b"18 In the ten minutes or so prior to the interview,set your screen (laptop/tablet/phone) up in awell-lit and quiet corner of your house, and tryto sit two to three feet away from the screensothatyouwillbeseatedcomfortably,notleaning forward to hear. If you are using yourphone, be sure to put it in airplane mode sothatitwillnotringorbuzzduringyourinterview.IfyouhaveotherdevicesinyourhomethatareconnectedtotheInternet,temporarily turn off their Wi-Fi and ask anyoneelse in your home to avoid streaming TV showsormusic(ordownloadinglargefiles)duringyour interview to increase connectivity.More than ever, flexibility is keyOur candidate coordinator Kenna Hynes sharesFill out job applications thoroughlyand fill out many of them! that many of the families currently launchingAgencies are already beginning to see record-setting numbers of candidates, and nanny searches are unsure of what the futurewhen someone is reviewing a mountain of resumes, candidates who zipped through holds, so they are looking for candidates whothe application as quickly as possible are often dismissed just as quickly. If an agency will be adaptable and able to grow with theirorfamilyasksifyouhaveexperiencewithacertainagegrouporprogressive familyforyearstocome.Shesays,methodology, spend time in crafting your response and go into detail around the Candidates who are dynamic and multiskilled,specific experience you havedont just say yes.whocouldbeupfortransitioningtofamilyassisting or household management duties asEvery agencys application process is slightly different, and since there is no nanny- thechildrengetolder,orareabletoassistspecific job portal for all agencies to use, the process of applying through multiple withhomeschooling,arehighlyvaluedrightagencies often feels like you are repeating yourself over and over again, and the now.impulse can be to complete as many applications as possible. However, ensure youaregivingeachapplicationthetimeandattentionyouwouldexpectfroman Manycandidateswereluckyenoughintheoutstanding candidate trying to seek their dream job. Even if you have filled out past to draw concise professional boundariestwelve applications to agencies, each agency will only be reviewing one. around what is and is not on their list of jobduties, but as families look towards the futureandtrytoeliminatethenumberofpeopleEnsure your resume and materials are accurate and updated cominginandoutoftheirhomes,ateamA phrase that has been circulating around our office for the past month is that we player mentality is key, and picking up aftercurrently dont have the bandwidth for benefit of the doubt. In the past, if someone yourselforstraighteningupcommonareassent in a resume that ended in 2018, we would often reach out to see what they have when you arrive will be key in solidifying thatbeen up to for the past couple of years or if they had a more recent resume they teammentality.Whilewebelievethatacould share with us. But as more and more candidates apply, we often lose the ability nannys role should be associated with mealto follow up with people. Our vetting coordinator, Angela Wo, shares that she always prep and cleaning up after the children in theirappreciates candidates that are prompt and thorough with their email responses and care,manyfamiliesareseekingcandidatesmaterials! It's less time spent communicating back and forth. It takes away valuable who will be willing to step in and help theirtime during the initial screening process and vetting process. So many candidates entire household run smoothly.could have turned their materials in and already been introduced to families while wewere emailing back and forth. Noneofusknowwhatthefutureholds,butfamilies will continue to seek out experienced,Dont let the tech win communicative, and trustworthy caregivers toUntil it is safer to meet in person, many families are doing multiple rounds of video help them navigate these uncertain times. Yes,interviews with candidates before moving forward into a working interview or offer thewayfamiliesandagenciesfindtheseletterhiringstage,whichmeansthatyourfirstimpressionswillmostlikelybe caregiverswillcontinuetoevolve,justasithappening via screens. Families often have their own preferred video platform (Zoom, already has since the inception of the InternetGoogle Meet, Skype, and FaceTime are the most common), and we recommend using and online job sites, but those who are able tothefamilyspreferredplatformevenifitisoneyouareunfamiliarwith.Theyall embrace these changes will continue to findfunction essentially the same, although keep in mind that Zoom and Skype require an familieswhotrulyvalue,respect,andapplication to be downloaded and an account to be created, so we recommend appreciatethem.Bestofluckinyourjobdownloading the software and setting up your account far in advance of the interview search!to avoid any tech snafus. 18 Summer 2020|NannyMag.com"