Interviewing Tips

I am very weak with my interviewing skills :o :

Is anyone willing to share tips and tricks of the trade on how to have a successfull interview or sample questions a daycare provider can ask families during the pre-interview or interview stage?

After going over the needs of the parent (hours/days needed etc) The question that I seem to get the most information from is "Why did you choose homedaycare over a centre?". From that question you can usually get a feel for the parents ideas in raising their child. In a home childcare setting these ideals need to match the providers to get a good provider/family fit. Some parents choose a hdc because it is cheeper... some prefere the family setting... some like the varied ages... some like the consistancy that one provider (rather than multiple teachers) offers... these answers can help determin if this client has what you are looking for in a client.

Generally we have gone over the days and hours and they know my fee from our telephone conversation or emails whichever way we found each other.

In the actual interview my first question is usually "Tell me about the kind of daycare you want for your child?" They either launch into long list of best practices they have read from a book or online or they sort of stare at each other funny hoping the other parent will respond. The first response tells me I have tons of work to do to help them see reality and how group care works. The second response allows me to ask lots of questions about the child, the family dynamics, and then to in a sense tell them what they want, lol, or why some things work better than others given the age or temperment of the child. So while I am not only spouting my setting I am telling them what to be cautious of. Flashy and glitzy might be done to real them in but once they get there they often wish they had gone with the plain and simple. I am definitely the plain and simple.

I like to follow a set of questions I type up a head of time. So I sit down with them with a pen and my question sheets similar to a job interview. This helps me get the facts and paint the picture of the families needs.

I used my Parent Handbook as the structure for each interview. I went through each section with them and it helped a lot. Theyasked questions if they had any and all my info was already organized and in front of me. I made sure I gave them a copy of the handbook beforehand forthem to read over before the interview as well. I started by offering coffee and showing them around.

Hope that helps and good luck!!

I start by welcoming them into my livingroom/playroom and showing the children the toys I've set up for them. If they are similar in age to my own children, I will invite the same age child to play so I can see them interact. I offer them coffee, and give them a handbook. I go through the handbook, as it structures my interview too. Once we've gone through the handbook I ask questions about their baby. Then I ask if they have questions for me. When we're done asking questions I give a tour of my home and we usually end in the front hallway ready for them to leave.
I went to websites that list questions for parents to ask daycare providers and made sure I had an answer to each one of those questions ready.
I find that being prepared in this way enables me to be me sure of myself and present myself more professionally, but still nurturing and attentive.

I work in my home, yet seperate and set up like a preschool. I find that parents want their children to be happy, safe, and stimulated.
So, I start off with my parent handbook and talk about the program that I offer. Then I ask them, 1- how they found me
2-if they have had their child(ren) in a centre before...if they answer yes, I ask why they are looking for another one.
If their child(ren) are not with them, I ask them to bring them/him/her for a visit before they start.
Then you get to meet them and the answers to these questions help you get a better understanding of them.

Thank you everyone!! Some great tips!

I am an introvert / shy by nature so interviewing is a challenge for me. I currently have a space and I have been really messing up my interviews. I have been trying new strategies to help and I think they are actually making my interviews worse :(

I have a 2 step interview process. The first interview is a tour of daycare and a get to know each other discussion which can take up to 1.5 hours. Which is why I have the second interview which is to discuss the policies in the handbook. I usually conduct the second interview in the family's home. this allows me to see what their bedtime routines are at home. I have seen me absolutely love a family and want to sign with them at the first interview and the second interview the child was climbing on the table, kicking and punching the parents and I have walked. The second interview is about 1.5 hours too.

What does everyone put in there parent hand book? Would anyone post a copy? I`m currently putting one together and need ideas.
Thanks

If you are a bit on the shy side the handbook is the best idea.

I have a policies and procedures and resume which I let the parents read and ask questions if they need to while I play with the child (parents like that you go after the kid right away)

Then I sit down and go over my child profile with them to get a good sense of what the kid is like
(again this shows that you're interested in fitting their kid in and not looking like your desperate to just place somene in your house)

this way you have a good 10 -15 minutes of time to get your bearings before you have to sit down and make conversation. I tend to have gotten over my shyness by then.