15 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Nanny

A good interview tells you whether a candidate has the right experience - but a great interview tells you whether they are the right person for your child. Use these 15 questions to cover both.

Background and experience (questions 1 to 4)

1. Tell me about your nanny experience. 2. What ages of children have you cared for? 3. What qualifications and certifications do you currently hold? 4. Why are you leaving your current role?

Approach to care (questions 5 to 9)

5. How would you describe your style with young children? 6. Walk me through a typical day with the children in your last role. 7. How do you handle tantrums or difficult behaviour? 8. How do you approach screen time, meals and sleep routines? 9. Tell me about a tough day on the job and how you handled it.

Practical and logistical (questions 10 to 13)

10. Are you comfortable with our schedule and any flexibility we might need? 11. Are you happy to take the children on outings? 12. How do you handle minor illness or a child who needs to stay home? 13. What would you do in a medical emergency?

The fit questions (questions 14 to 15)

14. What do you enjoy most about being a nanny? 15. What questions do you have for us about the role or our family?

After the interview

Trust your gut. Pay attention to how the candidate engaged with your child during the meeting, how warmly they spoke about previous families, and whether their answers felt rehearsed or real. The best interviews feel like a conversation, not an interrogation.

Want a hand finding pre-screened candidates who already meet your standards? Nanny Nest can help - get in touch today.

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