Interviewing tips

Nannying is an important job, which needs to be taken seriously. A carefully conducted interview will help you choose the right person for the job. Here we offer some simple guidelines to help you.

Getting started

• Make a shortlist of potential nannies from applications received.
• Talk to each selected applicant on the phone.
• Set up interview appointments, allowing at least one hour for each applicant.
• Arrange for a friend, your partner or a relative to interview with you.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask each potential nanny and put the same questions to each applicant.
• Take notes at each interview.

What should I look for in a potential nanny?

Draw up a list of attributes to look out for. These could include:

Skills and knowledge

Childcare and child development qualifications - Ability to plan and arrange safe, fun learning opportunities – Nutrition: planning and preparing healthy meals and snacks - First aid training - Driving experience if required - Organisational skills

Attitudes

Interest in children as individuals – Confidence - Resourceful personality

Experience

Experience of working with children (ages and settings)

Suggested interview questions

• How long have you been a nanny?
• What ages of children have you worked with?
• Why do you enjoy working with children?
• What do you think are your particular strengths when working with children?
• Have you undertaken any training in childcare and development and, if so, how long were the courses?
• What qualifications do you have? (see.. section 4….?)
• Are there areas of your work that you plan to improve?
  What would you do if. … (invent a family crisis) …?
• What aspects of this particular job do you think you will enjoy?
• How might you spend the day with my child?
• Do you think your childhood helped you to become a good nanny?
• Why did you leave your last job and, if appropriate, why will you be leaving your present position?
• What difficulties have you experienced as a nanny with parents or children and how were they resolved?
• What are your views on families sharing a nanny? (If you want to set up a nanny-share)
• How many days have you had off sick in the last 12 months?

This list of questions is not meant to be comprehensive. Add questions on other topics that will be important to you. For example, you may wish to ask about the potential nanny’s attitudes to sweets, television, etc.

What should I discuss with my potential nanny?

• The wage or salary (with details about tax and National Insurance arrangements)
• How payment will be made, monthly or weekly, by cheque or directly into a bank account, etc.
• The hours and duties of the job
• When you would want her/him to start
• Holiday entitlements and whether she/he would be willing to take them at certain times, eg to fit with school terms or your annual leave
• Length of probationary period
• Positive discipline strategies - a trained childcare worker would never use physical punishment as a form of discipline
• Child safety: in the home (including dealing with pets); when using public transport; and where appropriate when using the car (seat belts, car’s capacity, etc.) – the Child Accident Prevention Trust produces leaflets and checklists on all aspects of child safety in the home and all child care settings for both parents and childcare workers.

What about gaps in employment history?

You should explore fully during the interview any gaps in employment history. Our section on References checks contains more information about how this should be done.

What do your children think?

It’s important to let your children meet the potential nanny - you need not tell them this might be their nanny when they’re introduced. Watch her or him with your child. It may be a good sign if he or she pays more attention to them than to you. How did your child respond?

Does the nanny have any questions for you?

Interviewing is a two-way process. Make sure you offer the nanny the chance to ask you questions. Where possible give the prospective nanny a hand-over period with the nanny who is leaving. You can offer your potential nanny a friend's number to call for a reference on you, if you are employing a nanny for the first time and there is no previous nanny for them to talk to.