Ok, so who WOULDN’T like to get paid more for what they do? While that’s an obvious answer to say, it may be less obvious how to actually accomplish that. So if one of your resolutions for the new year is to be paid more for your child care work, let’s talk more specifically about what it means to know your worth and appropriately increase your take-home amount.
Start With the Basics
First things first: are you charging the going rate for your area based on the requirements of the job and your credentials? We’ve got an entire article outlining how much you should charge as a babysitter or nanny. Start there and make sure you’re setting yourself up for success.
Showcase Your Experience
When you’re able to showcase important experience in caring for kids, you can argue that your services are more valuable than those of someone who’s just starting out.
Take some dedicated time to write down every detail of each job you’ve ever had. Ages, the number of kids in your care, activities you did together, responsibilities in addition to child care, etc. Once the details are down, reflect on the bigger picture with these questions:
- For each child that’s ever been in your care, in what ways did they grow as a person or improve in their actions or character?
- How have you ever worked with parents to improve the lives of their children?
- Have you ever worked with difficult children or one with unique needs? What did you learn from that experience?
- What important things have parents trusted you with in the past?
Take a look at everything you’ve written down and find the most impactful elements. Think like a parent—how would your experience be appealing to someone looking for care for their child? Update your Sittercity profile with a new succinct paragraph about your experience.
Additional Education
Just like in any industry, your training and education can have a huge impact on how much you’re paid for a job. Find courses or training that support the direction you want your career to go—whether newborn care specialties, development milestones, or family management.
Increasing your pay can take many steps—researching your options is a great start so far. But in order for anything to happen, you need to take the reins. Start thinking about where you want your career to go and make it happen. Cheers to a brand new year and the next chapter of you!
