Anonymous wrote:I'm an MB. I would have said to simply tell them what you are currently making and then say that you have some room to be flexible on that given the likely difference in cost of living.

Given how they approached it I would say that while you have some room for flexibility that is barely more than half your current rate. Then allow the awkward silence and see what they do.

It's a negotiation - don't sell yourself short this early in the game unless you're desperate.

Good luck!!

agree. silence works for you in negotiation. tell them you make $20 now. be quiet and let them respond.
If they say 11 or anything under 15, say "wow, that's a lot lower than $20" and be quiet again and make them respond. If it ends up lower than $17, just say, "I'll need to think about it, and get back to you. Remember, going down to $17 from $20 will be a 15% paycut. That's bit. going to $15 will be a 25% paycut.

Seriously, $11 is terrible. That's poverty level. - MB

Ok, so given your situation OP here's how I'd phrase it:

"Thank you so much. I would be very interested in working with you. I have enough experience that I can tell when I'm talking with parents for whom I think I might be a good fit. So I'm interested in the position but there may be an unbridgeable gap between your offer and my current rates. I am currently paid $20 an hour for one child. So I know that the cost of living difference from my current location and North Carolina is significant, but I can't see a way to live on $11/hr. "

Then you see what she says. Seriously - allow some silence, it's hard but it is extremely effective.

Next you could say something like "One option might be to build a nanny share if you know another family that is looking for a caregiver. Hourly rates for each family can be more affordable that way - definitely in the range you're offering, and the combined pay then would be very attractive."

And pause.

I'm sorry OP - it's so hard to do this when you are feeling desperate, but it's worth a shot.

I would not offer the $15/hr number because her next response will be $13. Don't cut your rate by 25% right off the bat, don't give a number. Just give her your actual facts, and the sincere impression that you really like her and the opportunity but you just can't see how you can take a job at half your current pay. You could say something like "I was prepared to take a 10-15% pay cut given the correlating lower cost of living, but halving my income is an entirely different calculation.

This is PP. I just wanted to add that the going rate for UNC babysitters was $12-$15 per hour. And these women did not have your experience.

I moved to D.C. from Durham last year. Our nanny charged $15 per hour for one child and $20 for two. She was a graduate student in a Math PhD program but had prior nannying experience. My friend's nanny, who was a student with similar qualifications, charged the same rates. I don't know what city they are in, but that rate sounds very low for the Triangle area.

OP here. I plan to let her know tomorrow that the pay she's offering is low for me given my experience, certifications (CPR & First Aid + Infant CPR, & I'm a licensed childcare provider) and that I'd be taking a huge pay cut. I also did the math and what she's offering is just not a liveable wage for me after my bills, rent, etc. (Are those things relevant? Do I even need to mention that to her?) I will ask her if she's willing to negotiate. I'd like to ask for $15/hour. Her and her husband both work for huge companies, so I can't imagine that they can't afford it. If she's not flexible on price, I may ask her if she'd consider a nanny share. Truthfully, I am desperate at this point- nanny jobs are VERY few and far between in the area I'm looking in. This is one of the first replies I've gotten after weeks of looking every day.

MB's, would you accept that big of a negotiation if a prospective nanny asked? In the phone interview she seemed to really really like me, was super impressed by my experience and talked about things as if she really planned on hiring me.

PS- sorry if it sounds like I'm a total newbie at negotiating. I've never really had to before. Every offer I've gotten from past employers for the most part has been pretty fair and on par with what I was expecting.

I'm an MB. I would have said to simply tell them what you are currently making and then say that you have some room to be flexible on that given the likely difference in cost of living.

Given how they approached it I would say that while you have some room for flexibility that is barely more than half your current rate. Then allow the awkward silence and see what they do.

It's a negotiation - don't sell yourself short this early in the game unless you're desperate.

Good luck!!

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Before I even asked, she offered $11/hr :/ Said that is what they pay their current nanny. I'm not sure if I buy that, because they come from a huge metropolitan area (not NYC or D.C. but probably in the top 5 biggest cities in the US) They also both exclusively work from home. I could work around that if the pay was higher. Not sure how I'm feeling about this job- I have 7+ years of experience, and that seems really low, even for this area. I am going to keep chatting with them to see if maybe they'll go higher, but definitely still looking and keeping my options open.

