This article has been written for the Koru Kids Nanny Service for nannies who are looking for a role with a family.
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Congratulations on being offered a phone interview. Before your phone call, please make sure you read through these top tips for making your interview a success.
The essentials:
Make sure your phone is charged and has signal, and you are ready for the call at the agreed time.
Choose somewhere quiet to take the call, and choose a time for the interview where you’ll have no other appointments to rush to.
Speak clearly and confidently. Everyone feels nervous for an interview, but remember the family have chosen to interview you because they like the look of your profile and think you could be the right fit for their family. Also, these interviews are a two way street! You’re finding out if the role seems a good fit for you too.
Be enthusiastic! We’ve surveyed thousands of families, and what they’re looking for is nearly always the same - someone who is really excited to work with kids, understands the importance of the role and can be a reliable presence in the lives of their family.
Talk about the kids. This is the best way to show interest in the role and reassure the parents that their children would be looked after by someone who really cares.
Check the logistics. Remember to confirm the days and hours they are looking for care, and when they want someone to start.
What the family might ask:
What prior experience do you have? This is one of the questions most commonly asked by parents, so be ready to talk confidently about your previous work with children. Think about examples of the responsibilities and duties you’ve had while looking after kids which will help to make you a great nanny. Don’t downplay your experience - babysitting for example is still great preparation for the role. The more detail you can give, the more confidence you'll give the parents that you're right for the role. This is also a good opportunity to speak about what you learnt during your Koru Kids online training.
What kind of fun activities would you like to do with our children? Parents will be really impressed if you can suggest some great activities to do with their kids. Remember to read the family’s profile carefully before the meeting so you can suggest something appropriate for the age of the children, and suited to their interests. If you want some fun activity ideas, check out the Koru Kids Activity Generator. If you know the area the family are based, make sure you show your local knowledge and talk about your favourite places.
Why are you interested in becoming an after school nanny? Everyone will have a slightly different answer for this, but our nannies are constantly telling us how fun and rewarding they find working with kids!
Would you feel comfortable helping out with homework?
Would you be happy to do some cooking for the kids?
What you could ask:
What are your kids like? What do they love doing? This is the most important thing to ask about - it shows you are engaged, keen to get to know the kids better, and knowing what they like will help you to bond with them and plan activities.
How would you describe your parenting style? It’s important to get an idea of their parenting style, so you know what might be expected of you in the role, and what kind of things the kids are used to responding to.
What would a typical day with the kids look like?
What would make you and your family feel like you have a brilliant nanny?
Remember to confirm the days and hours they are looking for care, and when they want someone to start.
After the interview:
It's always a good idea to drop the family a message after your phone call. Thank them for taking the time to speak to you, tell them how much you enjoyed talking to them and let them know that you're looking forward to hearing from them and hopefully meeting in person!
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, or if you’d like any guidance on your upcoming interview. You can email us at care@korukids.co.uk or click the live chat message button to chat with the team.
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