employment Archives - Nanny Shecando

5 Things You Should Never Fudge On Your Nanny Resume

Continuing the theme of “the professional nanny”, today I’m sharing 5 Things You Should Never Fudge On Your Nanny Resume. Because, I’m telling you, I get it. Landing a job can be tough sometimes, especially if you’re looking mid season after all the positions have been filled. You need to pay your bills, you’re missing the kiddie interactions and worried about having too much of an unexplainable gap on your resume that screams “sketchy”. But I assure you, when it comes to writing your nanny resume, these 5 Things You Won’t Want To Fudge.

5 Things You Should Never Fudge On Your Nanny Resume

1. Don’t stretch your experience with varying ages

Whilst it’s part of the job to be familiar with all ages – in most cases nannies should be knowledgeable from new-born to adolescence – sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Your last three families all had school age kids and the only time you’ve been close to a baby was that time you babysat for a friend? The ‘baby’ was actually two years old and already asleep.

Some circumstances you can’t control. But don’t fudge it into more than it was. If interviewing for a position with a baby, the parents will appreciate your honesty rather than finding out two days into the job you’ve actually got no idea. If you are unsure or inexperienced, it won’t take long for the parents to see through your fumbled attempts at preparing formula and swaddling. Plus, honesty from the get go will probably sell you more than pretend experience will.

2. Don’t pretend to be a domestic house goddess if you’re not

The quickest and easiest way to create problems between you and your employers is failure to perform duties according to expectation. Even if you’re a super nanny and the kids adore you, failure to cover all aspects of the task will cause problems. If your employers expect light housework duties and you’re not doing them, they’ll be debating whether their financial investment is worthwhile. Seeing as there are many different types of nannies and that you should define what type of nanny you are, it’s perfectly acceptable to elect not to undertake these tasks. It’s also reasonable to stipulate your interpretation of “light housework”. Just make sure everyone is on the same page.

3. Don’t talk up your cooking abilities

A solid understanding of healthy eating, meal components and the importance of children’s nutritional guidelines are essential. But not everyone can be a master chef. Especially when you’ve got to multi task. However, if your idea of cooking is microwaved Mac n Cheese, don’t proclaim to be able to cook. Instead push that you’re willing to learn and will readily follow a recipe.

4. Don’t spin stories into happy endings

The interview process is rigorous. Families interview countless applicants and size them up according to individual ideals. So I understand that the need to sell yourself is crucial!

However, don’t pretend you left your last post of three months for positive reasons if they weren’t. Whilst job commitment is highly valued and a random three months raises eyebrows, it’s only natural that not every nanny will fit every family. Explain that you gave it your best shot but that it didn’t “gel”. This shows prospective employers you’re serious about getting it “right” and speaks volumes to your character.

5. Don’t commit long term if you can’t

This last one can have major consequences to your reputation long term. If you’re looking for a career that lets you go to work everyday and enjoy the playground as your office, the nanny job is for you. It’s also a decent interim job between career moves, travels or further studies. I’m sure you’ve realised that flexible hours, fun activities, and a reasonable income are alluring qualities.

Nonetheless if you know you’re going to travel in a few months, or that you’re likely to get bored and move on soon, don’t lead employers on. Committing to a long-term position and then breaking contract will hurt the children, your employers and ultimately your reputation. Instead, maintaining complete transparency with potential employers will be of greater benefit because the nanny community talks!

Are you interviewing for jobs and still waiting for call backs? Email me, I can help.
Are you a parent and not sure where to start with hiring someone to care for your littles?
Email me. I got this!

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For more on the professional nanny, check out these links:

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

The Professional Nanny Style Series

Ladies Fashion In The Workplace

Fashion in the workplace is a serious issue, especially when it comes to working with children. It’s also not just a concern for nannies. School teachers, childcare workers, and healthcare professionals must all consider their attire before leaving the house. Why? Because, as with most jobs, the clothing has to fit the demands. However, unlike most other jobs that place emphasis on the professionalism of the put-together ladies fashion attire, if you’re working with kids you must also consider the practicality. Simply put, kids are messy and clothes get dirty and ruined.

I was talking with a friend recently (she’s also a nanny and the owner of this nanny agency). It was a freezing cold winter day and so we agreed that it was a puffa jacket and converse kind of day. Which when you think about it, is something pretty special. Because there are very few jobs where you can get away with turning up at work in tracksuits, or gym clothes, or lazy oversized pullovers.

The general rules for your attire when working as a nanny can be pretty fickle. Gumboots, sloppy joes, and warm winter tights are all fine but heels aren’t? Yes you can wear gym clothes but a plain tank top is not advised? Confused? Actually, it’s pretty simple.

| “Dress for comfort, dress for practicality, dress for the weather, dress to show your employers that you know what you’re doing and to show your kids that you mean business.”

