So excited! First interview!

[Momof4]

Good luck and best wishes and be confident and strong and positive!!! You can do this! LUCCCCCCCCCK!!! Let us know how it goes.

[jammiesandtea]

I'm where you are, have just done my first two interviews this past week (I think both went well). I wish you the best of luck! Sending positive vibes to you.. hope you get some great kids and golden families.

[Mondaygirl]

Well, my phone interview this morning was a bust. Right from the start I got the feeling that she was trying to get out of it. She asked me to call at 9, so I did, but the line was busy. I got through about 15 minutes later, and her first question was:"What are your hours?" and when I said:"I'm aiming for 7.30 to 5.30." (I didn't want to chase her off right off the bat, so I kept it rather open.) She immediately said:"Yeah, see, that won't work me. Oh well." I asked her what times she needed and she said 6 AM, but only two days a week. She then asked about fees, I explained my rates, she hemmed and hawed and sighed, and said she would need before and after school care for her 4 year old as well. I told her I don't do before and after school care, and that she would just be charged for a whole day. She then said that there were people that did after school care for 10 dollars. At that point I said:"Yes, there are." and let it go lol. She did want me to send her some info (I think she said that to be nice.) so I told her I would email her my handbook, and to contact me if she had any questions.
Seriously, even with my part time rates being higher per day than my full time rates, it still works out to be less than half of minimum wage! It's not like I'm charging a fortune. Ugh. This would have just been the kind of client that always has excuses why payment is late, or why she is late picking up, or early dropping off... Not worth it!
Next up: interview tomorrow evening. I sure hope that goes better, because right now I'm 0 for 2!

[mommylove]

Im so happy you did a phone interview first......good choice.....good thing you didn't waste to much time with her (lol) Good luck tonight hope it goes better

[sunnydays]

With a client like that who is obviously not a good fit, I wouldn't waste time sending her a handbook. I only send my policies to families who I have already interviewed in person and who I want in my daycare. And another suggestion, stay firm on your hours!!! Don't leave it open! If you do that, you will end up with VERY long hours as each family will need something different. Think about the hours that work for you and tell them those are your hours, end of story. When you say "I'm aiming for..." it sends the message that you are willing to negotiate and bend over backwards on all kinds of things. Good luck with your other interviews! Sounds like you are off to a great start

[Artsand crafts]

I do not like when clients try to negotiate down my fee. That is a no no for me. That could mean that they do not value my service enough (I think my prices are fair for the area and for what I am offering as I think most of us do) or that they could not afford it and I could end up having troubles to get paid in the future. Nobody low ball daycare centers, Walmart, Sears, etc. we should not be different. You are better off. Hope you find the right families soon...

[Mondaygirl]

I had my first face-to-face interview this evening, with a lovely young couple and their 9 month old. He was just adorable. They need care on varying days each week because of shift work, but the hours would always fall perfectly within my hours of operation, and vary from 3 to 5 days per week.
I guess it went well, but for some reason I just don't have a very good feeling about it. Maybe it's just that it was a bit anti-climactic. We talked for a bit, played with the babies for a bit, and they went home with my handbook and some forms I had printed out and put in a neat little folder. (I came up with a logo, and I was tickled pink about it, but now I feel rather silly.) I had been working like a dog to get this place looking good, and the interview was over in about 45 minutes.
I think they liked me. I know they loved my son lol. I liked them, and their little boy. Not sure why I feel so negative. Maybe because I don't have a very high opinion of my house, which is a teeny tiny, rather old looking townhouse. (Old as in "needs upkeep from landlord" not as in "built a long time ago")
I guess we'll see. I would love to get this family, they seem really sweet and their baby boy seems like such an easy going little dude.

I think I may do a spin-off thread about tiny homes, to find out if I am actually as nuts trying to do this in this house, as I feel I am right now.

Thanks for the encouragement, you guys! I appreciate it more than you can know.

[playfelt]

45 minutes is about average for an interview. Mostly at the interview the parents and caregiver are just going over the basic information and getting a sense of each other through questions and observation. Then the parents will take all of the info home and compare it with what they learned at other places they visit and make a decision.