Adventure Nannies Blog

Our Step-By-Step Guide for New Nanny Candidates

 

 

 

 

Every month, we receive between 700 and 1200 applications for the nanny positions listed on our Job Board! While we would love to get to know every candidate who applies, less than 10% of applicants make it to the first stage in our vetting process. We’ve been studying the candidates who absolutely dazzle us throughout the placement process and wanted to share a few things that these stand-out candidates all have in common. Here’s how to stand out from the pack:

 

 

Cast A Wide Net

 

Many of our nanny candidates make the mistake of falling in love with a particular job description and decide not to pursue any of our other opportunities. Since we typically have anywhere from 50 to 250+ applicants for each role, the odds of being successfully placed through our agency increases exponentially if you find multiple positions you are interested in pursuing! In this case, even if the position that originally caught your eye becomes unavailable, you will still be in the running for other positions and given a higher priority than candidates who are applying for the first time.

 

 

Know Your Strengths And How To Express Them

One of the questions that candidates have the most difficult time answering is ‘what makes you stand out as a nanny?’ We are in particular always seeking candidates who, in addition to an extensive background in childcare, understand the value of their other skills and passions and have ideas or thoughts around how to bring those interests into their workplace and enhance the lives and development of the children in their care in creative and collaborative ways!

 

 

Have a Gorgeous Resume

Since we don’t have the opportunity to speak with every candidate who applies, our decision on who to advance is reliant on your resume and the answers you provide to our job-specific screening questions. Your resume doesn’t need to be crafted by a graphic designer, but it should be straightforward with each childcare position listed out, simple to read, and highlight any special skills you have, including language skills, educational degrees, interests, volunteering experience, and anything else that makes you unique!

 

 

Stick To Your Skill Set

Each of our job descriptions describes the requirements of the position at great length – and we have between thirty and fifty positions on the Job Board at any time, with new ones every week! Each job description will denote whether certain skills/education/languages are required, heavily preferred, or preferred. Before writing the job description, we counsel each family on what realistic expectations are while prioritizing their needs. If you do not possess a skill that is listed in the job description as a requirement, there is no need to apply to it. If a position has several preferences listed and you meet some but not all of the preferences, please use the space provided during your application to explain to us why your skill set is a potential match and any experience or interest you may have in the family’s other preferences.

 

 

Be Adaptable

The candidates who glide through our process are often being considered for a wide range of positions, sometimes across the country. Candidates who have been less successful often have very specific schedule requirements (i.e. “I don’t want to work before 10am or after 6pm or on every other Tuesday”), living requirements (i.e. “I want the family to provide housing, but not in their house, in a guest house, and my 5 cats will live there with me too”), location requirements (i.e. “I’m interested in jobs in Denver because my brother lives there but would also consider a job in Los Angeles as long as the family lives next to the ocean”) or other requirements (i.e. “I only want to be a nanny for a 5-year-old girl named Donna.”) While we so appreciate candidates being clear about what type of scenario is going to work for them and possessing that self-knowledge, it can make it very challenging for us to find roles that will match their desires! Candidates who are passionate about finding a personality and cultural match with their future employers and are open to whatever that may look like are lovely to work with and are often successfully placed more quickly than other candidates!

 

 

BONUS: Privatize Your Social Media

While we don’t perform an Internet screening on candidates until they have already passed their screening call, please keep in mind that in this day and age any potential employer will likely look you up on social media. If you are on LinkedIn, your profession should match the types of roles you are applying for (not ‘marketing specialist’ or any non-childcare or education-focused role) and if your Facebook or Instagram photos are public, consider privatizing them so that your potential future employers’ first impressions can come via your resume, not your weekend photos.

 

 


 

We’d love to hear about the ways that you’ve bolstered your resume and stood out from the pack – reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram, and check out the other posts on the blog!

If you are looking for an exceptionally skilled nanny or private educator for your child, we’d love to hear from you!

If you feel that you have what it takes to become an Adventure Nanny or private educator, reach out to us.

 

Seven Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Nanny or Private Educator

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

10 Great Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Nanny

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Emergency Contact Form to Print and Display in Your Home

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

California Household Employee Tax Law 101

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

New York Household Employee Tax Law 101

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Washington Household Employee Tax Law 101

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Colorado Household Employee Tax Law 101

Enter your name and email below to grab this free download. 

You have Successfully Subscribed!