Finding a Suitable Au Pair: How to Interrogate The Potential Candidate
If you’re looking for a suitable au pair, there are some critical questions you should ask them. This can help you decide whether they are ideal for your family and children.
Talking to former au pairs is another smart move. Their experiences with previous host families can tell you a lot about them.
Do You Have Any Experience With Young Children?
When applying for the job, the interviewer will have questions for au pair interview. They’ll ask if you have any experience working with young children. The answer to this question is crucial because it allows you to showcase your skills and abilities as a childcare professional.
Children are curious and enjoy exploring the world around them. This is a natural process that children use to learn and develop.
Often, this begins at birth and is reinforced by parents interacting with their babies. As a result, children imitate how the parents hold, feed, change and play with them.
If you’re a parent, it is essential to establish boundaries and limits early in your child’s life. This will help them understand that ‘no’ means no. However, if you’re not consistent and allow your child to push back when you say ‘no,’ you’ll find that this behavior will continue to grow until it becomes a habit.
What Aspect of Being An Au Pair Do You Enjoy The Most?
Those looking for a meaningful, safe, fun way to work and travel abroad should consider becoming an au pair. It’s a well-trodden path that combines responsibility and growth with the thrill of adventure.
You’ll get to know a new culture and language everyone cannot experience. And, as you’re living with a host family and working alongside them, you can learn a lot about their way of life.
As an au pair, you also develop essential skills that will prove helpful in your career later on. For example, you’ll learn to take on childcare and household responsibilities while staying organized and prioritizing your time.
This is a remarkable ability to have, and it will make you a valuable employee no matter where you end up working in the future. Plus, knowing another language is always a good thing when it comes to job searching and finding work in any country.
Do You Have Any Special Skills?
If you have special skills that can help you be an au pair, it’s worth mentioning them to the prospective host family. For example, if you have first aid training, you can tell them that you can treat cuts and wounds and assist with sudden onsets of illness.
Include these skills on your resume, ideally under your work experience. This makes it easier for the host family to see how you can apply your skills to their situation.
Another way to list your special skills is to create a separate skills section in your resume. This is especially useful for identifying hard skills that aren’t necessarily reflected in your work histories, such as leadership skills or technical expertise.
Do You Have a Driver’s License?
A driver’s license is the official document confirming an individual’s authorization to operate a motor vehicle on public roads. This document is typically plastic and the size of a credit card.
Depending on where you live, the requirements may vary. Checking the traffic laws in your state is the best way to learn more.
In addition to a driver’s license, many jurisdictions issue an identification card. This is a photo ID that resembles a driver’s license but with a few notable exceptions.
Some states issue what are called driver’s certificates. In these cases, you can drive without a driver’s license for a limited period before obtaining one.
The best way to determine the most appropriate option is to consult your state’s driving manual or a good old-fashioned Google search.
What Are Your Expectations of a Host Family?
Host families often share their homes, traditions and cultures. This can be a very enriching experience for both parties.
However, it’s important to remember that there are some expectations that you must follow when staying with a host family.
Respecting your host family’s culture, values, and way of life is the most important thing you can do. Demonstrating this early on can create a positive foundation for future conversations and interactions with them.
Another thing to remember is that your host family will expect you to follow their house rules. Understanding these rules and asking questions if you have any concerns about them is essential.
What Are Your Expectations of An Au Pair?
Before you meet a prospective au pair, discuss your expectations with her. This will help you avoid having a negative relationship with her and ensure that your child will receive the best care possible!
Establish a set of household rules you expect your au pair to follow. These may include but are not limited to hygiene and cleanliness requirements.
When establishing these rules, you will want to consider the cultural assumptions that your au pair has. If she had lots of freedom in her previous home, she might feel that you are being restrictive if you suddenly decide to impose specific rules.
It would be ideal if you were also transparent about her responsibilities when your children are home with her during the day or are away from school for vacation, illness or holidays. These obligations are not restricted to cleaning the house and doing laundry, providing transportation for your children, and ensuring that their needs are met in any way they may need.
