10 Real Reasons to Require Nanny References from Several Families


Posted on April 27, 2012 by admin | in Background Check

When you’re hiring a nanny, getting a good list of references is an important part of the screening process. There’s no more valuable tool in selecting the right candidate than some positive reviews from previous employers and personal contacts. The more references you can obtain, the better overall picture you’ll have. With that in mind, here are ten real reasons you want to get references from several families when hiring your nanny:

  1. As we mentioned, the more references your candidate provides, the broader the picture she gives of her track record. Having a number of positive reviews from different families is a strong asset.
  2. More input means a better balance of opinions. Different references might point out different things that you would not have otherwise known if you didn’t get several references. The variety helps fill in the blanks better.
  3. More references also means more experience. A nanny candidate who can provide a number of different clients as satisfied previous employers makes a strong case for getting hired for your job too.
  4. A longer list of references is more difficult to fake or stage. It’s less likely that a job applicant would have multiple references give fraudulent referrals. It’s not as easy to get so many people to conspire that way, which leads to another advantage …
  5. A list of references can be cross-checked against one another, so you can corroborate dates and other information to make sure everything checks out. If your references are giving answers that either don’t jibe, or sound suspiciously similar, it could raise a red flag for you.
  6. A full list of references helps to flesh out your nanny candidate’s work history, as a tool for accounting for all of her time. Some references may be employers and others, teachers, for instance. This will confirm dates on her application for employment, education, etc.
  7. Different employers may have had different job requirements for her in her previous assignments. Speaking with each of them can provide perspective for a variety of skills that no one of them could have given you.
  8. Establishing a salary will be easier the more information you can obtain about your candidate’s past work history. You could also find out some information about her previous compensation from former employers.
  9. Viewing each of her references as stages in her nanny career, you can gauge the progress she is making, if any, and determine if she is continually improving her skills and training or if she has plateaued.
  10.  The more people you speak with, the better your odds are of not missing something. Everyone will have their own impressions and perspectives, and collectively, will all hopefully provide you all the pieces to the puzzle so you can make an informed decision.
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