How To Interview & Hire a Nanny, the way I would do it.

Hiring someone to help care for your children is not just hiring for experience, it is hiring for trust, energy, judgment, and how that person will fold into the rhythm of your home. A nanny can look perfect on paper and still not be the right fit for your family, which is why I care just as much about cultural fit and instinct as I do credentials. I have found that it is not any easier to find a nanny using an agency so I typically do the hunting and hiring myself. 

I like to use Facebook nanny groups and do the leg work and vetting there if not from a direct referral.

Something to consider: Do you want someone to do things just like you (I prefer this) or do you want someone who is different than you. Ex: you don’t like messy play, so you hire a nanny who likes messy play. This will be important to consider when hiring/interviewing.

My Top Priorities Before Hiring include CPR + infant safety certified, clean driving record, Reliable transportation, Prior infant / toddler experience, Calm temperament under pressure, Shared values around discipline, communication, and routines, naturally warm, attentive, and observant.

Someone who respects how I run my household rather than trying to reinvent it. I have interviewed countless people and I have also hired and then fired a few who seemed great at first and then didn't end of going with my flow or just feeling "off".

The biggest thing I can advise is they should add EASE to the home, not stress. They should make you feel like a weight has been lifted, not added.

I always recommend doing a trial day, and if you like them after one trial day, then do a trial week. If you like them after a trial week, then I think you will have success.

Link below to a check list of interview questions I ask.