How to hire an au pair

Balancing your work life with kids can be a daunting task. Although there are nannies, daycares, and babysitters that offer some help, they generally operate during the eight-to-five workday. 

Au pairs, on the other hand, can work for 45 hours a week in a combination of small, non-consecutive blocks, making it much easier to strike a good balance between family life and job demands in busy households.

Au pair programs are cultural-exchange programs that involve a young person living with your family, providing childcare, and performing light household duties in exchange for room, board, and a small allowance. An au pair lives in close proximity to you and your kids, hence it’s important to ensure that you are making the best possible choice while hiring an au pair.

Choosing the wrong au pair can not only be costly, but also lead to dissatisfaction and potential issues in childcare, which can disrupt your family’s routine and harmony. That’s why it’s essential to find an au pair who:

• Has relevant skills and experience in childcare

• Understands the fundamental principles of caregiving

• Aligns with your family’s values and parenting style

What is an au pair?

An au pair can be considered a cross between a nanny and a cultural exchange student. They are typically young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who live with a host family in a foreign country while providing childcare and light household duties. 

In exchange for providing their duties, au pairs are generally given accommodation, meals, and a small weekly or monthly allowance. “Au pair” is a French term which means “on par” or “equal to” reflecting that the au pair is not a traditional employee and is treated as a temporary family member.

While the primary role of an au pair is to provide childcare for the host family’s children, it also gives them the opportunity to explore a different culture, learn a foreign language, and gain international experience. 

Their tasks might include playing with the children, helping with homework, and occasionally assisting with light housework, like tidying up children’s rooms, preparing meals, or doing their laundry.

There are certain requirements for au pair programs. The au pair must be within a specific age (usually 18 to 30), and they must have a high school diploma, experience in childcare, and basic proficiency in the host country’s language. They are also expected to commit to a certain duration of stay which can range from a few months to a year or more. 

However, the specific terms of the arrangement and regulations can vary depending on the country, agency, and individual agreement between the host family and the au pair.

Au pair hard skills

Hiring an au pair is not an easy task, especially if you have no idea what the au pair hiring process should look like. 

You need to assess applicants on a number of hard skills to make sure that they are capable of taking care of your children and fulfilling other childcare responsibilities. 

Below, you’ll find a list of the most important hard skills to consider. When hiring your next au pair, keep an eye out for these skills in candidates. 

Quality childcare

According to a survey by Zippia, nearly 31% of the resumes of au pairs listed quality childcare as a skill. 

The au pair must be an expert in providing quality childcare and should have practical knowledge and experience in caring for children of various ages and personalities. They should be able to feed, bathe, and dress the children, along with changing diapers for infants. 

The au pair will be living with you most of the time, so their knowledge of child-safety guidelines and protocols (especially baby-proofing the house and implementing appropriate safety measures) is crucial.

Educational proficiency

Au pairs are also responsible for teaching the kids and helping them complete their homework. It thus makes it necessary for the au pair to be knowledgeable and capable of providing educational support. 

There are several tests available on TestGorilla that can help you assess the mathematical ability, reading capability, mechanical reasoning, general aptitude and other cognitive abilities of the candidate. Au pairs contribute to the intellectual development of the child and should be skillful enough to answer their questions.

Communication and language skills

Strong communication skills are vital for an au pair to interact effectively with both you and your children. They’ll be spending a lot of time with your kids, making it necessary for them to be fluent in the language spoken in the household. 

TestGorilla’s online assessments can be of great help here. Language proficiency tests in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, and other languages will help you determine whether or not the au pair is fluent in the language and can participate in household conversations.

First aid and CPR

Proficiency in first aid techniques and basic CPR is an essential skill for au pairs. It’ll help them respond effectively in emergencies and provide immediate assistance if your child requires medical attention. 

They should be knowledgeable about basic first aid procedures to handle common injuries, accidents, and illnesses that children may experience. 

Au pairs should also be trained to recognize and respond to emergencies like choking, seizures, allergic reactions, and other serious medical conditions. 

Au pair soft skills

Let’s now look at some of the most important soft skills your au pair should have to be successful in their role and provide the right care for your kids.

Time management and organization

Time management and organization is an essential skill for an au pair. 

They’ll be responsible for several activities like managing schedules, arranging extracurricular activities for your kids, scheduling school drop-offs and pick-ups, doing laundry, helping make meals, assisting in completing homework, and much more. 

Effective time management will ensure that every activity is running smoothly and on time. You can assess the time management skills of the au pair with TestGorilla as well.

Adaptability

Au pairs generally arrive from a different country or culture. They need to adapt quickly to a change in culture, weather conditions, eating habits, lifestyle modes, and more. 

Try to look for an au pair who is more adaptable and flexible with change. They’ll need to fit in with your family’s usual routines and failure to do so will cause discomfort to both the au pair and your family.

Proactivity

Make sure that your au pair is self-confident and proactive. You shouldn’t be responsible for constantly doling out duties; instead, during working hours, the au pair should take care of your kids on their own. This includes changing their diapers, playing games to keep them entertained, reading to them, cooking meals if they’re hungry, and more. 

The au pair should be able to plan for any possible challenges that might come up during their work and should be proactive enough to make decisions without consulting you.

Household chores

Since they are a temporary part of the family, au pairs often need to assist in regular, day-to-day activities like doing dishes, cleaning, ironing, washing, meal prep, and others to sustain a home life. 

Remember, however, that au pairs will help you in completing these tasks as a family member. You shouldn’t treat them as a maid or servant available at your service.

How to test au pair skills 

Selecting the right au pair is much easier if you have the right strategy for verifying au pair qualifications and skills. 

The best way to evaluate skills and see who meets your requirements is to use screening tests, such as the ones we offer in our test library.

This way, you’ll be able to quickly shortlist the most skilled applicants and invite them for an interview. You can use this approach to test hard and soft skills alike and move quickly through the pile of resumes you’ve received. 

Here are some tests you can use in your au pair recruitment process: 

• Time management test

• Understanding Instructions test

• Communication skills test

• Basic Double-Digit Math test

• C1 English Proficiency test

How to find an au pair

Finding an au pair can be a daunting task if you’re doing it for the first time. Since most au pairs come from abroad on special visas and the au pair program is regulated by the country’s government, it’s generally more difficult to find an au pair than a nanny. Here we’ll discuss some of the different ways in which you can find a suitable au pair for your family.

Finding au pairs through an agency

Au pair agencies make the task of finding an au pair drastically easy and simplified. They are registered to provide qualified au pairs to parents and help them through the entire process of shortlisting, interviewing, and hiring au pairs. Their insights and guidance will help you find the right au pair for your family.

You can contact a reputable au pair agency near your home or online. They specialize in connecting host families with au pairs and have databases of pre-screened au pairs to ease the process. 

Online au pair platforms allow you to create a profile, search for au pairs based on specific criteria, and communicate with potential candidates directly as well. You can assess the candidates with the help of online tests and then interview shortlisted ones via the online platform.

Once selected, the agency will help you check the references of the candidate and review their profiles. They’ll also take care of the necessary paperwork and background checks while providing support throughout the process. 

Hiring an au pair through an agency gives you peace of mind that the candidate is qualified and safe for leaving your kids in their care.

Finding au pairs on your own

If you’re wondering how to hire an au pair without an agency, there are several ways in which you can do this. 

But first, to make shortlisting easier, there are some important questions that you should ask yourself. These will differ from family to family and are based on your requirements. Some of the common questions that you should have an answer to are:

• How old do you want the au pair to be?

• Which country do you prefer the au pair to be from?

• Does the au pair need to drive?

• How long do you need the au pair?

• Will the au pair be taking care of an infant?

Once all these questions are answered, you can go ahead and start looking for au pairs through one of these processes:

• Personal recommendations. Personal recommendations and connections are one the best ways of finding qualified and reliable au pairs. You can seek recommendations from friends, family, or acquaintances who’ve had positive experiences working with an au pair. You can ask family friends whether they know who’s eligible to work as an au pair and whom you can trust with your kids. One thing to remember is that even though you’re finding the au pair yourself, if they come from abroad, you need to connect with an agency to get the visa for the au pair.

• Online classifieds and social media. You can also post your au pair job listing on online classified websites, social media platforms, or local community boards to attract the attention of interested candidates. Make sure that you specify the requirements, desired qualifications, and your contact information for the au pair to reach out to you.

• Local universities and language schools. Many au pairs are young adults in their late teens and early 20s who are interested in cultural exchange and learning a new language. For them, working as an au pair can be a great way of expanding their knowledge and expertise in a certain language. You can contact such universities or language schools, inquire whether they have an international program, and then seek help to find potential au pairs who’ll be interested in taking up the job in your area.

Job description template for an au pair

A well-written and detailed job description will help you find the best candidate and filter the ones who don’t meet the requirements. It will also help the candidates understand the skills, experience, and abilities you’re looking for in an au pair.

An example would be specifying if you want an au pair for your infant child. Some countries, like the US, require that the au pair have a minimum of 200 hours of experience taking care of kids under two years if they’ll be employed as an au pair for infants. If they don’t fulfill the criteria then you won’t be able to hire them.

This is why it’s important to write a crisp and well-defined job description. It will keep you from wasting valuable time and also prevent unqualified candidates from applying for the role. The job description will also help qualified candidates highlight the skills that match your requirements.

Below, you’ll find our au pair job description template you can copy and adapt to your needs. 

Au Pair job description template

We are seeking a responsible and nurturing individual to join our family as an au pair. As an au pair, you will provide personalized care and support to our children, fostering a safe and engaging environment for their growth and development. This is a unique opportunity to become part of our family and experience a cultural exchange while making a positive impact on our children’s lives.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Childcare and Supervision:

• Provide attentive and reliable care for our children, ensuring their safety and well-being at all times.

• Engage in interactive play, educational activities, and age-appropriate outings.

• Monitor and assist with homework, assignments, and extracurricular activities.

• Foster a nurturing and positive environment that promotes the children’s emotional and intellectual development.

Daily Routine Management:

• Help establish and maintain a consistent daily routine for the children, including meal times, school schedules, and bedtime routines.

• Assist with personal hygiene tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.

• Prepare and serve nutritious meals and snacks for the children.

Household Support:

• Light housekeeping duties related to the children’s areas, such as tidying up toys, doing laundry, and maintaining cleanliness.

• Collaborate with the parents in organizing and maintaining the children’s belongings and living spaces.

• Support the family with light errands or grocery shopping related to the children’s needs.

Cultural Exchange:

• Engage in cultural exchange activities with the children, sharing your language, customs, and traditions.

• Encourage open-mindedness, tolerance, and curiosity about different cultures.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience in childcare, babysitting, or a related role.

• A genuine passion for working with children and a strong sense of responsibility.

• Ability to create a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Flexibility and adaptability to accommodate the family’s needs and schedule.

• Respect for the family’s privacy and cultural practices.

• Basic knowledge of first aid and emergency procedures.

• Fluency in [host country language] and proficiency in [your language] (if applicable).

• Valid driver’s license (preferred but not required).

To apply for the position of au pair, please submit:

• A resume highlighting your childcare experience and relevant skills.

• A brief cover letter explaining your interest in the position and how you would contribute to our family’s well-being.

• References from previous childcare-related positions (if available).

We appreciate all applications; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Note: This job description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and qualifications for the au pair position. It is not a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of the role. The responsibilities and duties of this position may change or be adjusted to meet our family’s evolving needs.

