A babysitter is someone that you trust to you look after your child while you're out, and it's important that you know a lot more about the person that you choose to care for your child than simply his/her availability and pay rate requirements. In fact, below are five important tips to keep in mind when choosing a babysitter:

Check references. A reference is a testimony of someone's ability or reliability, and is especially helpful when applying for a job. In many respects, babysitting is one of the most important jobs in existence because it entails caring for a child. Therefore, don't be afraid to ask for and check out any references given by your potential babysitter.

Do a background check. A babysitter is an employee and, as such, you may wish to consider conducting a background check. It's always a good idea to know who is working for you, but especially if that person is responsible for the health and well-being of your child.

Trust your instinct. When it comes to choosing someone to babysit your child, listen to your heart. If something doesn't seem right or you have any reasonable hesitation, look for another babysitter. All parents have the jitters when first leaving their child in someone else's care, but there's a big difference in a typical case of nerves and a genuine cause for concern.

Choose someone that you feel comfortable with. Afterall, if you aren't comfortable with the babysitter, how can you expect your child to be? Compatibility is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing someone to care for your child. You will want to look for someone who is caring, loves children and is responsible enough to understand the importance of the job.

Make sure that the babysitter you choose is mature enough to handle the responsibility of caring for another person. Things to consider would be the babysitter's personality, how he/she interacts with your child and his/her reliability. When you hire someone to watch your child, you will not want to worry about the person you chose being too young or irresponsible.

Now that you know how to choose a babysitter, it's time to begin interviewing potential candidates. As an employer, it's a good idea to keep an eye on your watch and make sure that your prospects arrive on time. Afterall, punctuality is a good quality for a babysitter to have.