Interviewing nannies

So how do you go about finding a good nanny?

You may decide to go to an agency, but be prepared to pay a substantial fee. Another way is by word of mouth and recommendation – if you have friends and colleagues with nannies, see if their nannies can recommend anyone that they know personally. Alternately, you might opt to put an advertisement in a local or national newspaper. If you decide to find a nanny yourself, keep in mind that you’ll have to verify references and arrange background checks yourself.

Finding the nanny you want

While you don’t want to be too prescriptive, try and work out a clear idea of the kind of nanny you’d like and what you want her to do. Here are some of the things you might want to think about:

- Age, experience and qualifications, including training in first aid and CPR.

- Hours of work – will this include evening babysitting or extra work in the holidays?

- Pay and incentives such as paid vacation, sick leave, health insurance and use of a car.

- The food you want them to prepare for your baby.

- Household tasks that you want your nanny to do.

- Activities you’d like the nanny to do with your child, such as music classes.

- Socializing with other nannies and their charges.

- Discipline of the children and house rules.

The interview

You’ll probably find it useful to draw up a list of interview questions in advance. Here are some examples:

- What made you decide to become a nanny

- Why do you think you’re suited to being a nanny

- Tell me about your previous jobs (as a nanny and others, if relevant) and what you have/haven’t enjoyed about each one.

- Can you sing/draw/play a musical instrument

- What sort of activities would you do with the children? How might you keep them busy and amused on a long wet day

- Do you know the area well? Where might you take the children locally for a day out

- Do you know other nannies in this area

- What sort of food might you prepare? Which have been your most successful children’s recipes

- Have you had any experience of weaning/potty training/helping children to read/write? Ask for examples of what approaches she’s used in the past.

- Are you trained in first aid? Ask how she might deal with a couple of sample scenarios, such as a child choking or treating a burn, or if she has had to deal with a tricky situation in the past (choking/ill child etc).

- How do you see your role in disciplining my child/children?

- What household tasks would you be happy to help with?

- How long have you been driving and do you have any traffic citations? Have you had any car accidents?

- How many days off sick have you had in the past year/with your previous employer? Do you have any medical conditions which require regular medical treatment?

- When would you be available to start work?

- What salary are you looking for?

- How much leave are you looking to have?

- Would you be prepared to take your holidays, where possible, at the same time as we do?

- Would you be prepared to do extra evening babysitting?

- Would you be prepared to work a period of notice if you decided to leave?

Avoid asking yes/no questions – for example, “Are you happy doing some household tasks?” Your interviewee is likely to say yes without thinking too much about this, although in reality she may not be keen on doing much cleaning and tidying. It’s better to ask something along the lines of, “What household tasks have you done in your previous jobs?” and get her to elaborate.

Try to make sure your questions aren’t ‘leading’ questions which will prompt a particular answer, but rather ‘open’ questions which will make the candidate think carefully about a response; and encourage her to ask you questions about your family and talk about how she sees the relationship working.

At the end of the interview, don’t press her for an indication as to whether or not she wants the job. Give her time to go away and think about it and encourage her to contact you if she has any questions.

Going through an agency

There are any number of nanny agencies to choose from, so find out exactly what their terms and conditions are before you register with one and part with any money. Before you go to an agency, think carefully about exactly what you’ll want your nanny to do, the hours you want her to work and how much you’re willing to pay. The more specific your requirements, the more likely the agency will be to send you appropriate candidates for interview.

Check that any agencies you shortlist interview their nannies face to face and verify their references, as well as performing a full background check. Ask about their placement fee and make sure this isn’t payable until your nanny has signed the contract. Ask also if they offer a guarantee and a refund of the fees or a replacement nanny if your nanny leaves or you have to fire her.

Ask the agency for references from other parents with whom they’ve placed nannies, and check there are no complaints lodged against the agency at the Better Business Bureau.

• Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.