Live-in Nanny Interview Questions

Second to making the decision to hire a live-in nanny for your family, choosing the right candidate is extremely important and requires a great amount of thought and consideration. The relationship between a nanny and his/her employer is personal, unique and an extension of each other's close family. Finding the perfect match for your family is the first step in forming a lasting and growing relationship between everyone involved, especially the children.

Once you've lined up a number of good candidates for the interview, make sure you're prepared to ask the right interview questions that will land you the best live-in nanny for your home. These interview questions will help screen out the nannies you don�t want and narrow down your list to the nannies you do want to hire.

1) Ask a nanny candidate whether he/she is looking for full time work as a live-in nanny. It seems obvious, but you'll want to know right off the bat whether he/she is looking for the same living arrangements you are.

2) Ask a nanny candidate how much experience they have had with young children and what ages. How much experience you need to look for is a personal decision. However, you want someone with enough experience to make you comfortable. The more experience a candidate has, the more you'll likely pay in salary.

3) Ask about their role in their previous jobs as a nanny. You'll want to get a sense of how skilled she is at her job and her level of expertise.

4) Ask your nanny whether he/she has any specific training or certifications. This can include CPR training and early childhood development education.

5) Find out why your nanny is leaving or has left their previous position. You'll find out a lot about a nanny candidate's preferences and whether they'll be a good fit for your home.

6) What are their sleeping habits? (do they stay out till 2am on week nights?) Do they have a problem with being home by 11pm (or whatever time you determine) on nights he/she has to work the next day?

7) Do they like to watch T.V. or listen to your stereo late at night?

8) Do they have any worries or apprehensions about living with a family? What are they? It's best to get these out in the open now so you can try to alleviate them.

9) Do they have any pets they are hoping to bring along?

10) Do they have any friends that will be overnight guests from time to time?

11) Did they run into any problems with their last live-in arrangement? What were they?

For more interview questions see article: The Face To Face Interview