Interviewing a nanny: Nanny interview questions | BabyCenter

Nanny interview questions | BabyCenter

By Dana Dubinsky

Photo credit: iStock.com / SDI Productions

Looking for a nanny to take care of your little one can be a stressful and grueling process – but it doesn’t have to be. As you begin your search, use these questions to help you find the nanny that’s just right for your family.

Experience and training

Look for a nanny with experience. Ask to see a resume, and let her know that you’d be requesting a background check before hiring her. During the interview, also ask:

• How long have you been a nanny?
• How old were the other children you cared for?
• Do you have any formal training in early childhood development?
• Would you be willing to take classes to further your education in childcare?
• Do you have emergency training in CPR and first aid?
• If not, would you be willing to take classes in CPR and first aid?
• What would you do if my child got sick?

Philosophy and approach 

Make sure a nanny’s philosophy about childrearing is in line with yours. Ask each candidate why she’s a nanny and what she likes best about the job. It’s helpful and reassuring to know why she chose to work in this field and that she enjoys children. (Also, be sure to let her know if you have pets, and make sure she’s comfortable having them around.)

On being a nanny:

• Why are you a nanny?
• What do you like best about the job?
• What do you find the most challenging about being a nanny?
• Why are you looking for a new position?
• Describe your ideal family/employer.

On dealing with children:

• What is your childrearing philosophy?
• What do children seem to like best about you?
• How do you discipline children? Can you give me an example of a previous discipline problem and how you handled it.
• How do you comfort children?
•  How do you deal with separation anxiety?
• What are some of the rules you’ve followed in other households that you think worked well?
• Which rules haven’t worked for you?
• Would you have a hard time following our family’s strategies for disciplining and comforting our child if they’re different from yours?

Daily routines:

• Can you give me an example of how you would spend a typical day with my child? (See our daily log sheet. )
• What are your favorite activities to do with a child who is the same age as mine?
• If I’m working in the house, what would you do to keep my child happily occupied without involving me?

Logistics and salary

When it comes to practical and financial matters, find out whether the nanny you’re considering could be a good fit by asking these questions:

• Are you looking for a live-in arrangement?
• If not, where do you live and how would you get to work? Would you bring your own food or expect meals to be provided?
• Do you have a functioning car with appropriate safety belts and room for car seats?
• Is your car insurance current? Have you ever had an accident?
• Do you smoke?
• Are you willing to do light chores while our baby is sleeping?
• Do you have any personal responsibilities or health issues that could interfere with a regular work schedule?
• When would you be able to start working?
• Would you ever be available to work evenings or weekends?
• Would you be available to travel with our family on weekends or vacations?
• When do you expect to take a vacation of your own?

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Salary:

What nannies charge varies widely, depending on where you live and how many hours she works. To get an idea of the going rate in your area, do some online research and talk to other moms who have nannies, then ask each candidate for her salary range.

References:

Ask each candidate for a list of past and present references, and ask specific questions when you call them. For example, instead of asking whether they liked the nanny, ask what she did well and where there’s room for improvement. Contact at least two references, although the more the better.

Interaction and observation

Give each candidate a chance to spend some time with your child in your home. Does she seem attentive? How does your child interact with her? Your observations matter a great deal when you finally make your choice. It may help to take a moment to ask yourself the following questions:

• Does she seem comfortable holding or speaking to your child?
• Was she pleasant?
• How did your child respond to her?
• Are the two of you able to communicate easily and effectively?
• While you’re away from your child, will you feel at ease knowing your child is with her?

Dana Dubinsky

Dana Dubinsky is a health and science editor.  

Chapter 9 | Conduct Nanny Interviews

Steps of Nanny Interview Process

Before interviewing a Nanny, you should know the requirements and skills needed for the job and have a thorough job description available. A standard interview process has multiple steps:

1. Review the nanny’s resume, the profile on a job board, or get background information about the nanny from the nanny agency to determine if they meet the minimum requirements and are within the desired compensation range for the job.
2. Conduct a screening interview via phone or video conferencing to determine the nanny’s level of interest in the position and ask your most important interview questions. This 30-minute call can determine if the candidate is a potential fit for the nanny job.
3. Meet the nanny in person to get to know them without the children present. Often, families and nannies meet for coffee or tea.
4. Introduce the nanny to the child or children in a neutral, stress-free environment like a neighborhood park and see how they interact.

“It’s time-consuming to screen and interview potential nannies,” shares Lisa M., a working mother in Los Angeles. “I look for an investment in child care training and I always call their references after conducting a background check.”

Screening Questions to Consider

When interviewing nannies, it is important to remember you are vetting their qualifications to care for your children. You are hiring a nanny, not trying to make a friend or help someone who needs a job. Ask each question in a neutral tone of voice and be careful you do not give them the answer you want. For example, you want to say, “tell me about a time you handled an emergency” instead of, “you have handled an emergency when you had to comfort a child who fell and scraped their knee, right?”