I wouldn't waste my time on them. Seriously.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Before I even asked, she offered $11/hr :/ Said that is what they pay their current nanny. I'm not sure if I buy that, because they come from a huge metropolitan area (not NYC or D.C. but probably in the top 5 biggest cities in the US) They also both exclusively work from home. I could work around that if the pay was higher. Not sure how I'm feeling about this job- I have 7+ years of experience, and that seems really low, even for this area. I am going to keep chatting with them to see if maybe they'll go higher, but definitely still looking and keeping my options open.

You tell her no and move on.

I only sort of buy their story. I live in a smaller, but similar area (outside of Atlanta), and I could find sitters for $11-$12/hr.. But they're not going to be "nanny" caliber. I paid $17/hr to start with a raise to $18 after 6 months. My nanny had almost an ECE degree when she started (she finished before I raised her rate), and 2 years daycare experience. Daycare experience was very relevant for me because I have four children, who, at the time, were 4, 2, 1, and about to be born.

I interviewed another woman with a lot more experience as a teacher and nanny, and would have offered her $20/hr..

BUT, I moved here from DC, and I knew what I was looking for. If your area is flooded with moms bringing their kids and women willing to do this for $11/hr, it may be hard to convince them that anyone is worth it. They may not care, for example, if their kids watch tv and go with you on errands. They may not need what you have to offer.

And, frankly, you could make more at a daycare and possibly get better benefits if you had full time hours.

If there's an agency, I'd suggest looking there.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Before I even asked, she offered $11/hr :/ Said that is what they pay their current nanny. I'm not sure if I buy that, because they come from a huge metropolitan area (not NYC or D.C. but probably in the top 5 biggest cities in the US) They also both exclusively work from home. I could work around that if the pay was higher. Not sure how I'm feeling about this job- I have 7+ years of experience, and that seems really low, even for this area. I am going to keep chatting with them to see if maybe they'll go higher, but definitely still looking and keeping my options open.

You tell her no and move on.

Anonymous wrote:MB here- don't sell yourself short.
Say "I used to make $20, but I can take $19 here."
Maybe it's ok with them or maybe they will counter offer at 18 or 17. But don't give up money if you don't have to

Agree. Have your skills deteriorated? No. So, you ask for $20/hr plus you are paid OT for all hours over 40. Get a contract.

OP here. Before I even asked, she offered $11/hr :/ Said that is what they pay their current nanny. I'm not sure if I buy that, because they come from a huge metropolitan area (not NYC or D.C. but probably in the top 5 biggest cities in the US) They also both exclusively work from home. I could work around that if the pay was higher. Not sure how I'm feeling about this job- I have 7+ years of experience, and that seems really low, even for this area. I am going to keep chatting with them to see if maybe they'll go higher, but definitely still looking and keeping my options open.

MB here- don't sell yourself short.
Say "I used to make $20, but I can take $19 here."
Maybe it's ok with them or maybe they will counter offer at 18 or 17. But don't give up money if you don't have to

I would ask for $17. IF they are moving from NYC (for example) they will think that they are getting a bargain.

OP here! Edit: the baby is 1 year, not six months. Oops.

I currently work in the D.C. Metro area and make $20/hr for a 1 year old, around 35 hours per week. That puts me at $700/week.

I'm moving to suburban North Carolina (20mins outside Raleigh) and have a Skype interview today with some potential employers there. They have a 3 year old and a 6 month old and are looking for 45hr/week care. Obviously I know I'll be taking a pay cut moving down there, but I'm unsure of how much to ask for. Some people I know in that area get paid less than minimum wage. I couldn't afford to work for that, even if I wanted to. I also have 7+ years of experience and all relevant certifications, so I think I'm worth a fair amount.

What should I ask for? I'm thinking about $15/hr, but I don't want to shock them away. They seem to really like me and are super impressed with my experience and proactiveness in the interview process so far. They are also moving to NC from a big city so I would assume they'd be used to more expensive nannies, but also I'm sure they're looking forward to not having to pay as much in NC. What would you ask for if you were me?


All insight is appreciated. Thanks!