Whilst in some cases it may be appropriate for nannies to wear gym clothes to work, there are times where it may not always be the best choice. You should consider your surroundings, the wishes of your employers, the planned activities for the day and the demands of the job.

For example, I used to work with boys (full-on active boys aged seven and four years of age). Given they were highly active kids, most of the time I could get away with gym clothes. Almost every afternoon we were at a different sporting activity and if we were at home, you could find us kicking a ball around in the backyard or playing ‘stacks on’. Gym clothes allowed me the freedom to jump in and join the boys in their activities to be hands-on; an essential part of being a nanny.

On the other hand, some situations might give you the freedom to wear a more ‘put together’ outfit. For example, you may work with girls that are more at home doing craft activities and DIY indoors. In this case, you’re likely to be safe with a professional ensemble of jeans and a crisp shirt.

In your nanny career, when considering ladies fashion and professionalism, there are a few key points to remember when putting together your nanny outfit.

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The Professional Nanny: Things To Remember When Styling Your Outfit

be professional at all times | whilst you might be able to get away with wearing tights or gym pants at work, make sure you still look presentable. This means no offensive language printed on clothing materials, no visible body art or tattoos and no visible inappropriate body piercings. Key Point: be sure to limit your makeup. Instead keep it light, minimal and fresh!

dress appropriately | it’s important to take into account the nature of your work. This means if you’re working with kids (boys or girls, active or not) ensure your clothing suits the demands. Light summer dresses and skirts must be modest and your cleavage should be hidden at all times. If you think you might find yourself in a situation that prevents your from participating because of your fashion choices, don’t wear it!

consider your surroundings | as fashionable and stylish as you may be, we all have those days when we want to go to as little effort as possible with our appearance. But if you know you’re set for a day of parent teacher interviews at school or a day of running important errands, it’s best to leave the sweat pants for another time and instead dress in smart casual attire.

the children’s ages | kids are messy and dirty, especially babies and toddlers. As I mentioned in The Nanny Life (5 Things About My Job), they sneeze on you, wipe their snotty noses all over you, they get dirty and it seems like they’re always covered in food. Whether you’re simply carrying kids around, or in the direct line of fire from a baby having a food tantrum, at some point you’re likely to wear it. Just as most other professions have a work wardrobe and causal wardrobe, should too should you. Leave your sunday best for Sunday!

accessories | as always, minimal and modest is best. Whilst it’s important to teach children about how to treat personal belongings and to look after special items, dangly earrings and over the top jewellery are not great accessories for life working with kids.

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The key points: make sure your clothes are practical and appropriate at all times & be prepared for your clothes to be ruined, stained, ripped, and stretched out of shape.

What’s your take on ladies fashion in the workplace? Have you ever had a favourite clothing item ruined beyond repair at the hands of your littles?

images from Seed Heritage. this is not a sponsored post, I just think that currently, Seed gets the balance right between practicality and professionalism**

Out Of Control

Taking Control Before It Spirals

In the last few weeks some things went down in the nanny family that for the briefest of moments seemed were going to determine my future. Things beyond my control. And being at the mercy of other people’s decisions sucks!

Although, being dependant on other people’s decisions and is not necessarily something out of the ordinary. Because as an employee, you work for other people. You fulfil demands to match the requirements of those that employ you and work according to a culture dictated by others. When I was in the hospitality industry I didn’t enjoy this scenario. I didn’t enjoy working in a field that expected insanely high demands and yet gave limited resources to work with. Talk about stress!

On the other hand, I do quite enjoy working for other people within my role as a nanny. Because my role is assigned purely to ease the stresses of the family life for those I work for. My job is to care for the children, to see to their physical, emotional and psychological needs. I cultivate a stable and safe home environment that has a consistent support network. I provide a shoulder for the parents to lean on and create opportunities for an enhanced family dialogue. I enable parents to go to work and fulfil their needs with complete dedication, knowing that their children are well provided for. This means that Mom Boss can confirm a 2pm meeting and not worry about it running over and being late for the school pick up.

That being said, every now and then the balance changes along with priorities. This usually occurs as a direct result of monetary influences. One of the most difficult things within the nanny role (along with managing your time and juggling responsibility) is cementing your worth and holding on to your job when financial factors must enter the equation. For in situations where the role of a nanny is viewed as being a luxury (which it is) and as being a non-essential expense (which at times it can be), it’s usually the first thing to go when cut backs are needed.

