How To Find A Babysitter

It’s not so difficult to find baby sitter applicant as it is to find the right candidate. After all, baby sitter applicants can be found anywhere. But not every applicant is a good choice of baby sitter for your kids. The truth is that aside from the standard requirements of training and good background, different families may have different requirements from their sitters. The best way to narrow down on the right applicant-candidate is to conduct an interview.

Settling Into The Interview

When interviewing an applicant, make sure that she is as comfortable as she can possibly be. Conduct the interview in a good place in your home, free from any distractions. As much as possible, make her feel at home. This is more than being courteous – it is also a good way of breaking down her guard as it is during these unguarded moments that you get a good look at her authentic personality, her background and her temperament.

Try Breaking The Ice

You can begin the interview with light questions – questions that are non-threatening and can put her at ease. You can begin by asking her to talk a bit about herself, where she is from and if she has any other siblings.
Lightly asking about educational background and goal is another good interview question and provides a good springboard for more serious, critical questions. Of course, keep in mind that some answers are better drawn from between the lines – do not ask questions that are too invasive. For as long as you think an aspect of her life has no direct bearing on babysitting and handling kids, there is no need to pry too much into her private life.

Obvious Questions

Baby sitter applicants usually come with resumes in hand. Even then, as a parent, you are required to do more than read what is already outlined. Try asking her to expound on her resume and reveal a little something about what’s given. It is highly likely that she will be able to reveal something beyond what you see on the paper such as her motivations for babysitting, if she is purely motivated for its monetary remuneration or if she has any other interests that go beyond it.

Situational Questions

The best babysitters are those that can react appropriately and immediately to any given situation. In this case, it is necessary to ask her situational questions that will give you an insight if she’s suited for the job or not. Test how well she can handle potential emergencies by asking her what she would do when these emergencies come up. If your child has certain medical needs, you can begin by giving her a possible scenario. From her answers, you can gauge if she is the best sitter candidate for your child.

Be Alert and Observant

There are other ways of learning more about a person than just asking questions. One of these is through observation. Non-verbal languages can tell you a lot about your applicant. Non-verbal, body languages can tell you whether your applicant is telling the truth or not. Signs of nervousness, uneasiness and fidgeting when asked about her background may be indications that she is trying to hide something or trying to avoid the question for one reason or another.

If you want to find baby sitter applicants who are suitable for your child’s temperament or medical needs, you will have to do more than randomly pick one out from out of the many. You will have to do your part as the parent and make sure you are leaving your child in good hands. As mentioned, there are many baby sitter applicants – but it does not necessarily mean that all of them are able, competent, trustworthy sitters.