Corporate Recruiters Should Use “Nanny Test”
Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway says that if she were a corporate recruiter, she’d chuck the psychometric tests and references, and instead give potential employees the “nanny test” to determine whether or not they’d make good managers.
In other words, if a corporate candidate is able to successfully manage a nanny, it follows that he/she would make a good manager in the corporate world as well.
Says Kellaway, “…Getting someone else to look after our children is the biggest act of delegation that any of us ever does. You need to find someone good, you need to get them to stay, and you need to keep them happy. This isn’t easy in a job that is poorly paid, has no career progression and involves much wiping of bottoms.”
Okay, we’re with her so far.
Here’s who Kellaway says would FAIL her nanny test and be rejected for any managerial position:
- Any candidate who has employed a succession of nannies. “They are either bad judges of people or bad at motivation. You don’t want either type as a manager in your company.”
- Someone who has a spying nanny cam in their house. “Such a person might be fine as a compliance officer on a bank’s dealing floor, but otherwise should be turned down at once.”
- Candidates who force nannies to fill in time sheets saying how the baby spent every minute of the day and how much avocado puree was spooned into it. “Micro-managers make terrible leaders.”
We certainly agree with the first point, but the other two…well…not so much. We think it’s extremely important for parents to monitor their nannies, and while we definitely suggest a variety of simple monitoring steps, we also understand that a nanny cam can be a valuable part of the equation.
As for the time sheets issue, many moms have told us that they like their nannies to fill out — or at least verbally report — this kind of info because it helps them feel more connected to their children, just knowing their daily activities. Is that really such a bad thing?
For the record, Kellaway employed her own nanny for 15 years, which lends an interesting perspective to this whole idea of her nanny test.
So, what do YOU think of her “nanny test?” What kind of manager would you be?
May 13th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I think Ms Kellaway,have a point i have worked with mom’s who use camera,log books,and i was not afraid, i do my job the bestbecause i have nothing to hide and i was doing a good job
May 14th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
If I was to be monitored I would be uncomfortable…It would make me fake and afraid that I might do something the parent doesnt like…
May 14th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I would`nt mind to be watch by a baby cam at all. If the children or child that iam watching parents feel safer. Than hay I’m with it to. Because i`am a mother my self.I understand the feeling. Its to much going on in this world that we are living in.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I don’t mind nanny cams because I treat children I watch as I would my own. As far as I know I have never been nanny camed but I also know there is the possibility that I could be. As a result of this knowledge I perform my duties as if I were on nanny cam. Concerning the daily log-I have used these with all my families-at my request. I developed my own and parents love them. It lets them know how their child’s day went; how they ate, slept, etc. I had one parent tell me that she saves them and will make a book to show her child when he is older.
May 19th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I have never had a concern regarding “nanny cams”. If I worked for a family that had one, I would be proud for them to see how I interact with their children in their home as I know that I do a great job.
I agree with hersee above in that I am usually the one to suggest and utilize the daily log for the parents to know how their child’s day went and more or less, what they’re paying me for. I don’t view it as being micro-managed.
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Okay here go’s:
In an interview I have been askes “would you mined if we places a nanny cam on you” ans. Not at all as long as I have the same privlege.
Now this may sound insane to the politically correct but I assure you, the minute one is placed in a position of more or less in reguards to the
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
children’s well being. People who give birth are not any different then the Nanny. She is to love and respect the child as if there own.
the funny thing is, Nanny has to say goodbye to that child ,when her contract is complete. I find it amusing after news tv.
programs you get the terror, from the guy who sells Nanny Cam. The truth is the most abuser’s are rarely the Nanny, but the parents, and the
most surprising the Grandparents. Bring on the Nanny/Parent Cams for one as a Nanny needs to be protected from the not always perfect
parents or is it pair rents. Wake up Nannies, its not all your fault. THANKS FOR BEING
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I don’t mind nanny cams at all, in fact I think it’s a great idea especially if they can be live over the internet. How awsome would it be for the parent at work to go, “I wonder just how my baby is doing?” Then log into it and see her having a great time with her nanny! It’s a nice sence of security.
Not quite sure about kellaway’s artile though.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I agree so much with the first statement. I was recently employed by a family who had had a succession of babysitters. At first I thought nothing of this but later I learned why. It seems that not only were their children highly disrespectful (except to the parents), the family also has a cat who bites hard. The parents also chose to turn off their cell phones late at night so that they could work until two in the morning without having to come home at nine.
Now the purpose of this post is not to complain, but to rather make the point that parents should include references as well so that potential sitters can decide whether or not they would like to work for the family.
June 12th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
On that last point about micromanagement - I’d like to clarify what I believe the author is trying to convey.
Let us define the term:: Micromanagement is defied as a manager who closely observes or controls the work of their employees. In contrast to giving general instructions on smaller tasks while supervising larger concerns, the micromanager monitors and assesses every step, and avoids delegation of decisions.
By no means is it wrong to ask for reports or verbal updates; however, to demand this as a daily duty of your child care provider is going over board and hence turns into a micromanagement style that is generally seen as a derogatory skill type in the corporate world as well as other areas of the work force.
If you need a written report daily as to what your child is doing every second of the day, this is a sure sign you::
A) could be a type-A personality
B) need to re-evaluate your Employer style.
When an employer does not show confidence that the person in the position they have hired for can handle or do the job well without overseeing every detail, the employee can become resentful or worse it can severely affect the self-esteem of employees as well as their mental and physical health.
Give your “employee” [in this situation the babysitter/Nanny] a sense of trust that is needed but still stay aware and keep updated by routine conversations and communication by all parties.
Much better then having the sitter take time away from actually doing the job of taking care of your child to fill out silly reports. Conversations build a healthy and strong relationship between both parties that can be shared for many years to come.
June 16th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
My mom runs a daycare and gives parents of children under age one or so cards dictating BMs, food, and sleep. Just so the parent is aware of when the baby may need to eat or sleep again. When kids get on a normal schedule she just verbally tells the parents what they had (unless the child is old enough to talk and tells the parent themselves) and when they slept and anything important that they may have accomplished or done.