According to a Nanny Salary & Benefits Survey Results, 34% of nannies found their current position through online recruiting such as Care.com, Sittercity.com or similar sites while 31% of nannies used an agency or domestic placement service. Nannies also found their family employer through networking (24%) or a local internet site such as a mom’s group, a parenting forum, or college job board (9%).
Families looking for nannies utilize the same resources. Finding nanny candidates and selecting the right nanny for you takes time. Many families seek a nanny with just a few weeks’ notice but planning ahead can save a lot of stress. Although the average is about 4 weeks, it can take several months to find your perfect nanny. Heated competition among families for top nannies requires employers to act fast but you must be careful to get the right fit for your family.
Online Nanny Job and Recruiting Sites
There are too many to list but top online nanny recruiting sites include Care.com, Sittercity.com, Urbansitter.com, and ViatheVillage.com. These services require a monthly or annual fee to view nanny candidates. Online nanny job boards allow families to view candidates and post available jobs.
Most recruiting sites allow nannies to input detailed information regarding their training and experience. A complete profile demonstrates a stronger commitment to finding a position than a limited profile. Information that is commonly entered includes their nanny experience, child care training, salary requirements, references, and background check information. Many also include a space for the nanny to share additional information to help families find candidates with similar employment goals.
Families can also post a job on most nanny job sites. The content of the job post can attract or repel top nanny talent so take a few minutes to write a strong job description. Posts that include photos are three times more likely to be clicked so if you are comfortable, upload a nice photo of your family (it is okay to block or blur the child’s face). You want to complete as many of the profile elements as possible, so nannies can understand your family’s needs and job duties. You may also want to share a personalized story about the children such as their favorite snack or how they like to ask a million questions. Be descriptive so that nannies have enough information to decide if they want to connect to learn more about the position. Also, be aware that the information shared will be viewed by others so do not post private information. To boost your profile value, ask your current nanny and occasional sitters to leave positive reviews and write insights into the comments box.
Here is an example job post:
Headline: Family needs a live-in nanny for early mornings, evenings, overnights, and weekends
A single mom is looking for a nonsmoking, live-in nanny to work ~20 hours per week to help care for a 4-year-old boy and help manage the household. The child is in daycare (Monday – Friday, 8am – 5:30pm) and a live-in is needed to build a strong bond with the child so the routine stays familiar when mom travels overnight (on average 2-4 nights a month) for business. The nanny will need to have a car, driver’s license, auto insurance, and a clean driving record. The nanny can have a second job or take college classes when the child is at daycare during the week as long as the nanny is available if there is an emergency or the child becomes ill and must go home.
In exchange for child care (pick up, drop off, babysitting, sick days, driving to karate and swim class) and household management (cooking, laundry, cleaning), the nanny will get a furnished private bedroom and bath with all utilities (including cable tv and wifi) plus an hourly rate of $15 per hour.
The nanny should have current CPR and First Aid, at least some college and/or a child care certification, and 3 years of nanny experience. The ideal nanny will be looking to join our household long-term with a minimum of a one-year commitment. For those who like pets, we have a cat.
Local Recruiting Sites
There are local resources that can also lead to finding a great nanny. Social media groups, especially those on Facebook, show ‘nanny listings’ as part of mom groups or local nanny groups. These forums are great places to find families who no longer need a nanny but want to recommend their employee. The forums often allow families to post ‘nanny wanted’. With the connections across social media, posts can be shared which helps a family network through extended family, friends and even acquaintances.
Non-traditional sites can be a gold mine to finding high-quality nannies. Searching LinkedIn for nannies in your area will uncover professional and career nannies as many nannies who use LinkedIn have a bachelor’s degree. University job boards are a fantastic way to find part-time help for after-school care or a summer nanny. Sites like Craigslist and traditional job boards like Indeed can find former daycare workers and those looking for part-time positions.
Be appropriately wary when meeting people online. The internet is a great tool to find nannies but not everything shared online is honestly represented.
