How to Find and Hire a Nanny

Co-authored by Lauren Chan Lee, MBA and Amber Crain

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Your child's safety and well-being are extremely important, so finding the right nanny is essential. It's understandable if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, but you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll explain the nanny hiring process in detail from start to finish so you don't miss a step. We'll also share helpful tips and relevant links along the way to make the process as streamlined as possible. Read on for our complete guide on how to hire a nanny!

Things You Should Know

List out your family's needs. This might include number of hours you'd like a nanny to work per week, specific responsibilities, desired experience, etc.
Post a detailed job description on a trusted caregiver website. Be sure to list the hourly wage you are able to pay (the median in the US is $13.22).
Interview potential candidates. Once you have settled on 1-2 ideal candidates, reach out to their references and conduct a background check.
Make an offer and set up a new hire contract for your nanny to sign. Set up payroll and taxes as well (nannies are considered household employees).

1

Define your family's needs.

Get a clear picture of what you're looking for in a nanny. Begin with the basics: how many hours will the nanny work per week, what their responsibilities and duties will be, and so on. Then, jot down a few personality traits you’re looking for and any dealbreakers you have.^{[1]
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Research source} Ask yourself questions like:
- Do I need a live-in nanny for full-time support? If so, do I have an extra room to accommodate them comfortably?
- How much experience should they have?
- Do I need the nanny to take on other responsibilities (cooking, cleaning, etc.)?
- How long will I need the nanny's services?
- What kind of personality will mesh well with my kids? Responsible, confident, organized, friendly?
- Do I want the nanny to be CPR or First Aid certified?
- Will I mind if they smoke cigarettes or have guests in my home?
- Will they need to have a car and a clean driving record?

2

Calculate a fair nanny salary.

The average nanny salary depends a lot on the state you live in. At minimum, the IRS requires you to pay your nanny the hourly minimum wage in your state. That said, most experienced nannies expect a little more. The current median salary for childcare workers in the United States is $13.22 per hour.^{[2]
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US Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. government agency that collects and reports labor-related information
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- Since the actual number depends on where you live, use this calculator for a ballpark figure and go from there: https://www.care.com/babysitting-rates.
- Remember that compensation should be fair, but also realistically affordable. That said, offering a competitive salary means you'll attract better and more experienced nannies.
- If you're unable to offer a competitive rate for your area, consider adding perks and incentives to make the job more desirable. Perks might include paid overtime and sick days, mileage reimbursement, health insurance contribution, etc. For live-in nannies, offering to cover their accommodations and amenities is a great idea.

3

Create a detailed job description.

A detailed job description will help you find the right match. There are different ways to find potential nanny candidates, but in all cases you’ll need to have a job description on hand so you can start connecting with viable candidates who can meet your needs.^{[3]
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Research source} As you're writing the job description, be sure to include specifics like:
- How many kids you have and their ages
- Weekly schedule (full-time or part time)
- In-home or live-in needs
- Main responsibilities and duties
- Any requirements (certifications, training, etc.)
- Your contact information
- Salary and compensation

4

Post or share the job description.

Going through a trusted caregiver website is a great option. Caregiver websites like Care.com, UrbanSitter.com, and SitterCity.com make it easy to connect with good candidates. They also offer other benefits, like background checks and payroll services. Create a profile and post your job to find potential matches.^{[4]
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Research source} You’ll be able to look at each nanny’s profile first, and then respond to the ones you like. Alternatively, you can:
- Use a nanny placement agency (typically, there's a fee of $1,000-$4,000).^{[5]
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- Post the job description on Facebook and check out nanny Facebook groups
- Share the job description with family and friends

5

Set up in-person interviews with candidates.

Create a list of 5-6 potential options and reach out to them. If you don’t feel comfortable inviting a stranger into your home, do meet-and-greet interviews in a public place (a video call via Zoom or FaceTime could also work). Then, set up second interviews with candidates you feel comfortable with.^{[6]
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- At the in-home interview, you’ll also get a chance to see how the candidate interacts with your kids, which is super helpful.

6

Ask crucial questions during interviews.

Make sure the candidate is a good fit for all of your needs. The candidate knows the main responsibilities and requirements since you listed them in the job description, but you may want to hit the highlights just to confirm. Then, drill down into more personal questions to get to know each nanny. For example:^{[7]
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- Have you taken classes in child care?
- How do you discipline a child?
- What was your most recent nanny position?
- How would you plan a typical day with my kids?
- Have you ever had a child care emergency? If so, what happened?
- Are you willing to complete a pre-employment background check?^{[8]
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7

Call the nanny’s references.

After narrowing your search down to 1-2 candidates, go a little deeper. Ask for 2-3 references from each candidate. Call each reference and speak to someone personally so you can make sure the nanny has the skills and experience they claim to have.^{[9]
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Research source} You might want to ask questions like:
- How long did the nanny work for you and why did they leave?
- Did you ever have any bad experiences with them? Can you elaborate?
- Did they get along with your kid(s)? How did the nanny discipline them?
- In your opinion, what were their strengths and weaknesses?
- Would you recommend this nanny to other families?

8

Do a background check.

Use a company that’s compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Caregiver experts recommend doing background checks to ensure your children's safety (even if you know the person). There are many online background check companies out there. A few popular ones include First Advantage, GoodHire, and Chekr.^{[10]
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Research source} Prices vary by company, usually according to how thorough the background check is.^{[11]
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- A basic background check includes criminal records, driving records, and credit history, and usually costs around $60.
- A very thorough background check, which includes all of the above and more, can cost up to $300.
- Make sure the background package includes a search of the National Sex Offender Public Registry.

9

Make an employment offer.

Formally offer the job and nail down any remaining details. If you’d like to propose a trial period (1-2 weeks) before presenting the nanny with a long-term contract, be sure to mention that in your initial offer. Give the nanny a chance to ask any questions they may have and answer them as completely as possible.^{[12]
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Research source} Be prepared to discuss things like:
- Vacation and sick leave
- Health insurance
- Benefits and incentives
- Policies about guests, social media, and other house rules

10

Create a new hire contract.

Once the nanny accepts, provide a full contract for them to sign. A formal employment contract includes all of the information you’ve discussed about the job so that both you and your new nanny are on the same page. Typically, you’ll want to ask the nanny to sign the original contract and provide them with a copy of it.^{[13]
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Research source} Make sure your contract includes:
- Employment start date (and duration, if needed)
- Work schedule
- Job responsibilities and house rules
- Salary and benefits
- PTO, holidays, and vacation time
- Termination policy

11

Set up payroll and taxes.

Nannies are household employees (not independent contractors). As of 2022, the IRS no longer requires you to withhold taxes from a household employee's paycheck. That said, offering to do this will make filing taxes much easier for both of you (if you don't, you'll both end up owing money to the IRS every year). If you do plan to withhold their taxes for them, the easiest option is to use a professional payroll service to pay them. The payroll service will also take care of things like direct deposit, etc.^{[14]
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Internal Revenue Service
U.S. government agency in charge of managing the Federal Tax Code
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- Many nanny agencies and caregiver sites will guide you through this process using their preferred payroll company.^{[15]
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- If you have to pick a payroll service yourself, consider popular options like SurePayroll or SimpleNanny. For a free option, check out Payroll4Free.^{[16]
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- Your payroll service may advise you to set up a Federal Employer Identification Number with the IRS to ensure everything goes smoothly. They’ll be able to explain this in detail, so don't be afraid to ask questions.