When you are seeking employment as a nanny, it is essential to be prepared for common nanny interview questions prospective employers will ask. Even though many of the questions they ask can be reflected through your job application, resume, and references, you still need to be prepared.

Prospective employers will want to know more about you than what you have put down on a piece of paper. Their objective is to decide whether you will be a good fit for their families.

Phone Interview Questions

Your first impressions with prospective employers will be over the phone in many cases. So you need to be able to convey excitement and energy in the tone of your voice when answering questions. After the phone interview, if a prospective employer wants to know more about you and your work experience, then they will schedule an in-person interview.

The purpose of the phone interview is for the employer to:

• Introduce themselves and their family
• Review the job description and an overview of the job duties and responsibilities
• Provide details about pets, if their children have special needs, and how much driving is involved, among other situations
• Gather information about the application to decide if they want to proceed with an in-person interview

The types of questions you can expect on a phone interview include:

• Why did you choose to be a nanny?
• What is your availability?
• What are you looking for in your next job?
• Do you have a childcare philosophy?
• How do you handle disciplining children?
• Why do you want this job?
• Are you familiar with the neighborhood and city?
• Do you have any questions about the job?

It is essential to remember that compensation may not always be discussed during a phone interview. Therefore, unless the prospective employer brings up the topic, it is best not to ask about salary initially. That would make it appear you are more interested in the pay rate than the job. 

In addition, prospective employees will conduct background checks before scheduling an in-person interview. So, you will want to inform the prospective employer of anything they need to know ahead of time.

In-Person Interview Questions

Once you get through the phone interview, the prospective employer may offer to set up an in-person interview. If they do, you need to be prepared for the interview questions. These questions will help the prospective employer to get to know more about you, your work ethic, and your previous work experience.

In some cases, they may also ask some of the questions they asked during the phone interview. So, do not be surprised if you are asked “Why did you become a nanny?” a second time. 

General Questions

• What is your availability?
• Would you be willing to live in our home?
• Are you willing to work holidays and weekends?
• Can you travel with our family as needed?
• Will you cook and prepare meals for the children?
• Can you handle doing light housekeeping for the children like their laundry and keeping their rooms clean and organized?
• What is your ideal schedule?
• Why are you seeking employment? 
• What subjects did you enjoy in school?
• Did you participate in any extracurricular activities in school?

Personal Questions

• What interested you in becoming a nanny?
• What parenting style do you prefer?
• What do you like most about being a nanny?
• What do you like least about being a nanny?
• What hobbies do you enjoy?
• What do you like doing in your free time?
• Do you like dogs, cats, or other animals?
• Do you have any allergies, dietary restrictions, or medical conditions we need to know about?
• What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
• Do you plan on being a career nanny or do you have other career interests?

Work Experience Questions

• Why do you like working with children?
• What is your education level?
• Do you have a college degree in child care, child development, or another related field?
• Would you be interested in getting a college degree?
• What are your favorite ages of children to care for?
• How long have you been working in child care and as a nanny?
• Describe your last nanny position and why your employment ended.
• Have you ever had an emergency situation? How did you handle it?
• If not, how would you handle an emergency should one occur?
• Have you ever cared for infants or toddlers?
• What was the most challenging experience you had with a child in your care? How did you handle the situation?
• Have you ever cared for sick children?
• Do you have any problems giving medication to the children when needed?
• What type of dietary needs do you think are best for children?
• Would you have a problem following a specific dietary and nutritional plan for the children?
• What was your previous work environment like? Was it casual or more professional?
• Besides caring for children, what additional job responsibilities did you have in previous jobs?
• Have you ever stayed overnight or traveled with one of your previous families?
• Was your last position a live-in position or a live-out position?
• Would you be willing to help the children with their homework assignments?

Special Skills Questions

• Are you fluent in any other languages besides English?
• Have you ever taken any child care or child development courses?
• Do you have any certifications?
• Would you be open to taking child care or child development classes?
• Have you cared for children with special needs?
• Have you cared for children who have food allergies?
• Do you have CPR and first aid training?
• Would you be interested in getting CPR and first aid training?
• Would you be willing to work with children who have special medical needs?
• Do you know how to swim?
• Do you have lifeguard training or certification?
• Would you be interested in getting certified as a lifeguard?
• Have you taught children how to swim?
• Have you taught children how to prepare and cook meals?

Other Questions

• Are you willing to help care for the children’s pets?
• Are your immunizations current? Can you provide proof if needed?
• Would you be willing to get the immunizations required for employment in our household?
• Would you be willing to get the immunizations required for international travel?
• Do you have a passport?

Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are questions employers will ask where they want you to describe your approach to child care, your typical day, or how you dealt with a particular situation or problem. For example, they may ask you to describe how you dealt with a child who was misbehaving and what you did to resolve the issue.

Preparing for a Nanny Interview

The way to prepare for a nanny interview is to practice answering these questions. You could have a friend or family member ask you the questions, and you can respond to them verbally. If you do not have someone to help you prepare, you can practice alone. However, make sure to answer the questions aloud as you are talking to the interviewer.

Finding the Perfect Family

When you are looking for a new family to work for, Staffing at Tiffanie’s can help match you with the perfect family. Since 1998, we have been assisting nannies in finding employment with families looking to hire a nanny.

Our nannies are carefully placed based on their own and the prospective employer’s beliefs, personality, and job expectations. To find the perfect family, please feel free to submit your resume online or contact us at 866-484-5550 today! If you are looking for a nanny for your family or other household staff, do not hesitate to contact us to start the process to find your perfect match.