How to Conduct a Nanny Video Interview

You’re probably familiar with the interview process if you’ve ever had to hire a nanny to work for you or interview for a job yourself. A job posting is created, candidates are picked and screened, then interviews are conducted before your nanny is chosen. But because of COVID-19, the hiring and interview process has gone virtual for many people.

If you’ve never conducted a video interview for a nanny before, it’s easier than you may think, and not much different from in-person interviews. Here are some tips for hosting a video interview with a nanny below.

Do your homework

Before you schedule a video interview, do your homework on your chosen candidate. Check any references they’ve provided and run a background check with their permission. Review their application and/or cover letter to determine if they fit your family’s needs. (A nanny placement agency can handle most of this process for you!) 

You might even schedule a quick five-minute phone call with a candidate to see if you’d like to proceed with a video interview.

Set the tone

While video interviews can help you gauge a nanny’s personality more visually than a phone call, they can also be a little awkward, and can take some getting used to. 

So, set a warm and friendly tone at the beginning of your interview. Help make your potential nanny feel comfortable and at ease. Think of one or two conversation starters that don’t have to do with the job just yet. Maybe you ask them something about themselves or how they’re doing to get the ball rolling. Then, you can naturally transition into the interview questions you’ve prepared.

Ask good questions

Not sure which questions to ask? You want questions that cover basic information, questions that clarify experience and training, questions that reveal a nanny’s personality and expectations, and so on. Be sure to ask questions that are specific to your kids, like their experience working with infants or caring for children with allergies.

Here are a few examples of questions you might ask in a video interview.

Basic questions

• How long have you worked as a nanny?
• Do you know CPR and/or first aid? (At A Perfect Fit, all nannies must have up-to-date qualifications so you don’t have to even worry about this!)
• Are you available for overnight stays or on short notice?
• Are you comfortable with our family’s guidelines for preventing COVID-19?

Skills and expectations

• What makes a good employer?
• Are you willing to help with homework?
• What might a typical day caring for my kids look like?
• How do you deal with behavior issues?

Personality questions

• What do you love most about your job?
• If you’ve ever disagreed with a parenting style, how did you approach your employers about it?
• What are your short-term and long-term plans?
• If there was one lesson, skill, or hobby you could teach our child, what would you choose?

Don’t forget: there’s often a second or two of lag time while video chatting. Give your nanny candidate plenty of time to respond, and reply when you’re sure they’re done speaking.

Leave some time for questions

Once your questions have wrapped up, allow the nanny to ask any questions of their own. They may ask about salary, job expectations, daily routines, and more. 

Before the interview ends, you might bring in your kids to let them chat for a few minutes. Observe how the nanny interacts with your child. Remember, it’s not quite the same as an in-person meeting, but you can still gauge the nanny’s comfort level and personality over a video interview.

A Perfect Fit can help

You’ve completed your video interview! Now it’s time to think things over. Review your interview notes and the nanny’s responses before extending a job offer. Don’t forget to thank any other candidates you’ve interviewed and let them know you’ve made another choice, either with an email or a phone call. Then, you can make an offer to your new nanny.

If you’d rather let a professional nanny placement agency handle most of the hiring process (and let candidates who didn’t make the cut know), allow A Perfect Fit to help! We get to know what you’re looking for so we can choose nanny candidates who will fit your family’s needs. A Perfect Fit handles background checks, references, and preliminary interview questions for you. All you have to concentrate on is finding a nanny who’s “a perfect fit” for your family — after the video interview, of course. Contact us today to get started!