What Questions Should You Ask When Interviewing a Nanny?
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
The best nanny interview questions go beyond experience and availability. They reveal how a candidate thinks, how they handle pressure, and whether their values align with your family's. Here are the questions that matter most, organized by category, along with what strong answers actually sound like.
If you are preparing to interview nanny candidates in Minnesota, having the right questions ready before you sit down is one of the most important things you can do. A polished resume and a warm personality are easy to present. How a candidate responds to specific, scenario-based questions is much harder to rehearse.
The interview is not just about finding someone qualified. It is about finding someone you trust. Those are two different things and both matter.
Before the Interview: A Quick Note on Process
Most families benefit from a two-stage approach: a shorter phone or video screen to confirm basic fit, followed by a longer in-person interview for candidates who clear the first round. This saves time for everyone and helps you go into the in-person conversation already knowing the basics.
In the phone screen, cover logistics: availability, experience level, driving record, and whether they have current CPR and First Aid certification. If any of those don't line up with your needs, you haven't wasted an afternoon on an in-person meeting.
Reserve the deeper questions below for the in-person interview, where you can observe body language, comfort level, and how the candidate interacts with your children if they are present.
For a complete pre-screening framework including what to look for before the interview even begins, Module 2 of our Childcare Vetting Guide walks through the full process step by step.
Experience and Background Questions
These establish the foundation. Listen not just for what they say but for how specifically they can speak about their experience.
Tell me about your most recent nanny position. What were your primary responsibilities and why did that placement end?
Strong answer: Speaks specifically about the children, their ages, routines, and what the role involved. Has a clear, matter-of-fact explanation for why the placement ended.
Red flag: Vague about the children or duties. Speaks negatively about the previous family. Cannot explain why the placement ended or is evasive.
How long were you with your previous families and why did those placements end?
Strong answer: Has long-term placements of a year or more with clear, professional reasons for transitions. Can name families and provide references without hesitation.
Red flag: Multiple short placements with unclear or shifting explanations. Reluctant to provide references or says previous families are unavailable.
What ages have you worked with and which do you feel most comfortable with?
Strong answer: Has verifiable experience with your child's age group and can speak specifically about what that stage of development looks like and how they approach it.
Red flag: Claims experience with all ages equally without specifics. Cannot speak to developmental differences between age groups.
Do you have current CPR and First Aid certification? When does it expire?
Strong answer: Current certification, knows the expiration date, and can name where they were trained.
Red flag: Expired certification, unsure of the date, or says they are meaning to renew it.
Module 3 of our Childcare Vetting Guide covers interviewing for safety in depth, including what questions reveal about a candidate's judgment and awareness.
Caregiving Philosophy and Approach
These questions reveal values and whether they align with your family's. There are no universally right answers here, but there are answers that are right for you.
How would you describe your caregiving philosophy? What does a good day of care look like to you?
Strong answer: Articulates a clear, child-centered approach that includes structure, play, emotional attunement, and age-appropriate activities. Speaks naturally about the children's experience rather than their own.
Red flag: Generic or vague answer. Focuses more on tasks than on the child's experience. Cannot describe what a good day actually looks like in practice.
How do you handle a child who is having a difficult moment, a tantrum, or a refusal to cooperate?
Strong answer: Describes a calm, consistent approach grounded in empathy and boundaries. Mentions the importance of staying regulated themselves.
Red flag: Describes punitive responses, expresses frustration with difficult behavior, or gives an answer that sounds rehearsed rather than experienced.
What is your approach to screen time? How do you handle it with the families you work for?
Strong answer: Has a thoughtful position and defers to the family's guidelines while being able to articulate their own experience and approach.
Red flag: No opinion or no experience thinking about it. Or, conversely, a rigid position they would impose regardless of family preference.
How do you approach building a relationship with a new child, especially in the first few weeks?
Strong answer: Describes a gradual, child-led approach that prioritizes the child's comfort and security over their own eagerness to connect.
Red flag: Assumes rapid bonding is easy or natural. No awareness of attachment transitions or the adjustment period.
Real-World Scenario Questions
These are the most revealing questions in any interview. Hypothetical scenarios show how a candidate thinks under pressure, not just how they present themselves in a controlled conversation.
Tell me about a time a child in your care was injured, even a minor injury. What happened and how did you handle it?
Strong answer: Recalls a specific incident calmly and clearly. Describes what they did, how they communicated with the parents, and what they learned.
Red flag: Cannot recall a specific incident, minimizes the question, or describes a response that lacked transparency with the family.
If a child in your care had a medical emergency, what would you do?
Strong answer: Describes a clear, calm sequence: assess the situation, call 911 if needed, apply first aid, contact the parent. Does not panic in the telling.
Red flag: Hesitates, seems uncertain of the steps, or focuses on contacting the parent before ensuring the child's immediate safety.
Has a parent ever disagreed with something you did or asked you to do something differently? How did you handle that?
