do not feel competent enough to assess the recommendations. It happens also that the family does not have time to conduct a large number of interviews due to a number of obligations, and the need for a trustworthy person becomes urgent.
In such situations, you can contact Happymamma team of psychologists who will take detailed requests from you, thoroughly discuss with you about the habits of your family and specific expectations you have from the future nanny, babysitter or mentor, and conduct a professional selection and candidate assessment based on the clearly defined guidelines.
Professional assessment consists of:
- the evaluation of personal characteristics
- assessment of prior work experience
- examination of work habits and style the candidates develop in relation with children
- verification of recommendations of previous employers
- as well as the authenticity of the candidates in the statements that they enjoy working with children.
When the selection of candidates for child-care positions is addressed in such a professional way, a lot of time is saved, and also the right person who will join your family is selected more efficiently. Moreover, this approach is of great advantage for the nannies, babysitters or mentors also, because it also respects their preferences and expectations from the family they wish to work for.
