Full interview 

Once you’re happy with your shortlist, arrange a 45 – 60 min interview with each nanny. Most families prefer doing this face to face but since 2020 we’ve seen a rise in families doing interviews on facetime or Zoom. 

Some nannies will come with a folder prepared with their paperwork, but you may like to ask everyone to come with relevant documentation to the interview. At a minimum, you’ll need to see evidence of their right to work in the UK before a nanny actually starts work with you – and the interview can be a good time to check this.

I suggest being clear about the interview format either before or at the start. Our tried and tested approach is:

• Open by introducing your family and children
• Outline what your expectations are for the role, what the day to day would be like
• Then ask your questions, including any follow-ups that might come out of any discussions. 

💡 Give the candidate plenty of opportunities to ask you questions—they’re interviewing you, too.

Should I have the children home for the interview?

It’s important to see how the nanny interacts with the children, but if possible avoid having them around for the whole conversation (perhaps introduce them at the end). If you can, it’s great to invite the nanny for a second informal meeting or trial with the children.

How to ask great interview questions

The most important skill in interviewing is to choose questions that will allow you to hear more than just what the nanny thinks you want to hear.

Think about three types of questions: fact finding questions; open questions, and scenario questions. 

Fact finding, or clarifying, questions are really to help you get your bearings. Don’t worry about them being closed questions (i.e. generating yes/no answers).  You can use these while the nanny runs through their CV, to give you a fuller sense of the contexts of their work with previous families.  Examples:

•  So you were with this family for 2 years…  what age were the children when you started?
• What were the hours you did for this family?
• What were your responsibilities relating to both the children and around the house?
• What were your responsibilities relating to both the children and around the house?

You can also use this opportunity to get a better grip of what on earth their qualifications mean (read more about nanny qualifications here). 

• How long was that course, and was it full time?
• What content did it cover?
• Was it all theory, or were there some practical or placement components?

Nanny interview questions

The open question portion of the interview should be far less leading. It’s an opportunity to get the candidate to speak about specific examples from their past experience.

Interviewees could feel awkward talking about seemingly mundane details, so it’s worth reassuring them that this is what you’re interested in hearing. This is where you find out how they really behave, rather than talking in generalities or telling you what they think you want to hear. 

Ask them questions about their experience, including:

• How long have they been working in childcare for?
• What was their favourite childcare role, and why?
• What is their favourite age of child to work with, and why?
• What is their favourite activity to do with children?Talk about your parenting style
  The important things to mention here are:

Talk to them about your parenting style, so mention:

• What kind of environment would you like the nanny to create for your child
• Whether you believe in any form of discipline, and if so how it is enforced
• Ask the nanny what their childcare philosophy is
• Talk about your child’s developmental stage

Remember to discuss holiday arrangements:

• Be aware that nannies usually get 20 days annual leave, plus 8 public holidays
• Many families choose to split these days, so that the nanny chooses 10 of these days and you choose the other 10 (or another variation of this)
• Let the nanny know about any holiday that you have already booked