Find Your Own Mary Poppins

The at-home interview is where you and the nanny really get to know one another. A candidate who seems "just perfect" over the phone may clash with you, or worse, your children, once you bring her into your home.

To encourage the nanny do a lot of the talking during this interview, ask as many open-ended questions as possible. For example, rather than asking: "Did you enjoy working with your last family?" ask instead, "Tell me some of the things you most enjoyed about the last family you worked with." These types of questions encourage a natural response, and will help you get to know the nanny's true personality. Once you feel you know everything possible about the candidate you are interviewing, here's a good final question to ask. Be warned! It often yields surprising answers: "What will I know about you after you've worked for me for one week that I don't know about you now."

Chances are, if you and the nanny are a good fit you will both know it. Becky Kavanagh has this to say about her face-to-face interview with her current employers of 11 years: "When I first met the family in an interview setting I knew immediately that we were meant to work together. It was a strong feeling and I have never regretted my decision."