Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do think $16/hr is low for someone with a college degree. And for someone good with 5-8 years experience. As you're finding, it's not so low that they won't consider the job, but it's low enough that they're willing to leave you hanging if they find something better.

I think you're looking for not only a good nanny, but one who has substantial credentials. That is going to cost more.

This exactly. Nannies with that level of education and experience can get higher paying jobs, so what you're seeing is highly qualified nannies who accept your job as their back-up while conducting multiple interviews. As you've seen, they find better offers elsewhere and then leave you hanging. This is not ideal but it is what's almost certainly happening so you'll have to adjust accordingly by offering a higher starting rate, selecting less experienced/educated nannies to interview, or settling on an available daycare. Good luck.

Op here. Someone interviewed should just say that and not agree to settle for a job they don't want. When you rely on someone to are for your child so you can return to work then back out at the lady minute, is awful and puts my job at jeopardy. I am willing to negotiate or find a second family for a share - all that stuff but it's really discouraging to be used that way. If I treated a care provider like that, would that be ok? Just hire you until something better comes alone and fire you without warning? It's harsh and unnecessary in a profession like this. I guess I wrongly assumed people conducted themselves professionally - I know we try to (I ask what compensation expectations are and am honest before they come here for an interview, which if longer than normal I compensate for).

And 'available daycare' seems to be an oxymoron.

You aren't being realistic, OP. A job is a job is a job. You take what you can get while you can get it. They accept your offer, even though it may not be their dream job, and they keep their eyes out for that dream job. A lot of parents offer the minimum possible to get the best they can. You have to realize that doing so puts you at risk to competition. Its just reality in a capitalist society. Clearly you're making it too easy to find something better. You have dismissed every piece of advice you've gotten here. You are losing candidates for a reason, but you aren't willing to admit why. The decision to settle for daycare sounds like a good one. If you're stretching your budget to afford $16/hour, and are offering it as a starting salary, you won't keep a nanny for more than a year.

OP, have you considered doing a nanny share?

That would be a good middle ground between a nanny and a daycare.

It sounds to me like the perfect set~up for your situation!

I would seriously look into it.

Anonymous wrote:The nannies saying they make $20 an hour are full of it. I would go with $15. That's the actual going rate in this area. With summer approaching fast you will be able to get a great nanny home from school at least to buy you some time until a day care opens. Good luck OP. Don't let this site discourage you, some of these trolls live to make others miserable.

Who the heck are you to say that $20/hour is so unattainable?
It actually isn't. You sound like an ass.

How are you finding your potential nannies. We're in the DC area and used care.com to look for a nanny. We advertised a $15 per hour rate and were inundated with responses for three weeks. Granted, many responders weren't all that qualified but at least a third were very experienced. We ended hiring a fabulous nanny who is very happy with her salary. Based on our experience, what the OP is looking for is definitely out there.

The nannies saying they make $20 an hour are full of it. I would go with $15. That's the actual going rate in this area. With summer approaching fast you will be able to get a great nanny home from school at least to buy you some time until a day care opens. Good luck OP. Don't let this site discourage you, some of these trolls live to make others miserable.

Anonymous wrote:OP, not sure where you are but we are in NW DC. We talked to a ton of people before formulating our offer and IRL did not find any families who started nannies at more than $15/hr. We did find nannies asked for more (in the $17-$18/hr range) but we were very up front that our starting offer was $15/hr and we didn't lose any candidates over it. I'd talk to your friends and neighbors to see what is normal in your area and also, if you intend to use a payroll company, ask them what they typically see as a starting salary in your area. I think you've just had some bad luck but your offer is pretty good.

Also, sadly, I don't agree that you get what you pay for - although it would be nice if it were true. We had a TERRIBLE nanny for three weeks before we found our absolutely terrific one and we started them both at the same salary. FWIW our terrific nanny has been with us for many years and now makes much more, but since there is no objective standard for how much a nanny can charge, there is actually a huge variation in quality in the same price range.

+1. This has been my experience exactly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do think $16/hr is low for someone with a college degree. And for someone good with 5-8 years experience. As you're finding, it's not so low that they won't consider the job, but it's low enough that they're willing to leave you hanging if they find something better.

I think you're looking for not only a good nanny, but one who has substantial credentials. That is going to cost more.

This exactly. Nannies with that level of education and experience can get higher paying jobs, so what you're seeing is highly qualified nannies who accept your job as their back-up while conducting multiple interviews. As you've seen, they find better offers elsewhere and then leave you hanging. This is not ideal but it is what's almost certainly happening so you'll have to adjust accordingly by offering a higher starting rate, selecting less experienced/educated nannies to interview, or settling on an available daycare. Good luck.

Op here. Someone interviewed should just say that and not agree to settle for a job they don't want. When you rely on someone to are for your child so you can return to work then back out at the lady minute, is awful and puts my job at jeopardy. I am willing to negotiate or find a second family for a share - all that stuff but it's really discouraging to be used that way. If I treated a care provider like that, would that be ok? Just hire you until something better comes alone and fire you without warning? It's harsh and unnecessary in a profession like this. I guess I wrongly assumed people conducted themselves professionally - I know we try to (I ask what compensation expectations are and am honest before they come here for an interview, which if longer than normal I compensate for).

And 'available daycare' seems to be an oxymoron.

Op here. First, we are not overprotective or anything listed - at interviews were are very open that we are looking for someone creative and open who we will welcome into our home as an important part of our child's development. No housework which many nannies say that they dislike.

