Interview Questions

Interview Questions:
Interview Questions from the National Association of Nannies

1)      Is this a live-in or live-out position?

2)      What is the starting date?

3)      Do you see this as a long-term position?

4)       Parents’ occupations?

5)      Do you work outside the home ,or from your home?

6)      If the parents work at home, you need to set up guidelines for how to handle things 
when you and they are there at the same time.

7)       Are other adults, besides the parents, living in the home?

8)      Children’s names and ages?

9)       What are the children’s interests and hobbies?

10)   Please describe your home and the area where you live.

11)    Is there a house alarm, gated entry or other system that requires a code?

12)   Do you anticipate moving in the near future?

13)    Do you plan to have more children in the near future?

14)   Will your nanny receive a raise when you have another baby, or

extra pay for extra children?

15)    Do you have pets?

16)   Do you plan to get any pets?

17)   What are nanny’s responsibilities regarding animals?

18)    What are your household rules?

19)    Can your nanny have guests? Such as nannies and moms with age-appropriate 
children for play dates.

20)   Can your nanny have friends visit or spend the night during off time?

21)    Are any rooms in your house that are off limits to children or nanny?

22)   Is there any sort of dress code for nanny at work (i.e., no jeans)?

23)    Do the children or the parents have allergies I should be aware of?

24)   Special dietary needs?

25)    What is your discipline plan or child rearing philosophy?

26)   What values do you want taught and reinforced in your children?

27)    What religion are you, and how do you expect your nanny to participate in the child’s 
religious teaching?

28)   How does your religion affect your daily life?

29)   What is your position on videotaping

30)  Hours

31)    What hours and days do you want Nanny to work?

32)   Are these hours flexible, or does 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. mean precisely 8-6?

33)    Will your nanny be expected to work evenings or weekends?

34)  Schedule

35)    What is the daily schedule of your typical day?

36)   How might your schedule change?

37)   Will your schedule change during the summer, over Christmas, etc?

38)    Will Nanny’s job description change along with a change in schedule?

39)    If so, how, and when?

(Example: Summer vs. school year.)

40)   Who makes the children’s schedules?

41)   - Parents, nanny, or is setting their schedule a combined effort?

42)   • What’s your procedure for spontaneous

Activities

Do you want Nanny to check in with you, leave a note or phone message, or is this

not an issue?

43)   •Do you want a daily journal or log kept?

(what happened today)?

44)   Will there be a nanny workstation - i.e. desk, area for files, bulletin board, monthly 
calendar, computer with high-speed Internet connection?

Duties

45)    How would you describe the “ideal nanny”?

46)   Define your idea of your nanny’s role in your family.

47)    What are Nanny’s responsibilities as they relate to children?

48)    Are non-child-related tasks and responsibilities a part of the job you want performed?

49)   Laundry? -  For children? For parents?

50)   Who makes and changes the children’s bedding?

51)    Who plans the meals, cooks, and shops for groceries?

52)   Will the nanny cook for the children, parents, or family?

53)   Who purchases the children’s clothes, toys, and supplies?

54)    What financial arrangements will be made to facilitate the shopping?

55)    Is there other household help?

56)   Who supervises them?

57)    Will I be expected to take the children to doctor appointments, music lessons, classes?

58)  Car

59)    Is a car provided? Is the car available for the nanny’s personal use, or only for use 
while

she is on duty? Will the vehicle

60)   be shared with the parents?

61)    Will your nanny be expected to use her own car? If yes, who will pay costs for 
insurance, maintenance and gas?

62)    How is your nanny covered by insurance?

63)  Travel

64)    Do you travel?

65)    Will your nanny be expected to travel with you?

66)   What is the pay rate for me traveling with your family?

67)    Taxes?

68)   Health insurance?

69)    IRA?

70)   Retirement benefits?

71)    Paid Holidays?

72)   Work holidays?

73)   Professional days?

74)    Childcare related classes and conferences?

75)    Gym membership?

76)   Separate phone provided?

77)   Will you provide me with a cell phone or pager, or will you pay my monthly bill if I get 
one for myself? It will be to the family’s benefit that their nanny have a cell phone.)

78)  Sick Pay

79)   Paid sick days?

80)    How many?

81)    What is your backup childcare plan if I am sick or on vacation?

PAY and Benefits

82)   Will I be paid hourly or  salary?

83)   Is the salary you are offering a net figure or a gross amount?

84)   Will you be doing my taxes or using a tax service?

85)    I’d like to spend some time with your children before I make a decision; is this ok with 
you?

86)    Are you willing to sign a work agreement with me that includes a 90-day trial period?

Communication

87)    is extremely important for nannies and their employers. Are you willing to meet with me 
on a regular basis so we can discuss how things are going?

88)   Will I receive an evaluation from you, and raises on a yearly or bi-yearly basis?

89)    Will I receive severance pay if I am terminated early?

Vacation

90)   How many vacation days do I receive a year?

91)   Are those taken at the time of my choice or your choice?

92)   How much notice will I receive or should I give regarding vacation?

93)   When you vacation beyond my allotted time off and I am not traveling with you, will you 
still pay me?

Questions for Live-In Nannies

94)    What accommodations are provided for Nanny (room, bath,.)?

95)    If your nanny is in a separate apartment, how will grocery expenses be handled?

96)   Who is responsible for cleaning Nanny’s area, and by what standards?

97)   What are Nanny’s days off?

98)   Are there any household rules Nanny or the children must observe on Nanny’s days 
off?

99)   How does activities on nanny’s day off effect the households flow?

100)  Do you have animals? What are nanny’s responsibilities regarding animals?

101)     Who will cover Nanny’s moving expenses to your hometown if she accepts this 
position?

102) Who will cover moving expenses when the position is completed?