Questions to Ask Your Nanny's References

Most families will call a nanny's references before hiring her. Pro-tip if you're considering a Nanny Share: ask your nanny candidate for four references, have each family call two, and then deliberate together over what you learned.

Questions about her work history

• How did you find/meet (name of nanny candidate)?
• How long did she work for you?
• Why did she leave?
• Does she ever still work for you?
• What was her hourly rate?

Questions about the nanny’s responsibilities

• What was a typical day like in your house for (name of nanny candidate)?
• Did she offer to go above and beyond?
• Did she keep the house clean?
• Did she ever have to manage household responsibilities (like a plumber stopping by), and did you feel comfortable leaving her in charge of those types of issues?
• If she stayed late, did she put the kids to bed on time?
• Did she do the kids’ laundry?
• What were some activities you may have asked her to coordinate for the kids, and how did she respond?

Questions about the nanny’s personality

• How would you describe (name of nanny candidate)?
• Can you give me an example of how she showed initiative to solve a problem with your child(ren)?
• Can you give me an example of how she was organized?
• How did she handle stressful situations?
• On a level of 1-10, how would you describe her energy level?
• Did you do the planning, or could you leave the daily activities in her hands?
• What types of games and activities did she plan for the kids?
• Did you feel comfortable talking with her about your concerns?
• How did she respond to constructive feedback?
• Did she ever show up late?
• Was she good at following house rules?
• Would you hire her back or refer her to a family member?

Communication style

• How did you communicate about the week ahead?
• Was she flexible with last-minute changes?
• Could she come early/stay late when needed?
• How did you discuss issues that came up?

Nanny Share specific

• How was she at caring for the needs of more than one child?
• Can you give an example of a time when there was a lot of chaos, and how she handled it?
• How do you think she will respond to working with two different families, and their different needs and requests?