Thinking about making the leap into the nanny world? Whether you’re brand new to childcare or you’re already working as a sitter, part-time camp counselor, or daycare worker, this guide will walk you through how to get started as a nanny.
Becoming a nanny is a natural next step for many people who already love working with kids. The transition takes a little preparation, but with the right experience, paperwork, and know-how in place, you can position yourself as a standout candidate and feel confident launching your search for a great family.
Below, we cover the final steps to take before you start looking for your first nanny job. Once you’ve worked through these, you’ll be ready to start applying for nanny positions!
Here’s what you’ll want to have in place:
– Make sure you have enough experience
– Have your resume and references ready to go (make sure your resume is in PDF format)
– Run a background check….on yourself!
– Standard pay rates (and benefits) in your area
– Usual vs. unusual job duties
– Your “care” philosophy
Pro Tip #1: A resume that highlights your childcare experience and strengths is SO important these days. A strong, well-organized resume can make all the difference when a family is deciding who to call first.
Pro Tip #2: Very few nannies run a background check on themselves (which they can show to future parent employers). Set yourself apart from other nannies you might be competing against by running a background check on yourself! To check out our background check system, click here.
If you aren’t currently a member of our community, we’d love to have you join. Nannies can join our community totally FREE and our Family/Parent memberships start at only $8.99/month!
Here’s a closer look at each step to take before launching your first nanny job search. The goal is to transition your experience as a preschool teacher, camp counselor, or babysitter into becoming a professional nanny.
Step #1: Make sure you have that relevant experience
Relevant childcare experience is the foundation of a strong nanny application. In addition to that experience, make sure you have your letters of recommendation or your references ready and prepared to start fielding calls from prospective employers. Give your references a heads up ahead of time, and confirm they’re happy to provide a positive reference for you.
Step #2: Make sure you have that CPR/First Aid certification
CPR and First Aid certification is expected for most nanny positions. Be aware of when your certification expires, and if you already have it and it will be expiring soon, try to get it updated before starting a new position.
Step #3: Make sure that your resume is up to date
A clear, current resume that showcases your childcare experience is essential for standing out to families.
Pro Tip: Ensure your resume is in .pdf file format. This will ensure that no matter what type of device is being used to look at your resume, the user will be able to see it. If it’s in another format, it may not open across all devices (i.e. Windows, Apple, etc.)
Step #4: Run a background check on yourself
If you have a copy of a completed background check on yourself, families will be really impressed with how proactive and serious you are about your nanny job search.
This will also put you in front of the pack when it comes to applicants, because most nannies do not run a background check on themselves. Make sure the family knows that you can provide them with a copy upon request. This will not only save the family a step, but it will put you ahead in the vetting process, and the family will see that you have a clear background even before they call your references to confirm.
If you’re not sure about how to run a background check on yourself, Nanny Parent Connection offers fantastic, inexpensive background check packages that are comprehensive, and they’re very easy to run.
Step #5: Educate yourself on what it means to be a nanny
Nannies differ from babysitters in that they typically will have more experience with child care. In addition to having more years of experience they also will likely have some professional certifications, maybe even a degree in early childhood education, or some other nanny-specific trainings.
Nannies are also expected to know about all aspects of child care including meal prep, napping, bottle preparation, and also how to plan and facilitate age-appropriate developmental activities, as well as ensuring the child’s emotional well-being. And very important: they also know that they should be returning the home to the original condition they found it in at the end of each shift.
Step #6: Educate yourself about pay rates
New nannies in the marketplace often aren’t really sure about the current going pay rates, and as a result, they could be missing out on a lot of money each year. It’s also very important not to expect top-of-the-market pay as an entry-level nanny. While you should be paid fairly, you probably aren’t going to make top dollar when you’re just getting started. And remember, it’s not just about the hourly rate, an industry-standard compensation package includes benefits, such as two weeks of paid time off, accrued paid sick time, paid holidays, mileage reimbursement, and sometimes even a medical stipend.
Step #7: What is your care philosophy?
Some popular care philosophies out there that parents have include: gentle parenting, attachment parenting, or the montessori philosophy. Make sure you’re also open to honoring parenting styles for each individual family. It’s going to be easiest to honor parenting styles for families who are close in alignment with your own approach to care.
Step #8: What job duties are you willing to do?
It’s very standard in a nanny position to be responsible for anything surrounding the direct care of the child. This could include organizing play spaces, or their room, maybe even changing bed linens. Most commonly it’s going to involve washing bottles, washing and tidying any dishes used during the day, and maybe also help with baby or children’s laundry.
Standard nanny duties do not include pet care, family laundry, or family meal prep. And if you’re willing to take on any of those household assisting duties such as family laundry, walking the dog, or maybe family meal prep, make sure that your rate is increased accordingly. This is usually at least $2 to 3 dollars per hour, sometimes more depending on the exact job duties, and the level of experience that you have. And if you’re newer to the nanny industry, it’s important to have these exact job duties listed in your contract to avoid any job duty creep.
Step #9: Consider taking some additional nanny or child care training courses
This will show prospective employers that you are serious and committed to making a strong transition into nanny care. Some good resources for these types of classes include the International Nanny Association, the U.S. Nanny Association, or you can find these classes simply by doing a google search for the term “nanny classes”. Aside from nanny-specific certification courses, you could also consider taking additional courses in water safety, child development, positive discipline, special needs care, child nutrition, and cooking.
We hope you found these tips helpful. Once you’ve worked through all of these steps, you’ll be officially ready to launch your nanny job search!