Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't think of a single other service provider you would presume to question their rates or the method by which they set them. She has an expectation and you have yours. If you don't feel her rates are in your price range or appropriate for the position, hire another candidate. If you can't find a suitable candidate in your price range (and I think you should be able to) adjust your expectations.

Agree.
In no job field do you drop your pay scale just because it's a new job.

Op's entitlement is appalling.

OP's position aside, rates stay the same only if the job is the same.

Anonymous wrote:I can't think of a single other service provider you would presume to question their rates or the method by which they set them. She has an expectation and you have yours. If you don't feel her rates are in your price range or appropriate for the position, hire another candidate. If you can't find a suitable candidate in your price range (and I think you should be able to) adjust your expectations.

Disagree. People are often offended at the prices they are asked to pay. It's because it makes them feel bad that they can't pay it. Nothing unique to nannying.

Anonymous wrote:I can't think of a single other service provider you would presume to question their rates or the method by which they set them. She has an expectation and you have yours. If you don't feel her rates are in your price range or appropriate for the position, hire another candidate. If you can't find a suitable candidate in your price range (and I think you should be able to) adjust your expectations.

Agree.
In no job field do you drop your pay scale just because it's a new job.

Op's entitlement is appalling.

I can't think of a single other service provider you would presume to question their rates or the method by which they set them. She has an expectation and you have yours. If you don't feel her rates are in your price range or appropriate for the position, hire another candidate. If you can't find a suitable candidate in your price range (and I think you should be able to) adjust your expectations.

It sounds like she was a house manager AND a nanny before which does command a higher pay. However, it seems she knows that isn't what this job is so she needs to adjust her expectations or keep looking.

Anonymous wrote:Do you take a pay cut when you go to a new job? Didn't think so. Why should she?

I'm about to take one because the market doesn't support what my former employer pays. But I know I am getting market rate for my skills and experience so I am not going to hold out for a unicorn.

Do you take a pay cut when you go to a new job? Didn't think so. Why should she?

No freaking way I would hire someone who was going to take a massive pay cut to work for me unless they had a good reason for wanting to (like the job I was offering had much fewer hours AND they specifically needed more time.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. No, I don't intend to "school" her. I do think there is a probable mismatch in what she was doing and what our current nanny does. I basically want to ask her to make her case for why she's going to add more value than the other candidates such that it would justify her rate. But in a nice way. Sigh.

Probably accurate that it's not worth pursuing. Somewhat frustrated though that candidates seem to get it in their heads that they are worth the highest rate they've ever been paid, never mind the disconnect with respect to job, location, duties, etc.

OP, the truth is that you aren't going to hire her at her desired rate even if she makes an ironclad, beyond-reproach case. So this is going to be an exercise in futility whose only outcome will be resentment and frustration on the nanny's part. It's not your job to correct her thinking; she's not your child or your mentee. Let the job market itself sort it out.

You two are not right for each other. The nanny will either successfully find another wealthy family, or have to adjust her rates to fit the demand. You won't be in the picture in any of these scenarios, so I think your best approach is to focus your energy on finding someone who will be excited to work for you.

OP here. No, I don't intend to "school" her. I do think there is a probable mismatch in what she was doing and what our current nanny does. I basically want to ask her to make her case for why she's going to add more value than the other candidates such that it would justify her rate. But in a nice way. Sigh.

Probably accurate that it's not worth pursuing. Somewhat frustrated though that candidates seem to get it in their heads that they are worth the highest rate they've ever been paid, never mind the disconnect with respect to job, location, duties, etc.

MB here.

OP, you want to hire someone for whom your job is an exciting, happy opportunity. And you want to hire someone whom you are excited to employ.

I don't think this candidate meets either of those standards. If you stretch to accommodate a pay rate you consider excessive you will always harbor some resentment or be extra critical.

If she takes a position at well below a compensation level she wants then she will always harbor some resentment or annoyance.

This is a terrible foundation on which to start an employment relationship.

Unless you are in Manhattan, the hourly rates you are considering paying are very competitive and should garner you lots of qualified applicants.

I see no upside in pursuing this candidate further.

It sounds like you really liked her, though, or you would have just laughed and wished her well. So maybe she is worth the money.

Or, do you think it's part of your job as a potential employer to "school" her in reality? It isn't, and neither of you will be happy if you argue her into taking your job at a reduced rate. She will feel like she is worth more than she's paid, and you will never feel like she appreciated the salary enough.

She will either discover that you are right by not finding another job, or she will discover that she is right by finding a job. You will likely never know which one happened.

Let it go, and move on to the next candidate.

I'm not in DC now, but I ran into this with a candidate on my last search and just politely stated that the rate that I had mentioned was firm and that I wished her luck in finding a family who could pay her preferred rate. She had also recently relocated to this area and had been looking for a while. I'm guessing she either finally lowered her rate to something closer to market around here, or maybe managed to find a job with one of the few very wealthy families that could afford her rate.

I had plenty of candidates who were fine with my rate and found a very wonderful and professional nanny that we love. It isn't worth trying to convince someone that their rate is unreasonable for the area. If they think that's what they deserve, even if it's way above market rate, then they'll never be happy with a job that pays less - until they've been unemployed long enough to appreciate that their rate is too high.

I would say this person isn't a good match for you and she should look for another manager/nanny combo position while you should look for someone who held a similar job to what you are offering.

How many others run into this issue? We're hiring a nanny for our kids; candidate has recently left a many-years job and seems to think her pay rate with our family should pick up where she left off with the old. Among her justifications for her ultra-high wage request: she managed a 10,000 sq ft house. Well, ours isn't even half that size, so does that mean I get to suggest she charge half her requested rate? It's great that she was working for a very wealthy family with a very large home, but she seems to expect that she should be able to transition seamlessly into another position at the same wage, never mind that her qualifications aren't anything unusual and honestly, she's going to have trouble finding another family that fits the description of where she just was (no longer local to DC; this is in an area where 10,000 sq ft homes are distinct anomaly).

What's a reasonable compromise when someone starts off thinking she wants, say, $32/hr, "drops" her rate to $29/hr, but I'm not planning on paying more than $25? We're not paying $25 now, so it would be an increase for us but a substantial decrease from what she thinks she deserves.

I will admit I sometimes want to point out the obvious: that nanny jobs don't necessarily lend themselves to ever-increasing pay rates, and given your career choice there's a pretty good chance you'll have to hit the reset button on salary (at least to some degree) as you move from job to job.