Professional Development Training and Managing Difficult Situations Seminar

On Sunday, October 21st, our San Francisco Nanny team hosted a seminar in Oakland’s Sawmill Warehouse. It was a fantastic and intimate event! Our Placement and Recruiting Counselors gave the attendees one-on-one attention and personalized advice to help them in their job searches and current Nanny positions. The team also went over very helpful tips on interviewing, professional communication and managing difficult conversations. In case you missed it, here are a few takeaways from the seminar!

Interviewing Tips: 

• Offer to remove your shoes when entering the family’s home and ask to wash your hands – Families will be impressed with this courteous gesture.
• Avoid discussing salary or benefits on the first interview – It can make families feel as if you only care about the money. See how the interview goes, then after the trial you will have a better idea of what you would like to earn in that position.
• Be ready to answer tough questions – Families will ask you questions about previous employers, future vacations, potential schedule conflicts, commitments you have with your own family and future career goals. Be honest, but remember the family is interviewing you, and it will be important for you to highlight your commitment to your job and your strong work ethic. Never speak poorly about a previous employer.
• Show interest in the children and the family – Many families decide to pass on hiring a Nanny because the Nanny is not engaged or thoughtful in the interview. Think of a few questions you would like to ask before you arrive, just in case you get nervous. Families will like to see you were proactive and thoughtful.
• Manners matter – Be gracious during your interview. Thank the family for spending the time to meet with you. Empathize with their situation. Remember that this is a stressful time for the family and they might have a hard time adjusting to being away from their children. We also highly recommend that you write “thank you” notes after in-person interviews. We are happy to help get you the address or forward an email on your behalf!

Professional Communication: 

• It starts with the Agency – Remember how you carry yourself with our Agency sets the tone for your job search. Please “reply all” when instructed and communicate with us in a timely and professional manner.
• Privatize your social media accounts – T+C and parents will do an online search for you. Make sure that we, and they, cannot see any provocative or questionable content.
• Schedule trials and interviews through the agency – It is a great way to avoid double-booking yourself.
• Be reliable – If we notice that you cancel multiple interviews, trials or temporary jobs, it will make us question your commitment and reliability and can significantly impact your job search.
• Remember that we are a resource for you – If ever you have a question on industry standards or other items, call us. We want to help you, but we will also let you know if you’re being unreasonable so you don’t ask your employer for something that is likely to sour the relationship.

Managing difficult conversations: