2nd round interviews are a good time to ask the tougher questions. You've established a rapport with each candidate and you should feel comfortable now to delve deeper in the interview. Remember that this could be your last chance before making your final choice, so really go for it!...if a candidate answers something that makes you feel uneasy, ask them for further clarification, don't be shy.
This is also a good time to have you child/children meet the candidates. You can gauge their interactions with your kids and it should provide some great insight about fit.
As with the 1st round, if certain questions just aren't working, then drop them, don't force it. Remember to clarify the question if the candidate is having difficulty understanding what sort of answer you're looking for, and take your time. Don't rush! If you're interviewing by Skype, then take an audio/video recording of the call. Sometimes during the interview, you're so in the moment that everything seems fuzzy afterwards (like any big exciting event!), so it will be good to have a video to refer back to and review responses. Particularly when there is a strong chemistry with someone, or lacking in an initial chemistry with someone else, it can create a bit of a "blinders" effect where you just remember how their answers made you feel, but not what they said. When you go back and review the answers afterwards, you may be surprised at how the scales tip.
If you followed my instructions for the first round interviews then you should have a printed out package with each candidate's resume and cover letter, so be sure to review that package again before each interview (including your notes, which may remind you of additional questions or clarifications that you wanted to ask this round), and of course, print out a 2nd round interview guide for each candidate.
SAMPLE 2nd round INTERVIEW GUIDE, click HERE
Stay tuned for my post on Skype-based interview tips, as well as our own first round interviews coming soon!
You're well on your way to finding a wonderful nanny, so good luck and happy interviewing!!
