J-1 Au Pair Screening Process

We take the business of selecting our au pairs very seriously. To ensure quality, we use a multi-step evaluation process that includes no less than four independent staff reviewers who apply strict criteria and unbending rules for acceptance. We do not outsource the screening of our au pairs to third-party recruiters. By using our experienced team of in-house professionals, we guarantee that each au pair meets our high standards for acceptance.

Simple, open-book evaluation

Since we've already done the legwork of organizing each au pair's documents and evaluation reports into a succinct au pair profile, it makes your interview process simple. As a host family, you will be able to thoroughly evaluate your au pair candidates' skills and experience. You get easy access to background and reference checks, au pair applications, photos, videos, and personality analysis reports that help you make the most informed decision about hiring the au pair that's right for your family.

Detailed application

Our detailed application gets to the heart of an au pair's childcare experience and her motivation for wanting to become a great au pair. As part of the application process, we require the au pair's resume, which must include detailed childcare experience, special skills, and work references to establish an au pair's credentials to work with children. We also pay special attention to whether an au pair has at least 600 hours of prior experience working with children under the age of two or if she has special needs experience so that we can offer these uniquely qualified au pairs to families with those requirements.

Is she a vegetarian? Does she like dogs? Can she swim? What kinds of hobbies does she enjoy? At first glance, these questions might not seem important, but these lifestyle questions give you insight into life with the au pair so that you can determine if she is compatible with your family and lifestyle. Finally, a picture is worth a thousand words, so our au pairs also provide photos and a video introducing themselves.

In-person interview

Once an au pair has submitted her complete application, she will meet in person with one of our GreatAuPair Representatives abroad. Our representatives are a special part of the GreatAuPair admissions team. Each representative is uniquely qualified by having lived in the US or has participated in an international exchange program. Some are former au pairs, and others are Americans living abroad. Since each team member lives in the country where the au pair is applying, they are invaluable in helping GreatAuPair assess whether an au pair is a good candidate for the program. In addition to the interview, they conduct a standardized English evaluation to confirm the au pair's English proficiency, as well as verify local childcare and school references.

Hexaco Personality Profile

There are some things a resume just isn't going to tell you. Which is why GreatAuPair has invested in the Hexaco Personality test, one of the best personality measures to assess an au pair's personality and character. It provides a detailed look at an au pair's six factors, or dimensions that include Honesty-Humility (H), Emotionality (E), Extraversion (X), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), and Openness to Experience (O). Each factor is composed of traits with characteristics indicating high and low levels of the factor. As you interview au pair candidates, you will have access to each au pair's detailed Hexaco personality profile.

Personal review of each au pair candidate

Once an au pair has completed the entire application and screening process, a GreatAuPair admissions team member personally reviews the entire application taking into consideration all information available. If there are any questions or there is a need for more information, we communicate directly with the au pair to resolve any open items. We accept only those au pairs who have passed all our tests, met our requirements and demonstrated the ability to confidently provide great childcare to your kids. Only then do we suggest au pairs are ready for your consideration.