You want to hire a nanny who makes you feel confident that they are qualified to provide great care for your children. Asking about and hearing stories on how nannies interact with children and what ages they have cared for is a great way to learn about their skills. The responses to various questions provide insights and help you learn more about the nanny’s skill set.

Here are a few questions to ask in a screening call:

• What training and certifications have you completed? An investment in professional development and continuing education can identify nannies who are committed to providing the highest level of child care. Current CPR and First Aid certifications are often required, and a Child Care certification or Nanny Certification may be desired. Lifeguard and car seat installation training is generally a bonus.
• Tell me about a time you had to handle an emergency. With this question, you can learn about a Nanny’s ability to manage the unexpected. If they have never been in an emergency, then it’s likely they are early in their career and you or someone you trust should be accessible while they care for your kids. If the nanny can share an emergency experience and communicate that they handled it as well as can be expected, the nanny may be ready to care for your children when you are out of town.
• Tell me about a time a child would not listen to you. What was the situation and how did you respond? With this question, you can get a better idea of how a nanny manages stress and their approach to discipline. Did the nanny send the child to their room for a time out; did they take a different approach and offer a reward; or did the nanny delay and leave the matter for the parents? There is no right answer to this question, just make sure the response is appropriate and that it would be consistent with how the child is managed by you, other daycare workers, or teachers at school.
• Are you willing to get a flu/covid shot? Vaccinations benefit the young and elderly as these populations are the most at risk of having serious consequences when they get ill. A flu shot may not benefit a healthy adult as much, but a nanny’s willingness to get vaccinated to reduce exposure to the children in their care is an important insight. Vaccinations are a personal decision, but it can be an important topic to cover during the interview.
• Would you consent to work in a home with cameras? Families are not required to get a nanny’s consent as families are legally allowed to install a nanny camera in their home, except in private areas such as the bathroom or a live-in nanny’s bedroom. Many nannies are uncomfortable with cameras feeling that families should trust them; however, checking in on a nanny can provide a sense of extra security for the family.
• Do you have any pictures of the children you have cared for on your social media? Ideally, the answer is ‘no’ to protect the privacy of the children. Only the family should post photos of their children. However, if the nanny pulls out their phone and shows you photos, ask them if they have received the parents’ or guardians’ permission prior to posting. Some families may be comfortable with the nanny sharing photos.
• Do you stay in touch with children that have been in your care? This question is useful when you are looking to hire a long-term nanny. Good nannies develop close bonds with the children and the children care for the nanny. A nanny’s response shares if the nanny has a history of leaving families on good terms and if the nanny appreciates their connections and attachments with the children in their care.
• Would you consent to work in a home with the parents working from home? Many nannies enjoy working with the children while the parents are working from home and some nannies will refuse to work if the parents are in the home. If you will be in the home while the nanny is caring for the children, make sure the expectations and roles are clear.

Want to Keep Reading?

Ch. 8: Nanny Training and Certification

Ch. 10: Assess Nanny Candidates

Interview for a nanny job.

How to make a good impression?

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You have decided to start working in a family, but an exciting moment awaits you ahead – one or more interviews for a vacancy for a nanny. How to prepare and how to behave during a conversation with an employer in order to make a good impression? What questions should be considered in order to show oneself from the best side?

Preparing for an interview

• Remember that opinions about you begin to form before you meet in person.
  Be polite and tactful when talking on the phone . If the employer called, and for some reason you cannot speak, ask if it would be convenient if you call him back, specifying a convenient time, or ask him to call back in a few minutes, promising to respond.
• Call by name
  (or name-patronymic). If the employer does not introduce himself, ask how to properly address him. nine0014
• Making an appointment,
  write down the address in detail so that on the day of the interview you do not disturb the employer with unnecessary calls. If possible, study the route in detail on the map to the place of the scheduled meeting.

Gather the necessary documents in advance. It makes sense to decompose them into separate folders and files. The fact that you will not rummage through your bag in search of the necessary papers during a conversation will favorably emphasize your accuracy and foresight. nine0003

Before you go to a personal meeting, think again about your
a story about yourself . Make a plan for a mini-speech, if necessary,
rehearse
in front of the mirror. Remember: it is important to appear at the interview
exactly at the appointed time . If you arrive 15 minutes early or a little late, it will be considered unpunctual. You should have a margin of time that will have to be spent, given traffic jams and waiting for transport. It is better to walk nearby for 20 minutes than to fly in out of breath or late. nine0003

