As an MB, I suggest that all nannies to the sign-up process at care.com as a potential employer. All you need is an email address and a zip code. You do not even have to be from this country. While there is a background check offered for nannies there is none for potential employers. They do not even ask for a business license number or proof that you are an agency.
Please do not send any personal information attached to your ad response even if asked. I would never ask for a resume prior to meeting and would be suspect of anyone who does (what mother would ever want her daughter to open herself up to internet strangers like that?!). I found our amazing nanny on care.com. I did a phone interview first and invited her for an in-home interview. After about 30 minutes (where she was deciding on us as much as we were deciding on her) she handed us her resume and references. I suppose a vague resume would be fine - with your name listed as "Mary S." with no address listed and general information like where you went to college (but not the year of your graduation) and a description of your previous positions with no names. Please be careful, Nannies. |
I send out a portfolio. It does not include all of my personal details; but gives a family my resume, reference letters (without contact information), about my care, about the position I'm looking for, and about my education. I think it's important as a professional to have a detailed resume/portfolio to give to potential employers. I think asking for a resume is fine. |
This. While I would love a resume before meeting as an employer, I would never suggest it as a mother. Do be careful, Ladies. |
Nope. I've had excellent professional candidates to choose from. I've had 2 nannies in 7 years. If a nanny is concerned, just sanitize your resume. This is how other professionals handle online resumes and resumes they want to hide from their current employer. Furthermore, I always do first interviews in a public place. If you want professional pay and professional respect, learn to conduct your self as one. |
NP here and NOT giving personal information to an internet stranger over the internet is professional and very responsible, PP. As the above MB stated, the person placing the ad may not even be from this country. Common sense. I have found two amazing positions (one full time and one weekend) and neither high profile family asked to see a resume or references until we'd met face-to-face. |
What is with the resume paranoia? Anyone in a professional workplace uses a resume or looks at resumes when hiring.
It's entirely possible to put together a solid resume that demonstrates work history, tenure, age of the children, scope of responsibilities, education, training/certifications, etc... that doesn't reveal personal information. The nannies that have something approaching a resume really stand out as professionals. |
It is standard, when applying for a professional position, to supply your resume. Why, if nannies want to be seen as professionals, should they not adhere to these standards? This entire thread is ridiculous but your two posts really take the cake. Most nannies are adults, fully capable of making rational decisions and handling their own safety. Stop patronizing. |
A resume is a great thing to hand to an employer you would like to work for when you have met and chatted IN PERSON.
If a potential employer met thru care or other sites wanted a "resume" I would explain that I only share identifying information during an in-person meeting, and offer to send them the most utterly sparse info sheet I could create: First Name, Last initial, job search email Jobs listed as follows: Private family, Dates worked, Children's birth year, basic job description and special duties That's all I'm giving a complete stranger until I have met them and know I would like to work for them. Parents want nanny cams to keep their kids safe after hiring a "virtual stranger" to be their nanny, yet parents who do their due diligence know WAY more about that nanny than a nanny knows about a potential employer met on-line. Why is it OK for nannies to share all with strangers?? |
I always offer my resume upfront. However, that resume does not have my address, references, or the last names & addresses of the people I worked for. It's not until after the interview, if I want to accept the job from that family (and visa versa), that I give my references. The references do not include an address, just the phone number, email, and name.
I think anyone, including nannies, should have a resume to present to an employer. It's professional and not a big ask. I think its also reasonable for the resume to be non-tradition in the sense that it does not include contact info right of the bat since we're dealing with residences. |
It isn't hard to remove identifying information from your resume. I fail to see what good a resume does after you've already had an interview. How does an employer even know what to ask you if they haven't seen your work history and skills. |
Fankly this attitude is exactly why being a nanny is really not considered a professional career. Look at some of these bush league responses. |