"Opportunities don't happen, you create them." — Chris Grosser
"Opportunities don't happen, you create them." — Chris Grosser
HAVE YOUR REFERENCES READY
Have a running list of your professional references. Be sure to include their full names, phone numbers, email addresses, years that you worked for the family & the ages of the children you cared for are important. For every new job you get hired for and complete add them to the list immediately. This will ensure you can immediately provide reference to your potential new employers after you interview with them.
You will improve your better chance of landing the job because there won’t be a major gap in the interview time and when the family or agency can contact your references. Don’t forget to always ask your previous employers ahead of time if you can use them as your reference.
RESEARCH CERTIFICATIONS FOR YOUR ROLE
Here are some recommended certifications:
- Infant, Child, & Adult CPR/First Aid/AED
- Swim Training
- Nanny ABCs Nanny Training
- Nutrition Courses
- Educational (Early Childhood or Elementary) Courses
- Newborn Care Specialist Training
Any certifications that you have, have it readily available digitally and physically. If you are meeting families in person or through internet meetings, have your certificates ready to present.
MAKE SURE YOUR CERTIFICATIONS ARE UP-TO-DATE
If you have an expired Certification, make sure to renew it before your interview with a potential family or agency. If you don’t have the financial resources to renew make sure to communicate with your future employer on your intentions to renew or recertify.
BE CONFIDENT ABOUT YOUR RATE, KNOW THE MARKET
When applying for a position, knowing your rate range is vital. Before applying to a job or going on an interview we recommend considering the position’s compensation range and what you need monthly for living expenses. Then be sure to break that down by week and hours. This will save you an the hiring family time wasted on getting to know each other and then your rates don’t align.
A handy tool to use to calculate your compensation rate is HomePay’s nanny tax calculator. The nanny tax calculator will provide you with a clear understanding of how much money you will take home with after taxes (net pay) if you charge a certain hourly rate. Using this tool will give you a clear idea of what compensation rate is right for you or where you can negotiate to.
Other nanny compensation calculators: https://secure.gtm.com/Household/nanny-tax-calculator.aspx
YOUR RESUME
Keep your resume up-to-date. One way to do this is by adding each job to your resume as you get hired. Approximately one month into your job, add it to your resume & start listing the responsibilities that you have. This will ensure you have your most recent employment experience on your resume when you are looking for another position.
Waiting until you need a job to update your resume increases the likelihood that you won’t apply. Or that your resume will get overlooked because of employment gaps.
By using these tips parents will appreciate your professionalism and preparedness. Also as a nanny applying to a position with the knowledge and evidence of what you are worth and your expertise will give you the confidence you negotiate the best terms of employment. It takes us nannies to educate ourselves and be on top of what the industry standards are, so that we can guide parents that may not be aware.
