6 Reasons Your Nanny Search is Going Nowhere

Valerie
Nov 2, 2017
4 min read

You have decided to find the perfect Nanny for your family. Many of your friends and people in your community have regular babysitters and the perfect nanny that they swear they couldn't live without. It didn't occur to you that it would be so hard to find the perfect babysitter--and it shouldn't be! You're possibly in a time sensitive position and the stress can be overwhelming. Maybe now is the time to figure out why you're not getting responses to your ads or why after interviews you can't seem to nab that perfect caregiver!

1. Your Job Description is Unrealistic.

Many nanny candidates are eager and ready to accept the position of caring for your children. Professional Nannies are equipped to handle all of the needs your children have. A high quality nanny worth her salt will usually go above and beyond for your family. She (or he) will go above and and beyond to make sure all of the needs of your children are met. She will love your children like they are her own and will spend countless hours researching and developing ways to educate your children, entertain them, enrich their lives, and most importantly keep them safe.

Things to keep in mind:

Your nanny is and will be more than happy to be responsible for all aspects of childcare. This can include children's laundry, cleaning up the play area, tidying up the mess they have made with your children during the day. All of this while teaching your children how to be helpful and independent. That doesn't mean that she will be enthused to show up to work on a Monday after a long weekend to a sink full of dirty dishes, washing your dirty undergarments, scrubbing toilets or making sure that you have a gourmet meal ready for you at the end of the day.

If your job description has more housekeeper responsibilities listed versus those that come along with the role of a nanny, you will be hard pressed finding someone to fill that position. Or having someone stick around long-term.

2. Your rate does not match the nanny's responsibilities.

If you want your caregiver to take on tasks that go beyond child care, you must be willing and prepared to compensate her/him for those responsibilities. Candidates reading job descriptions that include running errands across town, household chores, or other extraordinary duties want to know that you value their skills and performance. Make sure that your pay rate takes all of these extras into account.

3. Your rate is below average for your area.

There are a lot of factors that go into ultimately landing on pay rate for a nanny. Keeping that in mind there is a going rate for your local area. Do not rely on pay rate calculators on websites like Care. They are calculating that rate on a babysitter and not a nanny. If there's confusion on what the difference is, we can help clear that up in a different post. If an applicant can get higher pay for a comparable position, she is going to immediately overlook you as a potential employer.

This is nothing personal, she has to do what is best for her and her family. What you can do to even your playing field is to set an appropriate rate that shows you understand a Nanny's worth. No one wants to start with a family that doesn't appreciate their value.

4. You make the mistake of not realizing that during an interview your candidate is also interviewing You.

During the in-person interview, you have a set of standards you expect met for the applicant to present themselves well. She will anticipate and expect the same from you and your family. An unprepared and disorganized interview can be a red flag that the working environment will be just as chaotic.

Parents are usually working full time jobs and are short on time to begin with. Bad days happen to all of us. Most people can look past that type of behavior on occasion. However, first impressions are weighed heavily during an interview. Make sure to take time to really speak to your candidate. Let them know that you appreciate that they have taken the time to come in and speak to you.

5. The schedule you're offering is Unpredictable (and your pay rate doesn't make up for it.)

Many parents work jobs with a variable schedule which can make it challenging to find a candidate. Flexibility comes with a cost due to it making it nearly impossible for the candidate to fill that time with another job. For example, if you need someone every other weekend with different days of the week sprinkled in and you need them on call just in case, they need to be compensated accordingly. Another problem with this schedule is if you do happen to find someone willing to work this chaotic schedule, they are more likely to jump ship when they are able to find something more stable and consistent. A way to make this position more appealing is to perhaps look into a nanny share so your nanny always has a stable position. Try coming up with creative way to make the schedule more friendly.

6. You don't know what you're looking for.

You know you need help, but you don't know where and how to find it. You might know your budget, details about pay, hours, and benefits. Unfortunately, when it comes to specifics you are at a loss. In order to clear up confusion it would benefit you to come up with a list detailing what your needs are. Figure out what is a priority and keep yourself from being vague when speaking to candidates. Nannies like knowing where they stand with their employers and what their expectations are.

At the end of the day, you're looking for someone to take care of your most prized treasures, your children! Your family deserves the best care provider and we are available to help you during this difficult search. We are not an agency but we are Nannies that work with other professional nannies in the community. Insider Trade Secret: We have a strong nanny tribe! Shoot us an e-mail if you'd like help navigating the child care waters at TheDaytonNannies@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

xo.

Valerie