Ask the right questions to find the right nanny for your family

When it comes to family decisions, choosing a great nanny is one of the most important. You’re looking for someone you can trust to keep your children safe, and help them thrive. You want to make sure that the nanny you hire can meet your family’s specific needs and feels like a good fit for all parties. These tips will help you to get the most out of the interview process so you have confidence in making this important decision about childcare.

Two woman sitting at a table. One woman holds a baby and looks at it smiling. The other looks at the woman and baby.
Get Clear on the Job

Before embarking on nanny interviews, prioritize what is truly important to you when hiring a nanny. Are you looking for someone who will spend plenty of time playing outside? Will they need to drive your kids, or take them on public transportation? Are you hoping to hire someone who will stay with your family long term?

Have  the job details ready before you start the hiring process. Provide a detailed job description to review and ask if the candidate has any concerns or questions about it or any other issues. Review the city or state laws for nanny employers, and check out Hand in Hand’s best practices for hiring a nanny.  Once your expectations are clear, you’re ready to dive in and find the best match.

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Pre-Interview Questions and Information

Before you schedule an interview with a potential candidate, clearly share details about the position and ask key questions to make sure that an interview is worthwhile for you and the candidate. 

 Share important information such as:

  • the number of children
  • the hours
  • benefits you offer
  • the rate of pay
  • the presence of pets
  • whether you will pay on the books (file taxes)- this is the law in many places
  • what your health and safety procedures are
  • other job requirements that are absolutes (CPR certification, vaccination, drivers license)
  • whether the position is long term or temporary 
  • number of hours a week and desired scheduled

Ask a few pre-interview questions to make sure this is a good fit for the child care worker as well. 

  • Would the commute to my home be manageable for you?
  • Are you allergic to pets; are you comfortable if a parent is working from home; are you able to manage with stairs (or any other unique feature of your home, building, or situation that cannot be changed)?
  • Are you comfortable with requirements such as: providing references, vaccinations, licenses or certifications that you require?

A black woman holds a smiling black child who is looking at white man who is engaging with the child and smiling.

During the Interview Process

Questions Go Both Ways

Encourage the potential nanny to ask you any questions and answer them honestly. You might be the one officially conducting the interview, but communication is a two-way street. 

It’s essential that your applicant has a clear understanding of the job and feels like the position is a good fit. The interview is a great opportunity for you to get to know each other better, so feel free to share about your parenthood journey, philosophy, and essential information related to your child’s care. 

Get to Know Each Other

The interviewee might soon be working in your home, learning about all the joys and stresses of your life, so it can be great to take some time to learn about them! Ask about what they would like to share about their own life and family, and how they came to work in this field. Undoubtedly, candidates are juggling multiple roles and caretaking responsibilities, just as you are. Share the broader picture of your lives with one another.

Introduce the Kid(s) 

You may want to introduce the candidate to the children who they’ll be caring for. It’s ideal for all of you to spend some together, so that everyone can assess whether it will be a good fit. If you want to do a practice session with the nanny candidate and children, make sure that you pay them for that time.

Be Aware of Legal Guidelines

Hiring a nanny is a deeply personal decision, but it’s also an official employee hiring process. Legal guidelines absolutely apply. Steer clear of asking a candidate about age, religious views, race, sexual orientation, or their plans on becoming pregnant. The State or City where you live may also have specific laws relating to the responsibilities of nanny employers, and it’s your obligation to know what those are before you hire. 

Share your Values

Some of us have embraced certain philosophies about parenting and some of these approaches can be anywhere from unfamiliar to challenging for others to implement. For example, if you are engaged in strict sleep training with your child, be clear about this with a job candidate and ask if they are comfortable letting your baby cry for long periods of time. Let them know if you use things like sticker charts, consequences, or other specific methods for motivation or boundary setting. It’s best to recognize any differences in approach early and explore ways they can be accommodated. Do you need to know if your nanny would be respectful of  your beliefs or values? Make sure that you share what is important to your family. 

White women in a white button up shirt and glasses holding a pen and speaking to another woman of color wearing a sweat shirt. They are both sitting on a couch.

Sample Questions to Get you Started

Ask open-ended questions and pay careful attention to the answers. If you’re not clear on an answer, follow up.  Ask for stories.  Look for examples of challenges in their past work, and how they addressed those challenges.  Include a few scenario-based questions.

About the job

  • Why do you want this job, and what are you hoping for?
  • Do you have any questions about the job description?
  • Will the commute work for you?
  • Would you be interested in taking on extra hours on occasion?  Are there additional caregiving responsibilities that you have outside this job that would be helpful for us to know about? 
  • What kind of housekeeping tasks would you consider as part of childcare duties?
  • Are you hoping for a long-term position?
  • Are you willing to work with a family’s specific medical needs, dietary restrictions, religious practices, etc.?
  • What are you looking for in a family/employer? 

Training and background

  • Describe your past childcare experience.  
  • Why did you get involved in childcare?
  • Do you have, or would you be willing to get, CPR or baby first-aid training?
  • Do you have any additional childcare training or education?
  • How long have you been a caregiver? What do you love about it, and what do you find challenging?
  • What brings you joy when you are doing childcare, can you describe one of your favorite moments with a child?
  • What languages do you speak? Would you be open to speaking with my children?

Health

  • What precautions are you currently taking related to COVID or other health and safety concerns?
  • Will you need an accommodation to perform any specific job duty?  If the answer is yes, you may ask what the accommodation would be.  (See U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for additional information about accommodations for disabilities)

Philosophy and approach

  • What kind of activities do you do with a child my kid’s age?
  • What is your discipline style? What is a nanny’s role in discipline? 
  • What do kids like best about you? 
  • What was the most challenging experience you had with a child you were taking care of, and how did you handle it?
  • What was the most challenging experience you had with a previous employer and was it resolved?
  • What do you consider your most important responsibility as a nanny?
  • How would you handle an emergency?
  • How do you deal with a baby crying, a toddler whining, an older child refusing to follow instructions, siblings fighting, hitting, yelling or other difficult kid situations?
  • How do you comfort children?
  • What would you do if my child fell and bumped their head? 
  • What would you do if my child grabbed something from you, what about from another child?
  • What kinds of things have you reached out to the parents for assistance with regarding a behavior or issue with a child?
  • Are there any activities or responsibilities that you aren’t comfortable doing?  
  • Do you need any more information or have any  concerns about any aspects of this job?

Getting to know the candidate better

  • What other work or life experience has helped  you as a nanny?
  • What do you love to do in your free time?
  • What do you see yourself doing in the future?

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Request References

If the interview went well and you’ve found a candidate who you want to offer the job to, you can move on to the next step.  Ask if the candidate has two to three recent former employers you can call for references. 

If the references are positive, offer them the position.  If they accept (hooray!)  create a written work agreement together.  Through the interview process you’ve gotten to know each other better and begun a productive working relationship.For more helpful information about fair wages, paid time off, and keeping the lines of communication open, check out our other resources.

Here’s to a fantastic working relationship now and for the future.