Work Closely with your Agency's Placement Coordinator
Every agency has a placement staff to assist parents with au pair applications and matching. You might be assigned to work with one person, depending on your agency's procedures. Working with your placement counselor is KEY in getting the applications you want to review before you interview an au pair!
Follow these Top Tips and to ensure that you and your placement coordinator are on the same page:
#1. Gatekeepers to Au Pair Applications
Spend time to develop a good, friendly working relationship with the placement staff at your agency.
They punish parents who treat them poorly - either by not giving you any applications in hope that you will switch to another agency, or they will sabotage your efforts to get a great au pair by withholding quality applications! Agencies know that if host parents treat their staff badly, they might do the same with their au pairs - so this part of the process becomes part of the host family screening process.
Make your placement counselor your new best friend - a cordial, friendly relationship will reap benefits that you need to match with a great au pair.
#2. Slow Boat to China
Some agencies are slow to respond to a family's urgent need for immediate childcare and they will not release enough applications fast enough for you to review.
If you have tried to get more applications and help (and you have been consistently friendly and pleasant), but are beginning to feel you are stuck on a slow boat to China, tell your local counselor or LCC to intervene on your behalf.
That usually does the trick!
#3. Reminders Are Key to Better, Faster Matching
Don't assume your placement counselor knows 'exactly' what you are looking for in an au pair - they have your application, which lists your preferences, but they often do not bother to read this.
Send them email reminders and leave phone messages reiterating what your top preferences are (example, driving, German, good English). Leave up to 3 reminders, any more and you might be labeled as a 'difficult' host parent...
Remember, a squeaky wheel does get the grease, but only in moderation!
#4. A Good Match Depends on Quality Au Pairs
Be honest and upfront with the placement office - if you are busy and don't have time to review lots of useless applications, have a frank conversation with the placement counselor.
Tell her how busy your job is and how time is scarce. Make sure she knows how important it is to you to receive top, quaility applications for your review - this can cut your matching time in half!
To read more about matching, read our Matching Services Ratings by Agency
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