Top 5 Tips for New Nannies

Would you like to learn more about our top 5 tips for new nannies? Whether you are fresh out of college and anxiously anticipating your first nanny job or if you have been approached by a family to nanny their children – here are the top 5 tips FAMILIES would like for you to know moving forward.

 

As a freebie new nanny tip, I will throw this in from a recruiter’s perspective. This nanny industry is one of constant change. While there are some fortunate nannies that are with a family for 5-15 years, that is the exception rather than the rule. It is vital that you understand you are building your reputation. As you build a solid reputation you will then open up avenues for future growth and development. Keep the end game in mind at all times.

 

1. Nanny Professionalism – From the first time you make contact with a family through the interview process to your first day – the way you conduct yourself matters. Dress appropriately, research topics, be prepared to ask questions and be prepared to listen. Understand appropriate boundaries from the very beginning of your career. Be able to communicate those boundaries with your nanny family. Know where your nanny family ends and your personal life begins.
2. Reliability – If you are a top notch professional nanny, have earned the trust, respect and friendship of the family and the adoration of the children, but you cannot get to work on time or you miss three days in the first three months of work – you will lose your job. In the household staffing industry, if you miss work then it can cause a huge ripple effect in the family. Establish yourself as trustworthy, dependable and reliable.
3. Creativity – Be creative when it comes to planning schedules, activities and learning opportunities for your nanny children. Be creative in approach to discipline. You are responsible for raising human beings. You are partnering with the parents, but sometimes you will need to bring your own ideas to the mix. You are the childcare professional. You are not just a babysitter ready to carry out mom and dad’s wishes.
4. Bond with the kids – While some may question that this needs to be stated, it is important. In the pursuit of building a career, gaining a solid reputation, don’t forget that your first priority is to really connect with the children. Be approachable, friendly, interested in them. Don’t get so caught up in the details of keeping life going that you forget to be the keeper of the children’s hearts as well. You are the one that mom and dad have trusted to partner with them.
5. Constantly be willing to learn – Continue to pursue nanny training on discipline techniques, cooking classes, building management skills, communication tips, anything and everything can be applied to domestic staffing and or nanny career field. Never stop pursuing growth.

 

These tips barely scratch the surface in helping you begin to build your career but they are essential to your growth and development. There are so many people relying on you. You are part of a team.