Nanny Interview Questions
by the Nanny Share team
The following are some questions you may wish to consider asking the nanny. This is by no means a definitive list and is not set out in any particular order of priority.
Try to use open-ended questions that will prompt for informative answers, such as questions starting with:
- What?
- When?
- Why?
- How?
- Where?
- Tell me about...
This will avoid just getting Yes & No answers.
Being a nanny
- Why did you choose a nannying career?
- What do you think are the qualities needed to be a good nanny?
- What do you enjoy most about being a nanny?
- What do you enjoy least about being a nanny?
Education & development activities
- In view of our children's ages what areas of development would you be concentrating on and what sort of activities would be suitable?
- How would you plan a typical day?
- What are your favourite activities with children?
- How would you occupy our children during the day?
- What kind of equipment or materials would you need?
- Have you had experience of potty training and how do you go about potty training children (if applicable)?
Meal times
- What kind of food would you cook for our children?
- How would you think to approach planning menus and buying the food?
- If appropriate: Have you prepared a baby's bottle before? Used a steriliser? Weaned a baby onto solid food
Disciplining children
- What would you do with a child that threw a tantrum in the middle of a shop?
- How do you introduce good manners to children?
- (Discipline is an area that needs to be discussed up front to avoid any differences of opinion on how the children should be disciplined - as the parent you should be telling the nanny what you find acceptable or unacceptable in terms of disciplining your children)
Reading & television
- What sort of books do you think would be appropriate for our children?
- How often would you use the library?
- How do you feel about children watching television?
Coping with an emergency
- For example what would you do if a young child locked themselves inside the car?
- What would you do if a child was choking?
- When did you last update your first aid training?
Reliability
- How is your time keeping?
- How many days sick leave have you had in the last year?
Personal family questions
- Are you from a big family?
- Where does your family come from?
- Have you got a partner? What does he do for a living?
- If it is a live in position, how is the nanny planning on meeting up with her partner - did she intend for him to stay or will she be going away at weekends?