Anonymous
Post 08/20/2013 10:51     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:MB here. I only appreciate one round of negotiation, if you are the favored candidate. If I ask you your rate, I expect your best offer. I'll counter with what I am willing to pay, maximum. At that point, I expect you to take it or leave it. I have too much respect for you to drag you through rounds and rounds or negotiation. It's simply not worth it for either one of us.

If you are not the most favored candidate, I probably won't ask you your rate and simply offer what I am willing to pay and you can choose the job or not.


MB here - one who will be looking/hiring in January. This is exactly how I plan to proceed. At some point, I can only offer so much. If it isn't what someone wants, then it's in everyone's interest to move on with their lives, and I will continue to offer the rate until I find someone I want or raise it until I find someone I want. If it goes out out of my affordability range, then I will look to a share or daycare but my budget has limits, just like 99% of the US.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2013 19:03     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Congrats, OP!
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2013 19:02     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Just an update- I stood my ground and walked away when they came in under my "minimum."
An hour later they called and met my offer.
Don't back down. If you can back it up, ask for it.

Congratulations! And now they respect you to.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2013 18:50     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
OP here. Just an update- I stood my ground and walked away when they came in under my "minimum."
An hour later they called and met my offer.
Don't back down. If you can back it up, ask for it.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2013 06:54     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:I've had to engage with this one guy like it was his favorite hobby. Some of these people will have no respect for you if you don't play their game. It's just how they get to a deal, or not.
Never say yes to their first offer. They expect to go back and forth a few times, and so you should to.

More successful business people are like this.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2013 00:38     Subject: Re:How much negotiation do I have to go through?
OP its unlikely that someone is going to go back and forth multiple times for a nanny position. You quoted a price higher than they were wiling to pay. They quoted a lower number. You came back with a number lower than your original but higher than their offer. My guess would be that they will either accept your counter or give you a number letting you know that this is their final offer. If they aren't explicit about this then I would just assume it is their final offer and either walk away or accept it.

If you are seeking an amount in the top range you already know that this is difficult to find and this may not be the job for you. You should understand that families usually have 2-3 candidates who are equally qualified. They may like you a lot but they may have nannies applying for the job that they like just as much and are looking for market standard rates.
Anonymous
Post 08/19/2013 00:01     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
If you command a high range, make sure you are worth it on paper as well OP. For instance, make sure you are certified, credentialed, the works, etc. Also, hopefully you have great references to back you up.

I say stand your ground.
Maybe back down a little bit, but for the most part not very much. Maybe ask for more benefits such as all access to their food, washing machines, etc.

If you back down too much, you will become resentful over time and everyone will lose in the end. Inc. the child.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:29     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:23:08, 12/hr is a high school babysitter's wage, not a nanny's.


I was speaking hypothetically and I am not suggesting OP should be paid $12/hr. I am just making the point that parents have a budget in mind, and are unlikely to pay dramatically more than that, regardless of a candidate's qualifications. Similarly, every candidate has the option to take or not take a job offered. But a parent offering $12/hr is VERY unlikely to say, "oh, I didn't realize that was a sitter's wage and you are a nanny so sure, I'll pay you $20/hr." Instead, a parent offering $12/hr is going to keep looking and eventually make alternative child care arrangements that better suit their budget (be it a sitter, a less expensive nanny, day care, a parent staying at home, or whatever). Similarly, OP should absolutely negotiate, but if there is a significant gap between the numbers, she should be prepared to continue her job search.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:27     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:23:08, 12/hr is a high school babysitter's wage, not a nanny's.


