10 Interview Questions to Ask Your New Nanny

I am in the process of hiring a nanny for my little ‘Pencil’ and these are some of the questions that I ask potential candidates in a bid to gauge their frame of mind and experience.

1. Does she have an ID? You don’t want to participate in child labor now do you? This will also help to determine her age since some people have specific age preferences.
2. How many siblings does she have? What is her position among her siblings? It is common knowledge that first-borns are majorly more responsible and resilient as compared to last-borns (no offence *insert smiley face*).
3. Has she worked previously as a nanny before and for how long? You could ask for their previous employers’ contacts to verify the references.
4. How old were her previous charges? Some nannies are more comfortable handling a certain age group of children compared to other ages. Some might not be willing to take care of newborns.

5.  Why did she leave her previous workplace? Hoping she is honest, this will give you an idea of the kind of person you are dealing with. Either way, her answers will help you understand how she views employers

6. What does taking care of a baby mean to her? This will help you gauge her mindset.

7. What challenges did she face as a nanny in her previous engagement(s)? This is mostly for your benefit as the employer. You can pick up on things to improve to make her stay more comfortable. You will also understand her attitude towards authority.

8. Is she familiar with basic first aid and safety techniques? You could give her a theoretical scenario to expound on to gauge her familiarity on the subject. For example, how would she handle a fire? What would she do if your child sprained his ankle?

Importantly : Ask her what she would do if your child began choking.

9. Does she have children of her own? How many kids? It’s safe to assume that a mommy-nanny might be better placed to take care of your kids compared to one who’s not a mom.

10. Can she cook? And what foods? Most moms prefer nannies that can cook. It’s a really big plus!

I know these questions are not exhaustive but I believe that they set a good base for selecting someone capable of taking care of the kids.

 Comment below – What else do you ask your  prospective Nannies?