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The Best and Easiest Platforms for Conducting Video Nanny Interviews
April 28, 2014
The best nanny candidate for a family might not be in your neighborhood, or even in your state or country. This means she might not be the best match, right? Wrong. In this digital age, technology allows you to expand your search globally to find the right nanny, without incurring the expense and commitment of travel costs before you even get to “meet” the other party.
Here are a few of the most popular modes for video interviewing and why they might work for you:
Probably the most well known source for face-to-face connections, Skype offers free video chat capabilities, file sharing and instant messaging with another Skype user. The only requirement is to open an account and download the program. If your spouse is away or at work when it is convenient for all parties to connect for an interview, the service allows for live group video connections for a small fee. If this is a frequent occurrence, you can purchase a premium membership for an affordable $4.99/month. As an added bonus, the membership can be used post-hiring for foreign or long distance nannies to be able to stay connected to family with unlimited free calls. Skype also has video messaging capabilities, so a list of interview questions can be sent out to numerous prospective nannies and they can leave a video message with their responses, allowing prospective families to do an initial tapering down of candidates.
For a simple service that doesn’t require hefty downloads or pricey memberships, you can make video calls over Wi-Fi from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac to someone else with nothing more than a FaceTime-enabled device for the caller and recipient and a Wi-Fi connection. It’s important to note that FaceTime over a cellular network requires iPhone 4s, iPhone 5 or iPad 3rd generation with cellular data capability, and data charges may apply. Although it works with a simple tap of a button, the service is not available in every country, so you need to check that your prospective nanny’s location is included.
This clean and simple video chat service requires no login and runs in-browser, so it needs no downloads. A video chat is started with one click and offers a link that can be shared with up to four people. Just copy and paste the link into an email or tweet, or use AIM or Facebook if the other party is logged into those services. If there’s a busy or unwanted background, you can change from vertical to horizontal framing to lessen the distraction. Although perhaps not of the quality of Skype video, this is a simple, free service that doesn’t require advance setup, fees or special accounts to use.
GreenJob Live is a service that allows for face-to-face interviewing between potential nannies and caregivers seeking families without the need to download software or large files. GreenJob One-Way is a service that allows families to record customized interview questions for candidates to respond to via video, which is perfect for anyone trying to narrow down options from a large pool of potential caregivers. The family can then peruse the candidates and reach out to those who seem most likely to fit. It also allows candidates to upload resumes, cover letters, references and online profile URLs. The concierge level service offers tech checks on both sides to walk you through any issues, ensure audio and video is working well, and troubleshoot any problems. It also offers expedited webcam delivery if needed.
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I’ve used Skype for interviews before and it’s always worked out well – however I think you have to be very careful to be professional while interviewing otherwise it could backfire… In other words, make sure you have a neutral wall behind you, etc. We had one nanny interview that had a very interesting picture behind her – and it wasn’t a good interesting. It was one of the reasons we ended up not hiring her.
GREAT tip! Video interviewing definitely requires prep work!