Assessing a Nanny CV

One of the major benefits of working with a good nanny agency is that it will greatly reduce the amount of time you have to spend reading CVs!  Their job is to weed out inexperienced, unreliable, and undedicated applicants.  Before presenting any candidates to you, a good agency will also check the nanny's references and the validity of her documentation.  A good nanny agency will have three solid candidates for you to interview and you should not have to read over more than five to seven CVs – at the very most. 

What to look for when assessing a nanny CV:

1)  Does the nanny possess any childcare qualifications/diplomas/certificates?  If so, which one(s) and how long did it take to complete them?

2)  Does it specify which passport(s) she holds?  If so, which one(s)?  Can she legally work in the UK?

3)  Since completing her studies has she proven to be dedicated to developing a nanny career?  Or at least a career in childcare?

4)  Look carefully at each position the nanny has held.  What were the nanny’s duties?  Some CVs are misleading and some positions can appear to have been full-time when they were actually part-time.

5)  If you have more than one child, does the nanny have experience in caring for multiples?

6)  Does the nanny state the ages of the children (s)he has cared for in the past?  If so, clarify with the agency as to whether the ages are representative of when the nanny commenced the position or finished.  It is important that your nanny be experienced and knowledgeable of your child(ren)’s age group.

7)  How many years of experience does the nanny actually have?  Some nannies have done full-time work, but those full-time hours may also included a significant amount of time while the children were in school or asleep.   Make sure you know!  You want a nanny who can handle your time and energy requirements and who won’t get burnt out in a few months.

8)  How long has the nanny committed to each of his/her previous positions?  Has the nanny shown his/her ability to commit?  A good nanny will stay in a position for at least 1 or 2 years.  You may even come across nannies who have stayed in positions for 4 and 5 years!  It all depends on the person.

9)  Are there any gaps of time on the nanny’s CV that have gone unaccounted for?  If so, find out.  A good nanny will document what (s)he has done since his/her childcare career has began, whether it has been traveling, caring for an ill family member or returning to university.

10)  Does the nanny include a list of his/her referees and their contact information?  Home addresses?  Landline numbers?  If not, request them.  You are entrusting this person with your children and a name and mobile number will not suffice.  A good nanny will be conscious of maintaining an up-to-date list of referees.  You are entitled this information, especially if you are considering hiring the candidate. 

11)  Lastly, if you are looking for a live-in nanny, has (s)he ever lived in?   Ideally, the nanny would have had experience doing so, even if it were just as an au pair at the beginning of his/her career.  It will always grant you a great peace of mind if you have a referee to speak with on this subject and glean a better understanding of how the nanny conducted him/herself in the family’s home.

12)  Does the nanny have a First Aid course certificate?

13)  Has the nanny been CRB checked?

These are just some tips on what to look for in each CV, but we are sure you will develop your own additional strategies as well.  Be sure to request that the agencies show you copies of each nanny’s qualifications, written references (if applicable), passport etc. 

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