I was speaking hypothetically and I am not suggesting OP should be paid $12/hr. I am just making the point that parents have a budget in mind, and are unlikely to pay dramatically more than that, regardless of a candidate's qualifications. Similarly, every candidate has the option to take or not take a job offered. But a parent offering $12/hr is VERY unlikely to say, "oh, I didn't realize that was a sitter's wage and you are a nanny so sure, I'll pay you $20/hr." Instead, a parent offering $12/hr is going to keep looking and eventually alternative child care arrangements that better suit their budget (be it a sitter, a less expensive, day care, a parent staying at home, or whatever). Similarly, OP should absolutely negotiate, but if there is a significant gap between the numbers, she should be prepared to continue her job search.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:19     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:To the mom with "Ultimate power:"

It sounds to me like you've never had an incredible nanny. When a nanny/family relationship truly works, both sides feel that they are getting a great deal, and it's not about power, but about finding a fit that works for everyone. If you go in trying to throw your weight around, the drama-free nannies who want to build a virtuous circle relationship are going to be turned off.

Yeah, "UP" woman is the joke of the week. Lol.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:15     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
To the mom with "Ultimate power:"

It sounds to me like you've never had an incredible nanny. When a nanny/family relationship truly works, both sides feel that they are getting a great deal, and it's not about power, but about finding a fit that works for everyone. If you go in trying to throw your weight around, the drama-free nannies who want to build a virtuous circle relationship are going to be turned off.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:13     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
23:08, 12/hr is a high school babysitter's wage, not a nanny's.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:10     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:It works perfectly. There are only a few nannies who are at the top of their field, and only a few families wealthy enough to afford them.

Btw, if the new hire wants to clean your house, she's a housecleaner (with all due respect), not a nanny.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:08     Subject: How much negotiation do I have to go through?
I think you can negotiate as long as the parents are willing to negotiate with you without concern, but you have to be prepared at some point to accept their offer or walk away. As another MB said, I am not generally looking to low-ball my child's caretakers. I typically make my best offer up front. You can counter, and then see what they come back with, but at some point at time, they will have a maximum amount that they are willing to pay and you may have a minimum you are willing to accept, and you have to be prepared to walk away if those don't overlap. From my personal and anecdotal experience, my observation parents are not usually willing or able to budge dramatically on the hourly wage they initially offer - they may be willing to pay a little bit more, but if they offered $12 and you countered with $20, I'd be pretty surprised if any amount of negotiating would get them to meet you at $18. At some point, they will either look at other nannies or consider other childcare options, so you should be prepared to look at other jobs.

I should add, the place where there is much more room to negotiate is on the other stuff - guaranteed hours, schedule, PTO/vacations, provision of meals, etc. These are things you should discuss up front anyway, but if the job is one you really want, you should consider whether any "perks" might make a lower salary worth it to you.
Anonymous
Post 08/18/2013 23:04     Subject: Re:How much negotiation do I have to go through?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
MB here. I only appreciate one round of negotiation, if you are the favored candidate. If I ask you your rate, I expect your best offer. I'll counter with what I am willing to pay, maximum. At that point, I expect you to take it or leave it. I have too much respect for you to drag you through rounds and rounds or negotiation. It's simply not worth it for either one of us.

If you are not the most favored candidate, I probably won't ask you your rate and simply offer what I am willing to pay and you can choose the job or not.


I would think you would make your "best offer" to me first, based on everything you have learned thus far,
ref. letters, phone discussions with former employers, in-person meeting, observation of your child with me.

Until I meet with both parents and child, I can give you only a general hourly fee range. I need to know the complete scope of the job and the complete compensation package, before I would know my final hourly rate for you.


I'm the PP you are quoting and I don't think we disagree in any substantial way.

Perhaps the only place we differ is in where the ultimate power lies. In case you don't understand, I have many more choices for childcare and can pass on you if you imagine yourself more worthy than you are. There are many more nannies on the market than jobs.

Good luck in your job search!


You're ego tripping, and it will cost you good candidates. As its been said before, there are lots of nanny candidates out there. If that makes you feel entitled to throw your weight around and expect too much for too little, so be it, you can have one of the many unqualified uneducated nannies who believe you when you say you have all the power. A qualified, English speaking, educated, professionally behaved nanny is ALWAYS in demand and has many more choices than you realize. None of us are desperate to work for someone with your awful egotistical elitist attitude. "The ultimate power" lol

Well said.