Job hunting...how to negotiate contract

[Anonymous]

With my last family, I was paid on the books as a household employee, had paid vacation, holidays, etc.

I am currently job hunting and have Care and Sittercity profiles. I found my last family through Craig's List which is something considering all the cheap parents who post. I got very lucky because they were great, but I don't want to go through CL again.

I am going on an interview with a family and while they are paying on the books, I get the feeling they are not aware regarding pto, etc. how can I point out what I feel I should be getting as a household employee without making it seem like I am being presumptuous?

[Anonymous]

Wait until they bring up salary, and then open with "At both of my past positions, I got my base salary of xx, plus x number of PTO days, health insurance, and blah."

[Anonymous]

You should approach it as a negotiation not an entitlement or a saga about what you used to make or what you heard another nanny made or what you think you deserve blah, blah, blah. Just be polite and ask for what you want and be ready to counter negotiate if they do not agree to your initial request. Working moms will appreciate a more professional approach especially when you are asking to negotiate aspects that are not normally provided to hourly employees (guaranteed pay for example).