Sample au pair interview questions

Here are some interview questions that you might ask while hiring an au pair, plus our sample answers to help you choose the right candidate. 

How would you handle a child’s emotional meltdown or tantrum?

This is one of the most important questions, as children often throw tantrums and you likely won’t always be present to handle them. 

Expect answers that demonstrate the au pair’s ability to remain calm, empathetic, and patient in such situations. Look for candidates who mention techniques like distraction, active listening, and offering comfort to help the child regulate their emotions.

Can you describe your approach to maintaining a safe and secure environment for children?

You’ll be leaving your children in the au pair’s care whenever you’re out for work or functions. 

You should expect answers that highlight the candidate’s attentiveness, knowledge of safety protocols, and ability to identify and mitigate potential hazards. Look for candidates who emphasize supervision, childproofing, and their commitment to maintaining a secure environment.

How do you plan to balance educational activities and playtime for the children?

Look for candidates who understand the importance of a balanced approach. Expect answers that mention incorporating educational games, creative activities, and age-appropriate learning opportunities alongside free play. 

Candidates should also express their willingness to adapt activities to the children’s interests and developmental stages.

What strategies would you use to handle conflicts or disagreements between siblings?

Candidates who mention techniques like active listening, mediating discussions, encouraging compromise, and teaching conflict resolution skills should be preferred. 

Look for candidates who emphasize fostering a respectful and understanding environment among the children.

Can you describe your experience in managing a child’s daily routine, including meals and bedtime?

Look for candidates who demonstrate organizational skills and an understanding of the importance of consistency. 

Expect answers that mention planning nutritious meals, promoting healthy eating habits, and establishing a bedtime routine that includes winding down activities and creating a calm sleep environment.

How would you handle a child’s misbehavior or defiance?

This is an important aspect to gauge how the au pair will behave with your kid if they are not listening to the au pair. Parents should expect candidates to mention strategies like positive reinforcement, redirection, setting clear boundaries, and using logical consequences. 

Look for candidates who emphasize the importance of positive discipline techniques, such as explaining consequences and encouraging self-reflection.

How would you handle a medical emergency or a child falling ill?

Look for candidates who mention their knowledge of basic first aid and CPR. 

Parents should expect answers that demonstrate a calm and proactive approach, including contacting appropriate medical professionals, notifying parents, and following emergency protocols outlined by the family.

While evaluating candidates’ responses, parents should consider factors such as the candidate’s communication skills, problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and genuine passion for working with children. 

It’s important to gauge if their answers align with your family’s values and expectations, as well as their ability to contribute to a positive and nurturing environment for your children.

How much does an au pair cost?

So, how much does it cost to hire an au pair? 

The average salary of an au pair depends on the level of education, experience in the profession, certifications done, and any additional skills they possess. In addition to a weekly or monthly stipend for covering personal expenses, au pairs receive a combination of room and board.

According to Salary.com, the average salary for an au pair in the US is $27,467, while the range falls between $25,540 and $30,460. However, there are several factors that can make this number vary. 

The factors that affect an au pair’s salary are:

• Country of placement and exact location

• Number of working hours

• Experience

• Qualifications

• Arrangements made with the family

Find the best au pair for you without bias

When hiring an au pair, it’s common to receive numerous applications. This makes it crucial to have an efficient assessment process in place to identify suitable candidates who possess the necessary skills and can take care of their responsibilities.

To streamline the hiring process, you can implement pre-employment skills testing for interested au pair candidates. 

Invite them to undertake a skills assessment specifically tailored to the requirements of an au pair and evaluate their proficiency in a number of key skills. This will help you in identifying the most qualified candidates before having to review resumes or conduct interviews.

To streamline your hiring process and ensure you find the most qualified au pair candidates, consider starting a free trial of TestGorilla today. With TestGorilla’s comprehensive skills assessments, you can identify the best talent fast and without bias.