Interview Rules

• Remember the main thing:
  listen – very carefully
  (the employer must see your interest),
  speak succinctly and to the point . Do not interrupt the interlocutor and do not chat incessantly: one of the valuable qualities of a nanny
  –
  the ability to be invisible. If the child’s mother is interested in your family or hobby, –
  this is not just a way to keep the conversation going: she is trying to figure out the positive or negative impact of your hobbies on the job offer. nine0014
• Set
  questions,
  related directly to the duties of a nanny and the scope of future tasks. Idle curiosity or questions like “Where does your husband work, what brand is your car?” may be regarded as annoying intrusiveness or
  –
  even worse
  –
  attempt to collect confidential information. On the contrary, do not hesitate to ask more about the character of the child, his habits and characteristics. You yourself should decide whether the ward is right for you and whether you are ready to spend a lot of time with him. Asking about the baby, you show sincere interest and readiness to be kind to him. nine0014
• Don’t speak badly
  about previous families you worked for, even if you were treated unfairly there. Never
  n
  Do not complain about the former wards, even if the best teachers in the country could not cope with them. Complaining about a child who cannot be brought up is tantamount to a confession of his professional incompetence.
• Don’t apologize
  because you do not have any specific skills or do not know sharply fashionable developmental techniques. Carry yourself with dignity and communicate your knowledge gaps, confidently adding that you will quickly learn everything you need. nine0014
• Get ready for what’s possible
  tricky questions,
  for example: “What will you do if the baby asks for candy?”, “What do you know about childhood age crises?”, “How do you feel about physical punishment?”.

If you have experience working with families and are willing to provide the phone numbers of previous employers, the prospective employer may start checking during the interview.
the credibility of your words and the recommenders themselves. For example, ask an innocent question: “What cartoons did the girl you worked with last year like to watch the most?”. The answer to the question can be immediately double-checked with your referees to make sure how your story matches the opinion of the girl’s mother. And finally, there is a catch in the question itself in terms of the “sick” topic of watching TV by children – being at the screen, choosing programs, so it’s worth expressing your thoughts on this. nine0003

In turn, it would be appropriate to ask
about the daily routine and priorities in the upbringing adopted in the family. You will demonstrate to the employer that you are not going to enter someone else’s monastery with your charter.

End of interview

Don’t miss the moment when they let you know that the conversation is over. It can be a question-statement like “It seems that we have discussed everything?”. An unnecessarily long conversation can be a signal that in the future you will abuse your mother’s personal time. nine0003

All people are different, each has its own views, characteristics and characters. For example, a nanny who seemed gloomy and unfriendly to someone, in another family, on the contrary, will be perceived as a person responsible, collected and moderately strict. If you do not fit one family, you should not give up and stop looking for a job. Do not lose optimism, visit Pomogatel.ru regularly, respond to

babysitting jobs
– and there will undoubtedly be a good job!

nine0099 Tatyana Nikitina

• Jeweler for childhood. From experience as a governess. Part 1
• Four reasons for refusal: why did the employer choose not you?
• Happy Hours: Tips for Beginning Nannies and Babysitters

• Nanny job interview. How to look and how to dress?
• Nanny for an adopted child
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• Nanny for a domestic child
• You can’t spoil a nanny with a shift
• How to look for and, most importantly, find a job?
• Nanny probationary period
• Getting to know the parents

Questions for the nanny at the interview – 35 most important questions

Our Nanny site makes finding a nanny much easier, but hiring a nanny will always be difficult. The nanny interview is a key aspect of the process. Can you determine in a 30-60 minute interview if a nanny is right for your family? nine0003

We’ve put together a list of 35 verified nanny questions you’ll need to find the perfect nanny for you and your kids!

Remember to make sure the questions you ask reflect your priorities and concerns.

General questions for babysitters

1. Ask about marital status – spouse, parents, siblings.
2. Where and with whom did you spend your early years?
3. What are your hobbies and interests?
4. What do you consider to be your strengths? nine0015
5. What do you consider your biggest weaknesses?
6. What are your biggest achievements?
7. What is your current position and why do you want to leave your job or combine work?
8. What do you expect from our babysitting job?
9. What are your long-term goals?

Attitude towards children and knowledge of childcare

1. Why did you decide to become a nanny?
2. What qualities do you have that make you a good teacher? nine0015
3. What do you like about childcare?
4. How many years of experience do you have with babies/toddlers?
5. Do you have experience with diapers? Do you know how to change diapers correctly?
6. What activities would you do with (your child’s age) a year?
7. How would you deal with a crying or tantrum in a child at this age?
8. Are you interested in walking with our child in the area?
9. What age do you think children cannot be supervised? nine0015
10. Do you feel comfortable working with children who do their homework? Can you help a child with AD?
11. Are you interested in taking care of other children occasionally while my child has time for other activities?
12. What do you consider the most difficult or interesting part of working with children at this age?

Cooking

1. Can you cook?
2. What would you cook for children aged 0-1 and 2-5?

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Ability to cope with medical emergencies

1. Are you trained in first aid?
2. What would you do if: a child was accidentally hit on the head? if the child begins to choke? if the child has a fever? – your actions

Transport

1. Do you have a driver’s license?
2. Do you know how to drive a car with a manual or automatic transmission?
3. What type of machine do you have?
4. Do you have a child seat? nine0015
5. What type of car insurance do you have?

Willingness to help with household chores

1. What kind of homework do you enjoy doing? (e.