How Long For Tours/Interviews?

[AcornMama]

So, I'm newly licensed, I've been passing around flyers, and Google has found me and I've gotten a few calls resulting from Google searches.

I have two families that want to interview/tour on the same day. I had them scheduled separately with plenty of time in-between, but one family has asked to change their time (wanted the same time as the other family). I offered a choice of one hour before or one hour after the other scheduled family and I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Now I'm worried that if they take me up on that I'll end up rushing one of the families to handle back-to-back interviews. Just wondering about how long you all spend on interviews/tours. It may end up not being a problem and we schedule for another day. Just thinking through things. Both moms seem really friendly on the phone and I'm worried my talkative self will get too chatty.

[Blackcat31]

I am sure it's different for everyone but for me, it really honestly depends on whether I immediately feel I "click" with the family or not.

If we hit it off...I've had interviews/tours that have been upwards to 2 hours and if I don't "click" with them, I try to rush them out as soon as possible.

I would probably schedule interviews at least 90 minutes apart.

That way you have time to clean up from one family (just in case their child is a "toy dumper") in preparation for the next.

I do think an hour is cutting it close.

[Sunnyyy1]

For me it depends how much I cover during my phone interview, tours I try not to go over an hr and a half, and try to schedule atleast an hr apart.

[AcornMama]

I would probably schedule interviews at least 90 minutes apart.

That way you have time to clean up from one family (just in case their child is a "toy dumper") in preparation for the next.

Oh, gosh, I hadn't thought about the cleanup aspect.

I do think an hour is cutting it close.

Yeah, I think that now, too. I'll probably let them know that on second thought, it's too close, and I don't want either family to feel rushed. We'll just have to schedule for another day.

[AcornMama]

For me it depends how much I cover during my phone interview, tours I try not to go over an hr and a half, and try to schedule atleast an hr apart.

Thanks!

[Maria2013]

for me, it really honestly depends on whether I immediately feel I "click" with the family or not.

for me too! I usually get straight to the point to decide whether I even want to go further, then from there it could take 5 minutes (I tell them I don't think it would work out) or a few hours (we really like each other)

good luck

[blandino]

I am sure it's different for everyone but for me, it really honestly depends on whether I immediately feel I "click" with the family or not.

If we hit it off...I've had interviews/tours that have been upwards to 2 hours and if I don't "click" with them, I try to rush them out as soon as possible.

I would probably schedule interviews at least 90 minutes apart.

That way you have time to clean up from one family (just in case their child is a "toy dumper") in preparation for the next.

I do think an hour is cutting it close.

Exactly this. I would say on average, for a family that isn't clearly a bad fit, it takes an hour. Some have been longer.

I schedule them 1.5 hours apart. I don't want to look like I am having appointments back to back, even when I am. I want people to feel comfortable, not rushed.

[AcornMama]

Well, she took me up on it before I could backtrack, but I did ask her to make it another 15 minutes later and she was fine with that. Completely my fault/responsibility, not hers.

Guess this begins my list of "things I wish I'd done differently when I started."

Hopefully I'll be so brilliantly organized and such an effective communicator that it will be a breeze!

[Blackcat31]

Well, she took me up on it before I could backtrack, but I did ask her to make it another 15 minutes later and she was fine with that. Completely my fault/responsibility, not hers.

Guess this begins my list of "things I wish I'd done differently when I started."

Hopefully I'll be so brilliantly organized and such an effective communicator that it will be a breeze!

Hey don't beat yourself up over it....Sometimes I think when we aren't as "perfect" as we'd have hoped is actually better because it shows we ARE human and we do things that are sometimes imperfect but we are capable of rolling with it and not stressing over it.

Hoping the interviews went well and you have some new clients..

[Starburst]

In my child observation class we went over parent teacher conferences and she said to aim for each meeting to be about 1/2 hour long but no more than an hour.

Depending on how you set up your interviews and tours (some people on here do multiple interviews/meetings before enrollment) I would probably aim for about an hour, but probably try not to exceed 1.5 hours if possible.

Maybe make a list of things you would like to cover:
Tour
Schedules
Activities/Curriculum
What your program offers for the family/children
Policies
Tuition/Contract

Probably try practicing talking about these a few times in front of the mirror to help you to remember what you want to go over as well as helping you to get used to saying it to minimize slip ups (helps save time). If you can also try to time yourself so you can budget your time and leave some time for questions.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My interviews are 30 minutes in length. I will say, "It was great meeting you ..." to get them out.

I have scheduled interviews 10 minutes apart.

[AcornMama]

Well, it worked out. Both interviews went really well, and the second one was the one that went long, so that worked out nicely.

Both families seem great and the kids are cuties.

I kind of liked having my first two interviews ever back-to-back. When I said something at the first interview, and then thought to myself, "why on earth did I say that?" I had an immediate chance to do it over again better with the second interview, instead of dwelling on it for days between interviews.

Feeling more and more confident about all of this.

Oh, and I put together a really thorough handbook based on the great input here, and both families said they were really impressed with how much thought I put into it. Thanks, everyone!

[Familycare71]

Well, it worked out. Both interviews went really well, and the second one was the one that went long, so that worked out nicely.

Both families seem great and the kids are cuties.

I kind of liked having my first two interviews ever back-to-back. When I said something at the first interview, and then thought to myself, "why on earth did I say that?" I had an immediate chance to do it over again better with the second interview, instead of dwelling on it for days between interviews.

Feeling more and more confident about all of this.

Oh, and I put together a really thorough handbook based on the great input here, and both families said they were really impressed with how much thought I put into it. Thanks, everyone!

Yay!!!happyface

[Lyss]

Well, it worked out. Both interviews went really well, and the second one was the one that went long, so that worked out nicely.

Both families seem great and the kids are cuties.

I kind of liked having my first two interviews ever back-to-back. When I said something at the first interview, and then thought to myself, "why on earth did I say that?" I had an immediate chance to do it over again better with the second interview, instead of dwelling on it for days between interviews.

Feeling more and more confident about all of this.

Oh, and I put together a really thorough handbook based on the great input here, and both families said they were really impressed with how much thought I put into it. Thanks, everyone!

Glad it all worked out! happyface I still learn and tweak things each time I interview! I like them back-to-back too because it gets them all out of the way in a shorter span of time