I know many of us search potential clients online prior to interviewing and offering a spot to them. Do you let a clients social media personality (things they do/say/post, how they treat others online, etc) influence your decision? Why or why not?

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I have to admit, I have been in business so long, I have a few watch-dogs I confer with. I also have a 3-step interview process. While it is not perfect, it does weed out many of the unwanted clients.

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Absolutely
Editing to explain

I check into them as much as I can. This is my home. My family. My little bubble. I refuse to allow people in it who behave in a way that might disrupt the vibe we have.
I check for negative people. Partiers. Complainers.
I check to see how many times they post about money or job problems. People who air their dirty laundry, people who gossip.

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Definitely. Most people have most things hidden from public view, which I think is a positive.

I also google, linkedin, look up county clerk info online and facebook BEFORE asking all my pre-interview questions if at all possible, and definitely before interviewing.

I mainly look to see if:
1. We have any 'shared friends', who they are and how I feel about that shared friend
2. I know any of their family members/spouse/colleagues etc
3. They post angry things about current/past daycare (!)

I would absolutely be influenced by a mean/hurtful/very public personality on facebook or if they were posting many things that wouldn't mesh well with my care.

I don't want to waste time interviewing a family that is obviously not a good fit (i.e. they post how they hate that their children get dirty at current daycare = not a good fit for my daycare, we play in the mud most days!). I also definitely don't want to offer a two-week trial to someone that won't go well. By the time we offer a spot, we are 95% certain that this family and child will work well in our care.

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I do to some extent, and it weeded out a few parents that thought they were better than me (their actions and comments led me to believe it would be their way or no way and that I would be their employee). I also want a certain type of clientele, so we all have to play nice together lol

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I must be the only one here that never thought about checking up on future clients

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Crimeny! Why have I never thought of this before?? What a good idea!

If anyone looks shady I do have my hubby run a records check at work, but due to my area my clients are usually pretty top notch. (except at driving.)

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I do .

Mostly because I like to have the dcks outside all the time, and advertise as such, so look for pictures of the family and whether any are of them outside (or not). But for a pre-screening, as well, looking for a lot of the same stuff as mentioned above by pps. I think of it as a sort of background check of the dcps.

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This is a situation I am currently in. A potential client contacted me today regarding a position. This client and I happen to be in quite a few of the same local online groups and she is downright mean sometimes - and always to other women. She has been called an "adult mean girl" (referencing the mean girl movie).

I am trying to decide if this means she would be this way in person - or if she has "e-courage." KWIM?

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Personally, if "E-courage" makes her feel like she can act mean because of the virtuality of it, I would
Consider THAT to be her true personality. I've always heard that if someone shows you who they really are, you should believe them. I feel this to be the same way of thinking.
If she's a cyber bully or a real Life bully, it doesn't matter.
""Ain't no body got time for that!!""
Lol

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I just did it lol

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Absolutely. Also, with e-courage she will be more than happy to badmouth you online should you not do as she wishes.

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So true.

I declined interviewing with her. Unfortunately my gut initially told me this lady was trouble and you all confirmed it the likelihood of it. Sometimes I let the possibility of money speak louder then my gut instinct.

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