How to SHINE in your Nanny Job search

As an established career nanny, I don’t want to give away all of my secrets… But as someone who is deeply involved in the nanny community and who has dabbled in recruitment, as well as providing assistance and advice to countless nannies who are job searching, there are some things I think are magic ways for standing out as a candidate during your nanny job search.

You might be amazing with children. But unfortunately, the children are not the ones placing the ads and holding the purse strings. You need to be able to grab the attention of the parents and often the agency. In order to be successful in a nanny job search you need the experience, qualifications, and key requirements to back you up. You also need a passion and presentation that will get you noticed before you ever interact with the children.

Communicate with intent

At all times, but especially when communicating in a professional setting, I’m an advocate for using words intentionally. It’s so important for something as personal as a nanny job to be yourself. But do it thoughtfully. Take care when considering which jobs to show interest in, and personalise your communication. Particularly these days – where a lot of advertising is done so publicly on Facebook – it doesn’t give a great impression if you are constantly applying for any and all jobs. You should consider if the family suits your location and schedule because if they don’t match, the application will likely be a waste of everyone’s time. In this industry, in particular, I think it’s best to apply for jobs that suit you and excite you. This way you will have the best possible chance of being successful and happy in your work.

Highlight your suitability

One way to impress prospective employers during your nanny job search is to tell them why their role interests you. This might be a particular age you love working with, a personal quality or interest you share with the family, or a way your experience will benefit them. We’re not necessarily in the days of formal cover letters anymore, but your initial email or message through Facebook or a job searching platform can fill the same purpose. This is where you can sell yourself specifically for a particular job and bring attention to why you have an understanding of, and an ability to meet, the family’s needs. (A basic greeting and sign off are also things I think make a message look thoughtful and professional!)

Stand out in a pile of resumes

I want to conclude these tips by talking about a component of the nanny job search that I think is the most important thing before you get to an interview stage. A well-presented CV/resume. There are many ways that nannies present their CV, and there is no one right way. But whether it’s colourful and casual, or clean and formal, it needs to be thoughtfully and carefully put together. Your CV should be up-to-date, easy to read, and free from errors. It should highlight things that make you able to do the job that you are applying for. This might be relevant experience, formal education, and/or particular skills. You also want it to say something about who you are as a person. The goal is for a prospective employer to see not only why you would be able to do the job, but why you would be the right person to do the job.