Nanny Interview Questions

General Questions for All Candidates

• What appeals to you about taking care of children in their own home (vs. a day care center or your home)?
• Describe your last childcare experience and why it ended.
• What was your worst experience in childcare and how did you resolve it?
• How were you disciplined as a child? What would you do differently with your own children?
• What do you find to be the most challenging (or interesting) part of working with children?
• Have you ever had to handle an emergency? If so, what happened and what action did you take?
• Tell me about your childhood and your current relationship with your family.
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• What television shows do you enjoy watching?
• How do you think your closest friends would describe you and your personality?

Core Competencies

• Verify current CPR and Infant/Child First Aid certifications
• Crib safety, diapering, and bottle feeding if applicable.
• Address safety concerns such as car seat installation (how and where) and helmet use (scooters, bikes, skiing, etc.)
• Nutrition guidelines specific to your child and age. For example, no tree nut products or dairy products in the first year, formula or breast milk through age one, care with raisins, grapes, and cut food to avoid choking hazzards.
• Familiar with 911 or similar emergency aids. Communication skills adequate to work with emergency personnel.

For children from birth to 2 years, consider the following questions:

• Tell me about when you had to handle a crying baby? What did you do? How did you feel?
• What do you see as your primary responsibility to a child this age?
• What activities did you routinely engage in when you last cared for a baby or toddler?

For 2 to 3 year olds, consider the following questions:

• How would you handle a temper tantrum in a grocery store? In our home?
• How have you approached toilet training in the past? Were you and the

family in agreement with the approach? How did it work out?

• What role should outdoor play and interaction with other toddlers have in a child’s day?
• What types of educational activities did you routinely engage in when you last cared for a child this age?
• What indoor activities would you engage a child this age in? Describe how you interact in these activites?

For 3-5 year olds, consider the following questions:

• What methods of limit setting or discipline do you find effective for this age? Tell me about how this has worked for you in the past.
• What television shows do you feel are appropriate for this age child? If my child was watching TV, what would you be doing?
• Are you willing to supervise play time with other children in our home and/or take our child to gymnastics/activity groups which may or may not require your active participation?
• Describe ways you can turn everyday household activities (unloading the dishwasher, folding laundry, etc.) into learning opportunities for our child.

For a children ages 5 and up, consider the following questions:

• What are your feelings about outdoor play without direct supervision (i.e., the child is outside and the caregiver is in the house with a younger child)?
• Are you comfortable reviewing and assisting with homework? Tell me about how you have handled this before?
• Are you willing to supervise friends of our child who are invited to our home while you are in charge?