Interview questions for nannies, what should I ask?

[seeking]

Have no experience of hiring a nanny but due to start meeting prospective nannies soon. What should I be asking? Obviously know about asking for references and qualifications but what else?

Also a couple of nannies haven't said what their hourly rate is, have just said it's competitive, but what is competitive? From research I've done £8 seems average, is this about right?

The rate will depend very much on where you live and also the experience of the nanny in question. Do you have any reference points from other nannies who HAVE said what their rate is, can you ask other nanny parents or phone some local agencies and ask them (although would take their rates with a pinch of salt). If you are prepared to say roughly where you live and what kind of nanny you are looking for, people on here may be able to help.

And here is a fab, comprehensive list of questions compiled by a poster here which I am reposting. She has changed her user name now and I am not going to post her new name in case she doesn't want to be identified with this persona but I'm sure she'll come along and see this posting anyway!

Nanny Interview Questionnaire
Author: AtheneNoctua
This version: March 2008

Note: Questions will need to be revised to suit your circumstances.

Questions:

Normally our 5 year old goes to school full time (8:50 ? 3:15, M-F). Describe a typical day?s activities when school is not in session (i.e. summer break)?

Describe a typical weekly meal plan for the children (include examples for breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks you may offer them, keeping in mind that our 5 year old takes her lunch to school)

How would you describe your approach to discipline?

Do you have any degrees or diplomas in childhood education? Any degrees or diplomas in other subjects? If so, what subjects?

Why do you want to work in England?

If we travel as a family within the UK, would you want to join us? What about Europe? The United States?

Do you smoke? If so, how much?

Do you have any requests in terms of the accommodation we offer you?

Are you an au pair / nanny now? If not, why have you decided to become one?

What kinds of foods do you like to eat? (Please be specific and use as much space as you need.)

Do you drink alcohol? If so, how much?

How many hours do you want to work each week?

Summarise your experience with toddlers / young children.

Would you be willing to provide overnight care of the children (in the rare event that both parents are required to travel for work during the week)?

Do you have a driver?s license? From what country? How long have you had it?

Do you own a car in the UK?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Describe your personality?

What qualities make you well suited to be a nanny?

What is your worst habit?

Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? fiancé/fiancée? spouse? If so, where does he live?

Do you know anyone in England? Friends? Family?

What is it about our particular nanny job that appeals to you?

Would you take care of the children if they were sick? (They do not get sick a lot, I only ask as a precaution)

Do you have a credit card? A UK bank account?

Do you play any sports? Which ones? How often?

Can you provide a reference from a previous au pair/nanny/nursery job? If so, please attach to this questionnaire and/or provide contact information of previous employer(s).

How many times have you been sick in the last year? What was the illness?

Do you have any children? If so, what ages? Where do they live?

What sorts of things would you include in each entry of a nanny diary? (If it is easier to attach a sample rather than describe it here, feel free to do so)

Summarise your views on discipline, schedules, and routines for young children?

Do you wish to obtain any additional employment besides being our nanny or be involved in any other activities outside of our employment (i.e. church activities, working out, language course, other studies, etc.). If so how much time per week would you expect to spend on these activities?

Are you available for a face-to-face interview in the United Kingdom? If so, when?

What is your salary expectation?

Are you in possession of a work visa for the United Kingdom? If so, what are the restrictions?

Are you able to travel to the London area by your own means?

When would you be available to start this job?

Our almost 5 year old attends a Church of England primary school (which is affiliated with the church we attend), and our almost 3 year old will begin the nursery there in September. How might you encourage their education and participation in the Anglican community?

We are offering a membership to Amida (health club) with this position, if you want it and will use it. Is this something you would be interested in?

As this is a full time nanny position for two small children, there will obviously be some light housekeeping involved (children?s laundry, keeping their toys tidy and organised, etc.) What housekeeping/cleaning duties are you not willing to do?

• End -

Nanny Interview Questionnaire, by AtheneNoctua

Thanks annh, I live in the South East about 20 miles outside of London. Looking for a part-time nanny to work 3 days a week, caring for a 9 month old baby and taking my eldest daughter to and from school.

Sorry, realised afterwards what a complete lack of information I'd given..

Overall you want to break down the kinds of questions you're asking into three main areas:

What qualifications/experience does this person have? And is it relevant/suitable for my job? This includes things like do they have a driving license if you need them to drive!

Does this person seem to have similar views to me re: discpline, suitable activities, nutrition, routines, crisis management (e.g. sick children if you want nanny to look after them) etc?

Does this person agree to the t&cs of the job re: hours, pay, holiday arrangements, any house rules I have?

Competitive salary depends on age, experience, qualfiications and whether the nanny is looking to bring their own child.

I would say that outside of the M25, you would be looking at a range of £8 to £11 gross per hour for a live-out nanny.
As you are wanting nannies to tell you how much they want, rather than you telling them how much you are offering... it is very important that you establish if you are both taking about the same pay type. Nannies may well be talking NET (their take home pay) as alas nanny agencies often advertise jobs as Net (roll on the day when agencies no longer do that). Whereas you will be talking Gross (before tax/ni deductions).

As a part-time nanny may well have another job on the other days, it is vital that you agree a Gross salary... so that it then does not matter to you if their personal tax allowance is used in your job, or in their other work.
calculator.kistax.com will do NET to GROSS and GROSS to NET calculations, plus also tell you the Employers NI payable. Use tax code 647L for an example of salary with personal tax allowance taken into account, and tax code BR for an example of salary where the personal allowance is used in another job. Notice how the NET pay changes.

The Nanny Interview Questionnaire I think was designed for sending to applicants by e-mail (and a subset of the questions might be sent rather than all). It is great for picking out some questions to ask at an interview. So pick and choose some questions from the list which are relevant to the job on offer.

Consider what it is that you will be wanting your nanny to do. Ask them about previous jobs to see if they have done similar things before. They may not have done some things before, in which case ask about how they would go about doing those things.
For example... if your nanny would be working during school holidays - ask them about what trips out they have done, with children of various ages. I've certainly done trips out with children of various ages... baby, 2yr, 4yr and 7yr old for example - we went to RAF Hendon. Enjoyed by all, including baby (well she didn't scream the place down, so guess she liked people watching there).

Ask about domestic duties... what will nanny do, what won't they do, what are they not very good at, what they like doing. For example, I don't like ironing so I won't apply for jobs that involve any ironing. I will however cook meals from scratch and get children to help from a young age... especially with baking.

If one of the working days is a Monday, then make sure you detail how it will work with regard to Bank Holidays. Do you need them to work on a Bank Holiday, do you expect them to take it as annual leave. If taking all bank holidays as annual leave... it won't result in them having that many days left in their holiday, due to working 3 days a week.

As your eldest is at school... would you want your nanny to be taking holiday during school term time, or only during school holiday periods? Talk about this sort of thing at interview, so that it does not become a shock to them when you produce the contract.

Ask her what her relationship with her own mother was like. Yes, I know, it's an interesting idea.

One of the parenting books I read recommended this question. I didn't ask it of my first nanny. Turned out her mother had made her skip school and look after the kids from the age of 10. Her way of relating to adults was quite immature - no coincidence.

Asked my second nanny at interview. Came from a close family. Much more well balanced.

It's a good one for getting an angle on someone's emotional maturity and overall personality.