It can be daunting and exciting to search for a new person to add to your household to take care of the ones most precious to you. Deciding what you want and need, a pay rate that you can afford, and what kind of person will be best for your children and your household is a huge task! It can also be confusing and disappointing when you’ve posted a job, but it doesn’t seem to be getting many applications. Here are a few things to think about that can make your job more attractive to prospective providers.
Pay Rate Too Low
Child care can be expensive for anyone, but when looking for someone you can trust and rely on, the survival and well-being of your provider outside of work is important. Look around at other nanny jobs in your area and with a similar number of children and figure out the pay rate not just based on what you want to pay, but also what the going rate is in your area. The higher you’re able to pay, the more competitive your position can be against other similar positions. Remember that child care providers usually have families to support as well!
Responsibilities
The basics of child care are usually to care for the child and anything directly related to caring for the child. Wanting someone to clean your house from top to bottom, do grocery shopping for the family, cook dinner, and wash both of the family’s cars may be too many responsibilities for some child care workers. Determine whether you’re looking for a nanny or a house manager and understand the differences between the two. Be sure to be reasonable regarding the responsibilities you’ll be requiring and make sure the pay rate matches the amount of work that you’re asking for.
Hours Of Work Per Week
Too Many
In any job field, having time in life to only work and sleep is never ideal. Try to remember this when deciding on the number of hours you’ll need. Child care workers have family and friends and often kids too. If you need 12 hour days, 6 days per week, be open to possibly splitting the hours between 2 nannies if you’re finding it difficult to find one person who is able to accommodate those hours.
Too Little
On the opposite end, child care workers also have bills and families to support. It may affect how many applications you get for your position if you’re only offering a few hours per week, even if the pay rate is on the higher end. Try to add a few hours per day by adding in time for you. Have a scheduled time to go to the gym, cook dinner, go grocery shopping or add a few hours every week by having a child care worker present while you clean your house or do some much-needed laundry. Aim to give enough hours for the provider to live on, without overworking them. Having too few hours could cause a prospective provider to have to find a second job (whose work hours don’t collide) in order to survive, which can be stressful and sometimes impossible to find.
Preferred Vs Required
Do you have dreams of your baby learning to speak Dutch? That’s great! But requiring a nanny who speaks Dutch may limit the number of applications you receive. Consider asking your new child care worker to learn the language alongside your child.
Preference or flexibility with a need and not requiring something could be the difference between receiving lots of applications and only having a few options to choose from. Have your preferences while also being open to those who may fall just short of having everything you want. Be open to someone who is eager and willing to learn and be careful not to discourage those professionals with the wording of your job posting.
Too Many Expectations
Adding tasks and responsibilities can be a slippery slope when you have someone who’s eager to help and also nurturing (which are qualities that you want in a child care provider). Try to keep in mind the energy and responsibilities that come along with caring for your little ones when mapping out other tasks you may want them to complete. Try to keep your expectations centered around their job title so as not to overwhelm them.
Be patient when searching for a child care provider, it can take time as well as trial and error. You’re searching for someone who not only meshes well with your children but also someone who works well with you. The first step to finding the right fit is in the clarity and communication of what you need. Thinking about things from their perspective and writing your job posting as if you are talking to your ideal candidate can be the key to finding your family’s perfect fit!
