Although it doesn’t happen often, children may be present during the initial interview, especially when it is conducted in person in the family’s home.
If children are present during the interview, engage with them naturally and warmly—without taking over—so the parents can see your instincts, professionalism, and ability to balance conversation with attentive, child-centered engagement.
• Acknowledge the children right away with a friendly smile or greeting to establish natural rapport.
• Follow the child’s lead. If they approach you, engage; if they’re shy, give them space.
• Maintain gentle boundaries by being warm but not overly hands-on unless invited by the parent.
• Balance attention between the child and the parent to demonstrate your ability to multitask professionally.
• Model calm, patient behavior even if the child is loud, restless, or testing limits. Parents notice how you handle real-life moments.
• Use the interaction to highlight your skills, such as redirecting, narrating play, or offering age-appropriate engagement.
• Avoid disciplining unless there is a safety concern; parents typically prefer to lead in this setting.
• Stay flexible. If the interview is interrupted for child needs, adapt smoothly and resume the conversation with ease.
There’s no need to overthink it. Just stay natural and let it reflect how you would engage with them in everyday life.
Have you ever had an interview where the children were present? How did it go?