Strong answer: Describes a specific situation with professionalism and self-awareness. Shows they can receive feedback without defensiveness and adjust while maintaining their integrity.
Red flag: Speaks negatively about the parent, cannot recall a situation, or describes a response that escalated rather than resolved the tension.
What would you do if you noticed something in the household that concerned you, a safety hazard, a pattern of behavior, or something that felt off?
Strong answer: Describes a thoughtful, professional approach to raising concerns directly and respectfully. Has a clear sense of their own boundaries and responsibilities.
Red flag: Would ignore it, cannot articulate how they would handle it, or describes a response that either overreacts or dismisses the concern entirely.
Scenario questions are where the real interview happens. A candidate who can walk you through a difficult moment with clarity, calm, and honesty is showing you exactly who they are under pressure.
Module 7 of our Childcare Vetting Guide covers the red flags that should end a hiring process, including what to watch for during and after the interview itself.
Communication and Professional Standards
These questions establish whether a candidate can function as a true professional in your home, not just a warm presence.
How do you prefer to communicate with families during the day? What does that look like in your current or most recent position?
Strong answer: Has a clear, consistent communication style. Updates parents proactively without being asked. Understands that communication frequency should match family preference.
Red flag: Vague about communication habits. Waits to be asked rather than reaching out. Or, conversely, describes a style the family may find intrusive or excessive.
How do you handle confidentiality when it comes to the families you work for?
Strong answer: Takes it seriously and can articulate what that means in practice, no photos posted without permission, no details shared with friends or on social media, discretion about the family's routines and life.
Red flag: Has not thought about it, dismisses it as obvious, or describes sharing information about families casually.
What are your professional boundaries around your personal life and phone use during working hours?
Strong answer: Has clear boundaries and can describe them naturally. Understands that work hours are work hours.
Red flag: Defensive about the question, vague, or describes personal phone use habits that would conflict with attentive care.
Questions to Invite From the Candidate
How a candidate interviews you is just as revealing as how they answer your questions. A professional nanny who is evaluating your family as thoughtfully as you are evaluating them will have questions. Good signs include asking about your child's routine, your communication style, your expectations around schedule flexibility, and how feedback is handled.
A candidate who has no questions, or only asks about pay and hours, is telling you something. Not necessarily a dealbreaker, but worth noting.
What Comes Next: Background Checks and References
The interview is one part of a complete vetting process. Before any candidate meets your children or enters your home for a trial day, a thorough background check and direct reference calls with previous employer families should be completed.
For a full breakdown of what a nanny background check should include in Minnesota, see our guide: What's Included in a Nanny Background Check?
If the interview process feels like more than you want to manage on your own, that is exactly what a professional agency is for. At Nurturing Nannies, we conduct the screening, interviews, reference checks, and background checks before a candidate is ever presented to your family. By the time you meet a Nurturing Nannie, the hard work is already done.
We place caregivers with families across the Twin Cities including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Woodbury, Eden Prairie, and Maple Grove, as well as families throughout greater Minnesota including Rochester, Duluth, and beyond.
Prefer to skip the interview process entirely? Request your Nurturing Nannie today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important questions to ask a nanny in an interview?
The most revealing nanny interview questions are scenario-based: ask how they handled a child's injury, a medical emergency, or a conflict with a parent. These questions show how a candidate thinks under pressure rather than how well they can rehearse answers about experience and availability. Follow up with questions about caregiving philosophy, communication style, and confidentiality.
How long should a nanny interview be?
A phone or video screen should run 20 to 30 minutes and cover logistics, experience, and basic fit. An in-person interview for candidates who advance should run 60 to 90 minutes and include scenario-based questions, a tour of your home, and ideally some time for the candidate to interact with your children naturally.
Should I let my child be present during the nanny interview?
For an in-person interview, having your child present for at least part of the conversation is genuinely valuable. How a candidate naturally engages with your child, without being asked to, tells you a great deal about their instincts and warmth. A candidate who is polished in conversation but awkward or disinterested with the actual child is showing you something important.
What are red flags in a nanny interview?
Red flags include speaking negatively about previous families, vague or inconsistent explanations for why placements ended, reluctance to provide references, defensiveness when asked about handling difficult situations, and an inability to speak specifically about the children they have cared for. Overconfidence without substance is also a red flag. The best candidates are thoughtful, specific, and calm.
Do I need to do a background check after the interview?
Yes, always. The interview tells you about a candidate's personality, values, and experience. A background check tells you about their record. Both are necessary and neither replaces the other. In Minnesota, families doing an independent hire can access background screening through our partner platform at nurturingnannies.nationalcrimesearch.com.
About the Author
Rachel Tepley is the founder of Nurturing Nannies LLC, a luxury nanny agency serving families across the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. With 24+ years of childcare experience, Rachel founded Nurturing Nannies to raise the standard of professional in-home care in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
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