Hiring a nanny is one of the best things you can do for your family, but you don’t want just anyone spending time with your kids on a regular basis. Whether you want professional help on a full-time, part-time, or occasional basis, you need a nanny who you can rely on and that your kids love spending time with and learning from.
Since we work with the best nannies in the business every day, here are our tips to find a nanny who will make your life easier and give your kids the care they deserve.
How Do I Find a Nanny?
There are a few different ways that you can go about finding a nanny, but some hiring methods are safer and more effective than others. For example, you can ask your friends and family members for advice if they have personally hired a nanny and live in your local area.
It is also possible to browse job sites to review nanny listings, but this quickly becomes overwhelming and may cause uncertainly because there’s only so much you can learn about someone in an online profile. Nanny staffing agencies are often the best way to go because these professional service companies thoroughly screen candidates to expedite the hiring process for you and only present you with the most relevant candidates for your specific family situation.
Questions to Ask When Hiring a Nanny
Regardless of how you find a nanny to take care of your children, it is very important to ask the right questions during the interview process so that you get to know this person well and are on the same page with your expectations. Here are some examples of interview questions that you’ll want to be sure to ask before hiring a new nanny.
General Questions
- What age children have you worked with?
- What was your last nanny position, and why did you leave?
- Are your hours flexible for travel and potential live-in arrangements?
Communication-Related Questions
- What is your preferred method of communicating with parents?
- Have you ever kept a nannying journal or provided daily written reports?
Caring for Children Questions
- How would you suggest spending a day with a child who is my child’s age?
- What experience do you have with child-centered outdoor play and/or arts and crafts activities?
- Are you able to help school-age children with homework and studying?
Other Questions and Discussion Topics
- Do you have experience caring for children with special needs?
- How would you prepare lunch for a child who has a food allergy?
- What light housekeeping duties are you comfortable with doing around my house?
- What style of discipline are you most comfortable with while nannying?
Why Use a Professional Domestic Staffing Service
Whether you are on your first child or your fifth, we are confident that working with Household Staffing International is the best approach when you want to find a great nanny. We are extra vigilant with various household COVID protocols and have been helping people like you find the best nannies since 1974.
On our website, you can browse potential nanny candidates, fill out a family application to tell us more about your needs, or contact us by online form with general questions. We look forward to pairing you with the perfect nanny that both you and your kids will bond with and who can grow with your family into the future.