Finding a nanny on care.com

[Anonymous]

I posted a job on care.com and most of the applicants did not seem suitable. Only a few seemed like they might be a good fit. Does anyone reach out to nannies that didn't specially apply to the position? I've only been waiting to receive applications, but wondering if I should reach out go those who have profiles that sound like it might work out? Pros and cons to this?

I've also tried craigslist - no luck there. Any other websites to try?

Also - when should I move on to an agency?

(I believe my rate is more than fair based on other jobs I see posted, so please don't say it is that.)

[Anonymous]

What rate are you offering?

[Anonymous]

Care.com is to agencies as self serve to full service in a grocery store, the difference as you can see is what you will pay to find a Nanny. In most cases nannies sign up with agencies also post a profile on an online service so a nanny sent to you by an agency you could find yourself and save thousands of dollars. Yes I know agencies are better because they do background and reference checks but most parents often to that themselves on top of that. You should reach out to those whose profiles you like, nannies with great qualifications often to not need to apply to positions as jobs come to us. Most anyone can post a profile as a candidate so yes you will wade through several to find that diamond and that might be where an agency might look better as it can save you time but I have known several families that have kicked themselves when they find out that the agency nanny is also on care.com and yes top notch nannies do have profiles on care.com.

[Anonymous]

I have hired 2 nannies in the past 5 years. One I found through Care.com and one I found through Sittercity. Both times I reached out to the nannies who fit my criteria and asked if they would be interested. Some were not, some had requirements that didn't exactly match their profiles so they weren't actually a good fit, but in general the applicants who answered my posting were less professional than the ones that I reached out to myself.

Both of the nannies that I hired had also worked through agencies in the past, and I was planning to go that route if I couldn't find a good fit but we've been lucky in finding good fits through the websites.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much! This is helpful. It is tough figuring all this out and I appreciate the advice.

[Anonymous]

Your rate being similar to other listings on the site doesn't mean your rate is good. For one, care.com parents are notoriously cheap and those rates skew low. Care will even allow you to list jobs for $5/hour if that tells you anything. There could be details about your job, the tone of your ad, or anything that is turning the quality nannies off. If you aren't attracting the quality of caregiver you want, something is obviously off, either compensation or expectations. Certainly try to reach out to those with profiles you like. Maybe they simply haven't seen your ad, or maybe you'll get an idea as to why they aren't interested in your job and you can tweak it. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Care.com has the worst reputation ever.

[Anonymous]

Care.com takes work. Do you have neighborhood listservs you can put a message on OP? That is where I have gotten all of my best leads for childcare (of all types).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Care.com is to agencies as self serve to full service in a grocery store, the difference as you can see is what you will pay to find a Nanny. In most cases nannies sign up with agencies also post a profile on an online service so a nanny sent to you by an agency you could find yourself and save thousands of dollars. Yes I know agencies are better because they do background and reference checks but most parents often to that themselves on top of that. You should reach out to those whose profiles you like, nannies with great qualifications often to not need to apply to positions as jobs come to us. Most anyone can post a profile as a candidate so yes you will wade through several to find that diamond and that might be where an agency might look better as it can save you time but I have known several families that have kicked themselves when they find out that the agency nanny is also on care.com and yes top notch nannies do have profiles on care.com.

I had a seizure trying to read this. Holy run-on sentence, Batman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Care.com is to agencies as self serve to full service in a grocery store, the difference as you can see is what you will pay to find a Nanny. In most cases nannies sign up with agencies also post a profile on an online service so a nanny sent to you by an agency you could find yourself and save thousands of dollars. Yes I know agencies are better because they do background and reference checks but most parents often to that themselves on top of that. You should reach out to those whose profiles you like, nannies with great qualifications often to not need to apply to positions as jobs come to us. Most anyone can post a profile as a candidate so yes you will wade through several to find that diamond and that might be where an agency might look better as it can save you time but I have known several families that have kicked themselves when they find out that the agency nanny is also on care.com and yes top notch nannies do have profiles on care.com.

I had a seizure trying to read this. Holy run-on sentence, Batman.

I couldn't even bother.

[Anonymous]

I found the world's greatest nanny on care.com. She has been with us for nearly two years and is a true gift to our family.

Repost and rewrote your ad to sound friendlier (thank the nannies for considering you) and open your salary range. If you want to pay $17 an hour don't check $15 to $20 - check $15 to $25.

[Anonymous]

I found my wonderful nanny job on care.com by responding to ads. I never mind receiving inquiries from people just going through profiles but I always politely decline their offers.

Try limiting by proximity. If anything, an unhappy nanny might want to change jobs due to a long commute if you can't offer more than she is earning now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found the world's greatest nanny on care.com. She has been with us for nearly two years and is a true gift to our family.

Repost and rewrote your ad to sound friendlier (thank the nannies for considering you) and open your salary range. If you want to pay $17 an hour don't check $15 to $20 - check $15 to $25.

This is bad advice unless you're willing to up your rate along with expanding your ad range. I will never understand why parents try to misrepresent what they're going to offer. If I need $20/hour, and you don't plan to offer more than $15, you're only wasting both our time by acting like you'll pay $20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found the world's greatest nanny on care.com. She has been with us for nearly two years and is a true gift to our family.

Repost and rewrote your ad to sound friendlier (thank the nannies for considering you) and open your salary range. If you want to pay $17 an hour don't check $15 to $20 - check $15 to $25.

This is bad advice unless you're willing to up your rate along with expanding your ad range. I will never understand why parents try to misrepresent what they're going to offer. If I need $20/hour, and you don't plan to offer more than $15, you're only wasting both our time by acting like you'll pay $20.

Not necessarily true. Yes, if you are sure you are only going to offer $15 an hour write $15 an hour. However, expanding your range may attract a candidate (who restricts by range in their search) when they may be willing to compromise if you have something else to offer (like proximity or hours). We got our amazing brilliant nanny by listing 15 to 25 and she accepted $18 to start as she lived one block away! She told me she only searched for $20 to $25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found the world's greatest nanny on care.com. She has been with us for nearly two years and is a true gift to our family.

Repost and rewrote your ad to sound friendlier (thank the nannies for considering you) and open your salary range. If you want to pay $17 an hour don't check $15 to $20 - check $15 to $25.

This is bad advice unless you're willing to up your rate along with expanding your ad range. I will never understand why parents try to misrepresent what they're going to offer. If I need $20/hour, and you don't plan to offer more than $15, you're only wasting both our time by acting like you'll pay $20.

Not necessarily true. Yes, if you are sure you are only going to offer $15 an hour write $15 an hour. However, expanding your range may attract a candidate (who restricts by range in their search) when they may be willing to compromise if you have something else to offer (like proximity or hours). We got our amazing brilliant nanny by listing 15 to 25 and she accepted $18 to start as she lived one block away! She told me she only searched for $20 to $25.

Yes for that one in a million chance you find a great nanny around the corner, it is worth wasting the time of countless other people The selfishness and entitlement! It burns!!