Recently factors beyond my control threatened the stability and security of my job. Out of nowhere, I suddenly found my job in jeopardy. And however brief it was, it was unsettling to stomach. Because for a fraction of a second I felt the panic set in. It set in not only at the notion that my seemingly stable three year contract was on track to be broken, but also at the thought of having to walk away from the kids. I have grown overly attached to these kids!

In the days after, I tossed around various ideas about how to solve my situation. But mostly I was down in the dumps (and ice-cream was my friend)!

But then I picked myself up. I got my act together. I set about taking steps to win back some control in the scenario.

I scheduled a sit down with Boss Mum and Dad and together we re-worked the job description. Together we updated the household budget, and we shuffled commitments. We made plans.

For the briefest of moments things were spiralling but we got them under control and set a plan to better manage the outcome. We all agreed that with a very blended family, it would be more beneficial to hold onto as much stability for the kids as we could manage.

Long story short, I kept my job and my three year contract.

‘Life is not about avoiding the falls, it’s about rebounding faster’
Jess Lively

But these events were a timely wake up call. It was the push I needed to get back to working on my own future career plans. It was a reminder that my business plans were never going to come to fruition if I let myself continue to put it off until another day. So whilst taking steps to secure my job in the here and now, I also recommitted myself to securing my future. A future in where I hold the answers to my own growth and happiness.

Because if you’re anything like me, you don’t like getting caught off guard. It hits you like a ton of bricks and you’re dirty for letting yourself get into the situation. When you find yourself blocked along the path by a stubborn and unyielding tree trunk, it sucks. Like me, your first thought might be that it’s a good little spot to curl up and have a nap until help arrives. But chances are that you’re going to get really cold in the dead of the night before your knight-in-shining-armour swoops down to save you.

Because guess what, you are that knight in shining armour. ‘Aint nobody else going to do it for you!

So here’s a little reminder for you, incase you’re also sitting on big plans of your own and hesitant to take them that little bit further.

Life is what you make of it. And you control it. The power is yours!

image: Yellow Bird Yellow Beard

So the big question, are you a chocolate or ice cream fiend when down in the dumps?
And what big plans are you sitting on at the moment?

Vetting Your Nanny Family: 4 Key Points

Interviewing for new jobs can be hard, especially if you’ve got plenty to choose from. The proposals look great on paper but you know deep down that there’s got to be a catch. In the nanny life, uncovering that catch before you dive into full-time work with the family can be instrumental in determining whether you’ll be happy long-term. It’ll also help to properly clarify your job description and give you a better understanding of the family’s situation.

But how do you go about this? How do you chip away at the sugar-coating to see what lies beneath? How do you use the interviewing process to assess the family and choose the best job to suit your personality, experience, job requirements, and desires? How do you choose between the one with 4 kids under 12 who are offering sole-charge and autonomy or the family with 2 children under 5 plus a dog, 2 cats, and a bird who are offering significantly more money?

Over time, I believe I’ve perfected the art of interviewing with families. I’ve managed to seamlessly transition from one family to another and be perfectly happy whilst still on track with my long-term goals and career progression. I’ve done this by remembering these 4 key points, and by applying them tactfully during the interview process.

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4 Key Points To Remember When Vetting Your Nanny Family

When first starting out in the job search, nannies often have two key ideals. As I’m sure you can agree, one ideal is to be the perfect nanny (whether your version of that is Mary Poppins, Mrs Doubtfire, a strict English governess or Annie from The Nanny Diaries). The other is to find the perfect future nanny family.

The first ideal is doable as it is in your power, given you’ve got the right blend of characteristics, charisma and charm to blend with the family. The second is not always so easy to find. It’s a search for perfection that is impossible to find.

With the potential for conflicting values, misrepresentation of expectations, errant children, differences in religious, spiritual and philosophical beliefs and a break down in communication all conspiring to ensure you’ll likely never find the perfect fairy tale family.

So what do you do? Rather than continuing to be disheartened when each family fails to work out, take matters into your own hands to find the next best alternative. Because even if “perfect” is unattainable, getting the “fit” right is still important to both employers and nannies. Working for the right family will ensure you feel valued, are respected, and successful in making a meaningful contribution.

1. How’s the ‘vibe’?

The interview process can usually be quite stiff and staged, making it difficult to observe natural interactions. But subtle observations and nuances of character will tell you a lot about the family and the potential work environment. So try to get a feel for whether your personality will blend well with the family. For example, take note of the feel of the rooms, furniture colours, layout and natural light. Also look for signs of a child friendly environment. Because if you’re likely to spend a large portion of your day confined within the house, you should make sure it leaves you feeling warm and comfortable.

