Have You Ever Spoken to the Former Nanny or Au Pair that Worked for a Family Before Accepting a Nanny Job?
On our list of questionsto ask parents during a nanny interview we recommend asking the parents if you can speak with their former nanny or au pair. But, when I ask my nanny friends if they ever spoke to a former employee of a family before accepting a new nanny job, they all said they haven’t asked the parents if they can speak to their former employee.
Speaking with a former childcare provider hired by the parents can help you get an in-depth view of what it’s like working for the family. The hope is that the former, or current, employee will share important information about the job. Hopefully the caregiver will confirm that the parents will pay you promptly, treat you fairly, and they treat their domestic employees with respect. But, it is most beneficial if the former or current nanny can share specific tips on caring for the children.
Unfortunately, there is always a risk that a disgruntled employee might give an undeserved bad reference of the family. You should also consider that just because one nanny doesn’t like working as a nanny for a family doesn’t mean that you won’t like the job.
Do you think nanny candidates should be allowed to speak with a former nanny or au pair who worked for the family?
We should be able to speak with people that have worked in the parents home. But, I never have until after I was hired. It's risky for parents to let nannies do that because I feel like a lot of nannies have resentment towards the parents because they are tired, overworked and not respected.