Interview Guidelines
The interview is a great opportunity to learn about the candidate and their appropriateness for your position. A well-organized interview will give you insights into the candidate’s personality, philosophies and experience as well as the opportunity to review the logistics of your job including schedule and salary. The following questions are designed to help you conduct a thorough and thoughtful interview.
Personal Background:
- What brought you to the Bay Area?
- What are your goals for the future?
- What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me a little bit about your family background and childhood.
- Is there anything else you wish to tell me about yourself?
Professional Experience:
- Tell me about your experience working in this field.
- How did you originally become interested in this work?
- What is your education or training in regards to this type of work?
- What were your responsibilities in your last position?
- What did you like most about your last position? What did you like least?
- Tell me about your relationship with your last employer.
- If asked for a reference, what would your last employer say about you?
- Do you have any special talents or interests to share with us?
- Have you ever been confronted with an emergency situation at work?
If so, how did you respond?
Childcare Background:
- What is your education or training with regards to childcare?
- What ages of children have you worked with?
- What were your responsibilities in your last position?
- What kinds of activities did you do with the children in your last position?
- What did you like most about your last position? What did you like least?
- If asked for a reference, what would your last employer say about you?
- Do you have any special talents or interests to share with children? (e.g. do you play an instrument or sing?)
- What would a typical day be like for you and an infant/toddler etc.?
- Discuss specifically what you expect the employee to do with your child(ren).
- Discuss your child(ren)’s daily schedule. How have you set limits with child(ren) with whom you’ve worked?
- What is your philosophy on discipline?
- Discuss your family’s thoughts on discipline and boundary setting.
- How would you reward a child for positive behavior?
- What do you see as your most important responsibility with a child this age?
- Discuss your own family’s philosophy of raising children.
- Are you comfortable driving children?
- Discuss proper car safety such as car seats and seat belts.
Household Duties:
- Are you comfortable cooking meals for the household? Child(ren)-only meals?
- Would you be comfortable running errands? Household errands? Child(ren)-only errands?
- Are you comfortable working around pets?
- Describe your housekeeping expectations.
For Live-In:
- How do you anticipate spending your free time?
- Do you consider yourself a morning person or a night person?
- What is the longest stretch of time you have cared for children at one time?
- How much time each week do you spend watching television? On the internet?
- How do you spend your time on the weekends?
- Discuss if there will be a household curfew.
- -Will this apply to the employee’s days off?
Hours, Salary and Benefits:
- How do you feel about working weekends? Evenings? Holidays?
- Discuss the required hours of the position and any flexibility that is needed.
- Discuss vacation, sick days and holidays. Are you open to travel? If yes, what limit might there be on the duration of travel?
- Do you have any evening commitments? If so, what time?
- If the employee is taking classes: Will the class schedule stay the same next quarter/semester?
- What length of commitment are you expecting?
- Discuss the official start date.
- What hourly, weekly or monthly salary is agreeable?
- How often would it be paid?
- Discuss which taxes are being withheld.
- Discuss any benefits to be provided. (e.g. health insurance, car insurance, cell phone)
- Are you comfortable driving for work-related tasks?
- Discuss whose car will be used.
- If the employee’s car is to be used, discuss mileage reimbursement policy and insurance coverage.
- If a car is provided for the employee’s personal use, discuss frequency, cost and restrictions.
Tips:
- Discuss thoroughly each household task required and its frequency, (cleaning, emptying the dishwasher, cooking, laundry, etc)
- If appropriate, discuss the priority of tasks in relation to the amount of time to be spent with child(ren)?
- If cooking is required, discuss any special dietary requirements for either party.
- Will the candidate be required to run errands? Are these for the household or relating to the children?
