Lots of low paying positions right now on care/sittercity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PPs that people are tightening their belts and not spending as much as they used to, but I think that a lot of it comes from families who can't afford nannies that want to put on this act that they are wealthier than they really are. I live in a suburb of a major city, and not many people can afford what I would consider a decent salary for a nanny in the area, yet Care.com is filled with ads in the area for people wanting to pay $5 an hour for someone to work for 60 hours a week, teach their children a foreign language, cook meals, clean, etc. Having your kids in daycare isn't really as "glamorous" as having a nanny apparently.

Also daycare these days is more expensive then a nanny. Daycare per kid is easily 200-350 a week with 3 kids that could equal 600-1,050 a week. A nanny might be 12 per hr for 40 hrs that's 480 per week.

480 for a nanny is a lot cheaper then daycare in this senario. Plus the added benefit of cooking, laundry and housekeeping. Nannies can truly be a bargain.

[Anonymous]

Some parents on care.com have unrealistic expectations, I was once contacted by a parent that was looking for a tutor/nanny for their children plus help with house work and clean their pool, for government to pay me $11.47 per hour as one child is special need. I just replied that my starting rate was $15 for basic nannying for one kid, now adding the special need, plus tutoring and cleaning pool, we will definitely be over $15, never heard from them since.

[Anonymous]

You should sign with a local agency if you don't have connections that can get you a job through word of mouth. Those online sites are only good for newbie nannies trying to get a foot in the door. But honestly, you should just take all your knowledge and leave the field. Nannying is very difficult to maintain as a full time profession after you enter your 30s. Unless you're a high end nanny bringing in six figures just get a job in a related field that will offer benefits and room for growth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and I'm not a troll, just a frustrated nanny looking for work for a wage worth my while and only finding cheapskates.

I just returned an email to a mom who upon reading my $500-$800/week salary requirements asked me "what are you really looking for?" I told her $500 is my minimum for 25-30 hours per week. She responded that I am "obserd" and that she couldn't "fathum" paying someone that much to take care of her very easy children.

I very nicely let her know that as a childcare provider with...
3 years experience owning and operating a licensed home daycare
5 year infant only experience
10 years as a professional nanny for only 3 families
18 years as a babysitter
Over 150 hours of childcare related professional development
Several Early education college courses
And CPR and first aid certified

That I very much deserve the $19.60 that I quoted her for 25.5 hours for housework, errands, driving her children around and caring for 2 children under 4.

I'm so discouraged by the state of affairs in the nanny profession. 90% of parents want the most the can get for the cheapest person willing to take the job. Where do highly qualified nannies go to find decent paying positions?

AGENCIES! Why are you waisting your time on care and sittercity? Get registered with a good agency that will only send your file out to families who are in your salary range.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately good agencies just don't exist. I've tried a few in the past all are now out of business. They lie to the nannies, lie to the families about our qualifications and are so unethical. They usually only have a few jobs at a time compared to care.com's 1,000's .

I would love to find a wonderful agency but over the last 15 years that I've been a nanny it hasnt happened. And the salaries are not higher. I had one agency tell me to take a job that was 24 hrs a day 6 days a week with a special needs child who was wheelchair bound and they wanted to pay me 350 a week. I explained that is not even minimum wage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately good agencies just don't exist. I've tried a few in the past all are now out of business. They lie to the nannies, lie to the families about our qualifications and are so unethical. They usually only have a few jobs at a time compared to care.com's 1,000's .

I would love to find a wonderful agency but over the last 15 years that I've been a nanny it hasnt happened. And the salaries are not higher. I had one agency tell me to take a job that was 24 hrs a day 6 days a week with a special needs child who was wheelchair bound and they wanted to pay me 350 a week. I explained that is not even minimum wage.

Umm, this is absolutely not true. There are several excellent agencies out there, you just have to be selective in who you work with. You also need to be smart and advocate for yourself. Good communication skills are key too. Stand up for yourself, tell an agency what kind of position you are looking for and don't let someone push you into a crappy job you don't want. I am a long term nanny with great experience, references and a Master's Degree. I have worked with several agencies over the years that have placed me in really good paying positions. I've also had one terrible one, but that was a crazy MB not anything to do with the salary or benefits.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the responses but I have noticed this in my west coast city too. My nanny family is moving away so I started a job search a month or so ago and it's been hard. I took a Friday Saturday job with a family who needed temp care. I figured I could at least sock the money away while I was working M-Th w/ my other family and it would hold me over if I didn't get something right away.

I thought it was going well for 3 wks or so, and they only needed me for about 3-4 months. They fed their kids a lot of junk and let them watch a lot of TV, neither of which are things I do, but meh, for 3 months, so what. I found them on sittercity and was searching care.com for jobs when I saw my job w/ them posted. I texted and asked if they don't need me anymore and they were embarrassed at being busted. They said it wasn't a 100% fit (is anything?) so they were just seeing what was out there and would I still work the next day. I woke up at midnight throwing up so I didn't work. BUt anyway, they had 4 kids (3 adopted w/ various special needs) plus 3 dogs and 2 cats. They offered me $12 and I said $15, we compromised on $13. Again, it was just temporary, 2 days a week. I never would have done that full time or ongoing.

