Below you will find interview resources as well as a sample of house guidelines for a successful stay with the au pair.

• Au pair Interview Resources

The interview itself is a good indicator of personality & character. Do not ignore some of the basic personality indicators when scheduling the interview. For example:

• Was the au pair available when she said she would be?

• Was it easy to get in touch with her?

• Was the au pair responsive when you scheduled your meeting?

• How is the au pair’s communication style? Could you understand her?

• Did the au pair have strong English skills?

• Could she effectively communicate her feelings?

• Did she prepare in advance for the call or meeting?

• Was she decisive? (as a care taker, she needs to be quick on her feet!)

• Did the au pair ask anything about your children?

Always ask the candidate why she has chosen to become an Au Pair. Then, based on your criteria, craft questions that will help you assess an au pair’s fit with your family. Keep in mind that open-ended questions tend to be most reveal­ing.

TIP: Be consistent in the questions you ask. Then, you can draw direct comparisons between the candidates.

Sample Host Family Questions for the Au pair

Childcare Readiness & Experience

• Tell me about the children you have watched before.

• The longest amount of hours you cared them at one time?

• What time of day did you watch the children?

• Did you care more than 1 or 2 children at the same time?

• What are some of your favorite activities to do with a child?

• What qualities do you think are MOST important for the parents and caregivers to encourage?

• Tell me how you would spend your day with my child?

• Overall, do you consider yourself the childs friend, teacher, supervisor or playmate?

Personality and Lifestyle

• What is your current job?

• What do you do for fun?

• Do you currently have a boyfriend? Is he supporting you about your trip?

• Are you ok if our family has pets? (do you have any allergies)

• What kind of music do you like?

• How does your family feel about you coming to Australia for 6 months?

• Have you ever been away from home for a long time? For how long?

• Have you ever been to Australia before? Are you familiar with Australian culture and family values?

• What do you do when you are under a lot of pressure?

• What would your friends tell me about you?

Where You Live

• Do you live with your family?

• What are your responsibilities in your home?

• Do you have rules in your home?

• What responsibilities do you have at home? Do you cook or clean?

• Describe your community to me. What do you like? Dislike?

• Describe your house to me. What do you love about it? What do you hate? What will you miss?

• If I took a picture of your bedroom right now, what would I see?

Education and Culture

• What things do you want to see and do while you are in Australia?

• What classes would you like to take?

• Have you finished your education at home?

• How do you feel about school?

Driving

• Do you drive? How often?

• Do you have an international driver’s license?

• How long have you had a driver’s license?

• Do you have a car now? What kind of car do you drive?

• Have you ever driven an automatic car?

• Have you ever been in a car accident? (If yes, discuss it)