2. Check out the appearance of the house

This is absolutely vital. If the house is a train wreck and you need a clean and tidy environment to function properly, take it as a heads up. Try to establish whether it’s a once off or simply their idea of ‘well organised’. If you think it’s going to be a recurring issue, one you’re not comfortable with facing every morning on the job, mark it as a big “proceed with caution”.

3. What are the parenting techniques and philosophies towards child rearing?

It’s essential you suss out the parenting techniques and the attitude towards the children’s lifestyle. In particular, find out their stance on discipline, expectations of chores and responsibilities, involvement in extra curricular activities and interaction with other siblings. Plus, if you’re skilled in the art of tactful conversation, it’s also good to carefully distinguish whether the parents present a united front in mutual agreement of these.

4. Assess the children’s behaviour

Parents will often give you the option to spend some individual time with the kids during the interview process. Usually it comes about because the kids are excited to show you their bedrooms, toys, craft projects or family pets. Use this as an opportunity to gauge how the children act in their home environments. Watch for a display of manners, appropriately developed social skills, dangerous sibling rivalry, any eye raising bad habits and for how they interact with you as a potential friend and leader. Whilst generally everyone is on their best behaviour, it can sometimes be a subtle warning flag to the extent that the parent’s perception of reality differs from actuality.

Do you normally vet your future nanny family? Do you enjoy the interview process? For both employees and employers, what key points do you look for to confirm that candidates will be the “right fit”?

A version of this post appeared on Precious Peeps. Contributed by Hope, of Nanny Shecando.

Supporting The Nanny Community Through Precious Partnership

Guess what, I’ve been holding out on you! Yes that’s right. You might recall that I’ve been hinting at this big, new, exciting, thing to be popping up soon. I’ve been keeping it under wraps whilst we all did ‘our thang’ behind the scenes (even though I did mention that something was coming up soon because I was just so full of excitement). And you might have seen me jumping up and down shouting to all who’d listen on the Nanny Shecando Facebook page last week, but for those of you who don’t see my updates (we’re not a big fan of Facebook lately) I want to share the exciting news with you here at long last!

It’s no secret that I’m pretty big on supporting the nanny community. I think for those of us working with kids, be it as nannies, as child care workers, or as educators, I really believe we need to band together and push the camaraderie. Because we engage in a role that is as equally demanding and confronting as it is rewarding and loving and inspiring. And in doing so, we share in something so special and unique that we really should share these experiences with others as we learn from them.

So when a Sydney (Australia) based nanny agency contacted me to arrange a catch up over coffee, I jumped at the chance. The result of which, I can finally announce, is a working collaboration to join forces and share the #nannylife stories.

I am going to be a regular contributor to the blog over at Precious Peeps website talking all things kids, childcare, nannies and education with a focus on playtime and adventure.

Precious Peeps is a nanny agency with a true passion for connecting those little precious people with equally precious carers. Bek Rokov, founder of Precious Peeps, has a background in childhood development. Once a nanny herself, she created her agency to meet the demand for trustworthy and diligent carers.

At Precious Peeps, they’re passionate about hiring the best nannies and maintaining ongoing support and training to continue to develop their skills and abilities. They’re passionate about matching the most appropriate nanny with families and helping them to together take on the daily challenges of child rearing and to go forth and conquer in shared understanding.

“Helping mums and dads find a Nanny or Babysitter for their precious little people.”

So as we begin the start of a new friendship and partnership, I thought I’d share a little bit more about me, my background, on Nanny Shecando and life as a nanny.

I am a nanny for a busy Sydney based family who require an extra hand to keep track of the where’s and the why’s, the what’s and the how’s. With two pre-teens, a 7 year old and a baby, I have my hands full each day.

Being quite partial to the well-loved and childlike activities of creating, imagining, dreaming and acting, I embrace my inner child and spend my days surrounded by kids. As a nanny I’m a big fan of craft and hands on activities, encouraging kids to seek enjoyment outdoors and capturing the educational benefits from structured and free play.

I’ve worked with children of varying ages and for a number of families and have learnt many things. For example, working with kids is not always easy. It can be messy, stressful, relatively thankless and comes with the burden of responsibility. Some times the days can seem endless, the invasion of personal space seem intoxicating and the constant nonsensical chatter seem draining. On the other hand, I can truly say that being able to see the kids grow and prosper whilst sharing in their lives is the ultimate reward and the best part of my job.

When I’m not driving kids to extra curricular activities, cooking dinner one handed with a baby on my hip and over seeing homework, I am soaking up the sunshine and attempting to live a healthy lifestyle on Sydney’s North Shore whilst writing a childcare and education oriented blog about the quirky observations of life from a child’s perspective.

Hope, aka Nanny Shecando.
xx

You can find more information about Bec and Precious Peeps at their Website and on Facebook.