How to Hire a Nanny

July 7th, 2009 by Mike

Every parent in search of a nanny wants to find their own Mary Poppins. By using these ideas, you will have no trouble finding someone who is practically perfect in every way.

Nanny Agencies

One option to find a nanny is to use an agency. Nanny agencies specialize in placing the right nanny with the right family. Do some research to find a local agency and give them a call to see what their fees are. Have them explain to you what is covered in their fees. This will likely include their criminal history, driving record, work history, and citizenship. They also conduct extensive interviews with possible candidates to find out why they want to be a nanny, what sort of prior experience they have had and what sort of accommodations and compensation they are looking for. They will weed out any candidates that wouldn’t be a good match for your family. For example, a candidate may not want to tend to more than 2 children, or do extra errands for the family. These are all areas where a nanny agency can help you narrow down and find the perfect candidate.

The Internet

Another way to find a nanny is to use the internet. Websites like Craigslist have ads posted for people looking for work as a nanny. Going this route may save you the fees an agency would charge, but you will have to do a lot of the background work yourself. It’s completely up to you how much time and money you want to invest doing this work on your own. A quick internet search will also yield many online nanny agencies. Do your research and check with the Better Business Bureau if you choose to go this route. Be sure who you are working with is legitimate, and get all the fee information up front before you register.

Networking

Yet another way to find a nanny is to ask around! Talk to friends that use a nanny and see if they are interested in a nanny share. If you know of someone who has a nanny that works part time, check and see if perhaps that nanny would like to work for your family for a certain number of hours a week.

However you choose to go about selecting your nanny, remember to trust your instinct when you meet and interview your candidates. This will be your most valuable tool when choosing someone to care for your kids!