How To Prepare For A Nanny Interview

Once you have applied for the position of a nanny or been contacted by a prospective parent, you have to prepare yourself closely for the interview procedure.

The following is the procedure for a nanny interview:  

Phone interview:

 
This is the first step in interviewing; a phone interview that lasts for 30 minutes to an hour will help you know more about the family and the childcare needs and would also give the family a chance to know more about you, your childcare experience, your qualifications and why you enjoy working as a nanny.

Be prepared to tell the family why you are interested in working as a nanny, the experience you have and ages of children you have worked with. You need to be ready to give the family references of employers you have worked with.  It would set a good impression in asking the interviewer open ended questions about what the children like and how you would be beneficial for the family. Qualified candidates that are pleasant to speak to and seem genuinely interested in working with children and with the family are likely get a call for a face-to-face interview.

Face-to-face interview:

It is a good policy to hold the first face to face interview in a public place like a coffee shop; both parties will feel safe and better able to focus on the interview. Giving a chance to know each other better, parent/parents attend without children and are able to conduct the interview without distractions. It is best to come for the interview in a nice jeans and blouse or top and avoid wearing tons of make-up and heavy perfume.

Be prepared to answer questions regarding your experience, care giving style, discipline approach, previous employment arrangements and things you like or least like about being a nanny. Answer the questions honestly and speak in a respectable way about your previous employers. You could also ask details of the job as well as questions about the family’s lifestyle, parenting preferences, discipline style and any house rules that may apply to you. Never bring up the topic of the paycheck; let the parents bring it up as otherwise you will be viewed as just interested in it.

In-home interview: 

In this interview you will be invited to meet the children and other members of the family; dress appropriately by wearing modest attire like pair of pressed, dark jeans and a casual top with flats or sneakers and avoid wearing perfume and tons of makeup and jewelry. You should be prepared to sit on the floor and engage the children.

At this stage the parents get an opportunity to observe how you interact with the children and how comfortable they are with you in the home environment. It also gives you a chance to gauge your comfort level with the family and their home. While it is appropriate to make compliments, avoid excess of enthusiasm about your potential workplace.

Working interview: 

The working interview gives you an opportunity to gauge how you feel about working with the family; you get the opportunity to spend some time with the family and confirm that working with them is a good employment fit. These interviews last between one to three days and you should be paid the normal rate for hours worked.

Have you prepared well for the nanny interview?

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