The job has been on care.com for 3-4 wks now and they can't fill it. They've had to change the wording of the description a couple of times because no one will touch it, I guess.

The most annoying part is I actually liked them and they "acted" like they liked me. I didn't see it coming. I was like WTF, if I wasn't doing something the way you wanted, why not just talk to me? Weird. So parents need to learn how to communicate, in addition to paying a fair rate for the work involved. Nannies will often take a lower rate for a job that's enjoyable and with people they like, but if you're an asshat, all bets are off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately good agencies just don't exist. I've tried a few in the past all are now out of business. They lie to the nannies, lie to the families about our qualifications and are so unethical. They usually only have a few jobs at a time compared to care.com's 1,000's .

I would love to find a wonderful agency but over the last 15 years that I've been a nanny it hasnt happened. And the salaries are not higher. I had one agency tell me to take a job that was 24 hrs a day 6 days a week with a special needs child who was wheelchair bound and they wanted to pay me 350 a week. I explained that is not even minimum wage.

Umm, this is absolutely not true. There are several excellent agencies out there, you just have to be selective in who you work with. You also need to be smart and advocate for yourself. Good communication skills are key too. Stand up for yourself, tell an agency what kind of position you are looking for and don't let someone push you into a crappy job you don't want. I am a long term nanny with great experience, references and a Master's Degree. I have worked with several agencies over the years that have placed me in really good paying positions. I've also had one terrible one, but that was a crazy MB not anything to do with the salary or benefits.

What are the names of these excellent agencies?

[Anonymous]

I live near several affluent areas. I had a mom who lived in an area where I know the homes are in the million dollar market offer $10 an hour for 3 kids. That kind of money is for a high school or college student. I have a bachelor's in elementary education, have preschool teaching experience as well as have worked in the public schools. Her offer was very insulting. I interviewed in her home and just by seeing her home it was clear her family was not struggling. She even asked if I would be willing to travel with her family when they go to Europe. So she can afford European vacations but isn't willing to pay a full time experienced professional nanny more than $10 hour. It's quite demeaning. I expect a minimum of $ 15 an hour.

[Anonymous]

There are always going to be people who offer crap pay no matter how much money they have because people accept it. I know it's frustrating, but why nannies continue to dwell on these low ballers is beyond me. Someone offers you a position below your minimum salary? Thank them for the offer but explain nicely that you cannot accept due to your salary requirements being higher. If they really want you they might come back with a better offer. If not, then you move on.

$15/hr is what I made as a newbie nanny, now I make over $30. And before anyone calls me a liar, I live in the Bay Area and have a very busy job, so this is what I get paid.

Good Agencies-

British American Household Staffing
Faigon Hamilton
The Grapevine Agency
Educated Nannies
Stanford Park Nannies
Celebrity Staffing Services
Mahler Private Staffing
The Help Company

Ok Agencies-

Pavillion
Westside Nannies
Town and Country (SF)
The Nanny League
American Nanny Company
Chicago Nannies


Please note, these are based on my experiences with them and I'm sure there will be someone to come along and say they have had a different experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are always going to be people who offer crap pay no matter how much money they have because people accept it. I know it's frustrating, but why nannies continue to dwell on these low ballers is beyond me. Someone offers you a position below your minimum salary? Thank them for the offer but explain nicely that you cannot accept due to your salary requirements being higher. If they really want you they might come back with a better offer. If not, then you move on.

$15/hr is what I made as a newbie nanny, now I make over $30. And before anyone calls me a liar, I live in the Bay Area and have a very busy job, so this is what I get paid.

Good Agencies-

British American Household Staffing
Faigon Hamilton
The Grapevine Agency
Educated Nannies
Stanford Park Nannies
Celebrity Staffing Services
Mahler Private Staffing
The Help Company

Ok Agencies-

Pavillion
Westside Nannies
Town and Country (SF)
The Nanny League
American Nanny Company
Chicago Nannies


Please note, these are based on my experiences with them and I'm sure there will be someone to come along and say they have had a different experience.

Any of these agencies on the east coast? Do they work with live in nannies ?

[Anonymous]

Wake up, OP. There are posting on craigslist for LAWYERS for $10-$12/hour. Times have changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wake up, OP. There are posting on craigslist for LAWYERS for $10-$12/hour. Times have changed.

Where do you live where lawyers are being paid $10-$12 per hour?

[Anonymous]

It's frustrating OP.

Unfortunately parents don't care about experience anymore or willingness to make a commitment they care about what's cheapest.


I'm at the point where if I don't find a position by October I will retire from being a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I make the same as eight years ago (3 nanny gigs, one gig teaching in the 8). People have not fully recovered from terrible economy of years past and they are holding their money very tightly these days. That said, I make $21 an hour (I live in SF), which is a living wage, just barely! Look into agencies, try preschool and after school programs too they offer consistent pay, raises and benefits. Good luck!