Second, we live downtown - walkable everywhere and we specifically prefer a non-driver and wouldn't have that as a duty. We are fine with the baby going on the metro and all that.

I think we just aren't wealthy. We also only plan on one child so maybe a nanny sees this as too short term?

Anyway I will stop tying to find a good nanny we can afford. I'm not rich, but we are good and fair 'employers' but I guess we will keep trying for daycare or I'll stay home. It just shouldn't be this hard to find care so I can keep working, ya know? So frustrating that in 2014 in such a rich city that it is so difficult for young families.

Thanks for the input all. Makes the decision a little easier.

OP, I think the pay rate you are offering for the job sounds okay, but obviously something is turning candidates off of you. A job is more than the pay. Is your home difficult to get to? Are there parks and things to do around you, or will she have to drive/metro everywhere? Are you in a safe neighborhood? Is your home messy/tiny? And ask yourself honestly, are you coming across as cold, condescending, overprotective, or irresponsible?

These are all reasons that I may hike my rate up for a particular job that otherwise looks on paper like your run of the mill nanny job. If the area doesn't offer much and I'm going to have to put a lot of work(and possibly my money) into planning crafty/educational activities, my rate is higher. If the home, or neighborhood is such that I won't feel as ease, my rate is higher. And finally, if the parents give off the vibe that they will be a pain, but not about deal breaker issues, I may suck it up for a higher rate. I suspect something like that is going on, and also why you have people accepting but then continuing to interview.

Anonymous wrote:I do think $16/hr is low for someone with a college degree. And for someone good with 5-8 years experience. As you're finding, it's not so low that they won't consider the job, but it's low enough that they're willing to leave you hanging if they find something better.

I think you're looking for not only a good nanny, but one who has substantial credentials. That is going to cost more.

This exactly. Nannies with that level of education and experience can get higher paying jobs, so what you're seeing is highly qualified nannies who accept your job as their back-up while conducting multiple interviews. As you've seen, they find better offers elsewhere and then leave you hanging. This is not ideal but it is what's almost certainly happening so you'll have to adjust accordingly by offering a higher starting rate, selecting less experienced/educated nannies to interview, or settling on an available daycare. Good luck.

I do think $16/hr is low for someone with a college degree. And for someone good with 5-8 years experience. As you're finding, it's not so low that they won't consider the job, but it's low enough that they're willing to leave you hanging if they find something better.

I think you're looking for not only a good nanny, but one who has substantial credentials. That is going to cost more.

I have shared - and in a nanny share where some backed out we were paying $20 an hour. $15-16 for one, $20 for two. I've had people back out in both situations.

And we must withhold taxes due to our jobs.

Thanks all. I guess I'll keep trying. I am so frustrated. I knew it would be hard but not this hard.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My duties are solely childcare. No housework or errands. Just the baby.

Part of the problem is that I am making the offer, they are agreeing to it and then back out. If you don't like that agreement, don't say yes! It would make my life a lot easier that's for sure!

I don't know why Pp is blaming me for people making a commitment and then backing out - that's pretty unprofessional - you could just say the pay isn't enough.

I am offering at most $16 to start - I have no strict requirements, just someone who enjoys the job and helping a baby develop ect. We are helping with healthcare.

Sorry if this sounds like I am dismissing the pay expectation - I'm not, I obviously want the person caring for my child to be well compensated and feel fulfilled but I think it's impossible for me. And I can't get in to any of the day cares I have (paid to be) wait listed at.

Sigh

I'm the PP you referred to. A I never accused you of being the reason the nannies don't follow through with their commitments. I am simply suggesting that perhaps they accepted your job offer to secure employment and continued searching for a higher paying job. It happens. Since you refuse to share what you agreed to pay them, nobody can really tell you why.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My duties are solely childcare. No housework or errands. Just the baby.

Part of the problem is that I am making the offer, they are agreeing to it and then back out. If you don't like that agreement, don't say yes! It would make my life a lot easier that's for sure!

I don't know why Pp is blaming me for people making a commitment and then backing out - that's pretty unprofessional - you could just say the pay isn't enough.

I am offering at most $16 to start - I have no strict requirements, just someone who enjoys the job and helping a baby develop ect. We are helping with healthcare.

Sorry if this sounds like I am dismissing the pay expectation - I'm not, I obviously want the person caring for my child to be well compensated and feel fulfilled but I think it's impossible for me. And I can't get in to any of the day cares I have (paid to be) wait listed at.

Sigh

Are you paying taxes? I usually back out if families are going to withhold taxes. $16/hour without taxes is very different than $16/hour with taxes being taken out. Maybe these nannies are used to $15/hour without taxes.

Op here. My duties are solely childcare. No housework or errands. Just the baby.

Part of the problem is that I am making the offer, they are agreeing to it and then back out. If you don't like that agreement, don't say yes! It would make my life a lot easier that's for sure!

I don't know why Pp is blaming me for people making a commitment and then backing out - that's pretty unprofessional - you could just say the pay isn't enough.

I am offering at most $16 to start - I have no strict requirements, just someone who enjoys the job and helping a baby develop ect. We are helping with healthcare.

Sorry if this sounds like I am dismissing the pay expectation - I'm not, I obviously want the person caring for my child to be well compensated and feel fulfilled but I think it's impossible for me. And I can't get in to any of the day cares I have (paid to be) wait listed at.

Sigh