Finding The Perfect Nanny

It is impossible to define the perfect Nanny, because our personalities and needs vary so greatly from one home to the next. However, if you are about to embark on a quest for the ideal candidate, you will find that making a list of the qualities and attributes you would like in a Nanny will help you to define the type of nanny who would be the perfect match for your family.

You may recall ‘The Perfect Nanny’ letter that Jane and Michael Banks wrote together in the film Mary Poppins? – ‘Cheery disposition, rosy cheeks and no warts’ … you get the idea! An adult version of this list will set you on the right path.

CREATING YOUR PERFECT NANNY LIST

If you have hired a Nanny in the past, think about the qualities you liked the most (or least), in your previous employee, you may also be able to gather some excellent advice from other friends who have hired Nannies.

Use the following points for inspiration to help you to compile your list and narrow down your search. Some points may fall into the category of essential whereas others may just be preferable.

• Previous Experience
• Non-Smoker
• Driver
• CPR and First Aid Certification
• Degree / educational achievements
• Sporty
• Crafty
• Age group – do you have any preference?
• Frost Enthusiast – May help if your children are as obsessed as everybody else’s children are with the Disney film ‘Frozen’!
• Pets – if tasks associated with pet care will be part of the role, this may be important. You do not want to employ a Nanny who is allergic to or dislikes animals if you have pets in your home!

Once you have your list together, you are ready to move onto the next stage of putting together your job description.

CREATING A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR YOUR NANNY POST

You need to be very clear about your expectations when writing your job description and include as much accurate information as possible.

Include details of all tasks you will expect your Nanny to perform as part of her role, obviously these will vary a huge amount from one home to the next, be open and honest about what you need. Include information about benefits, perks, holidays, travelling etc.

Also, remember to describe your family and include information about the ages of your children and any specialised requirements. Some Nannies prefer to work with children of a particular age.

SEARCH TIME!

Now that you are armed with all of the information you need, it is time to begin your search. Ideally, you will want to leave yourself at least a couple of months to find the right match for your family, so give yourself plenty of time if possible.

By far the safest, an easiest way to identify a reputable pool of potential applicants to fill your Nanny role is to use a specialist agency. An agency will take the pressure off, they will send you a small selection of applicants that meet all of the requirements you have specified and will assist you with the paperwork.

Perhaps one of the main benefits of hiring through an agency is that all background checks will have been carried out on your behalf already. It is however always advisable to call and check all references for any candidate you intend to hire, prior to signing on the dotted line!

GETTING THE CHEMISTRY RIGHT

Narrow down a shortlist of the candidates you feel are most suitable and next, comes the all important interview time. There are so many areas to focus on when interviewing a potential new Nanny and first impressions including a smart appearance and good timekeeping are always a good start.

Ask pertinent questions to get a good feel for the person you are interviewing, find out about previous experience, reasons for applying, and availability. Situational questions give you an excellent opportunity to gain valuable insight about an individual, by allowing you to find out how they think on their feet, so be sure to have at least one or two up your sleeve!

Above all, remember that you need to find a Nanny who you feel completely at ease with; you need to feel confident that they will fit in with all of the personalities in your household.

Finding the perfect Nanny to take care of your family can be a nerve-racking experience, particularly the first time, but once you find someone who ticks all of the boxes on your list, all that is left is to make sure that the chemistry feels right. From that point onwards, it ought to be plain sailing!

For more information on how finding the perfect nanny take a look at what we can do to help.