19:01 The point that several employers are making is that you don't get a better nanny for $2-$4 more, you get an equal or more often a weaker nanny. I saw the same thing when I was interviewing. Many of the candidates asking for higher amounts had far fewer qualifications and/or good responses to questions than candidates who were asking in the $15 range. I also interviewed a few less experienced candidates that were looking for $12 but had better responses than the ones claiming to be the best. By less experience, I mean 2 years instead of 5-7 years not first time nanny job or just one year of experience.

I have a good amount of work experience hiring employees at different levels. I've learned never to just take what is on a resume as fact. I've learned that you need to conduct a thorough interview, make sure the candidate did what they actually claimed on the resume, question job history red flags, and verify that references are legit. The candidates asking for higher salaries had quite a few issues backing up what they put on a paper. A few were clearly fake. A few didn't realize that being in your early 20s with a community college degree, some short stints at preschools and some babysitting experience isn't the threshold for a high paying nanny job. A few that did have long job histories and job experience really couldn't hide their bitterness at former employers when they were drawn into a longer conversation. If you problems with most of your employers, chances are you are the problem. Interviewing for a nanny was an eye opening experience. I can see how MBs who don't have any hiring experience would fall for some of the candidates out there.

Anonymous wrote:19:01 The point that several employers are making is that you don't get a better nanny for $2-$4 more, you get an equal or more often a weaker nanny. I saw the same thing when I was interviewing. Many of the candidates asking for higher amounts had far fewer qualifications and/or good responses to questions than candidates who were asking in the $15 range. I also interviewed a few less experienced candidates that were looking for $12 but had better responses than the ones claiming to be the best. By less experience, I mean 2 years instead of 5-7 years not first time nanny job or just one year of experience.

I have a good amount of work experience hiring employees at different levels. I've learned never to just take what is on a resume as fact. I've learned that you need to conduct a thorough interview, make sure the candidate did what they actually claimed on the resume, question job history red flags, and verify that references are legit. The candidates asking for higher salaries had quite a few issues backing up what they put on a paper. A few were clearly fake. A few didn't realize that being in your early 20s with a community college degree, some short stints at preschools and some babysitting experience isn't the threshold for a high paying nanny job. A few that did have long job histories and job experience really couldn't hide their bitterness at former employers when they were drawn into a longer conversation. If you problems with most of your employers, chances are you are the problem. Interviewing for a nanny was an eye opening experience. I can see how MBs who don't have any hiring experience would fall for some of the candidates out there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I pay in that range in SF,CA.

I get paid that here in the Bay Area, CA.

I just got a $15/hour job in the Bay Area, CA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I pay in that range in SF,CA.

I get paid that here in the Bay Area, CA.

I just got a $15/hour job in the Bay Area, CA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I pay in that range in SF,CA.

I get paid that here in the Bay Area, CA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you all pay a higher rate for a nanny without a degree, or good English, but is very kind, and loving? If having a degree, speaking good English, experience, and professionalism do not warrant a higher rate, what does? It seems like what you're saying is that it doesn't matter what qualifications a nanny has, she only deserves $15/hr. in what other industry to education, special skills, and extensive experience count for nothing? You MBs are fooling yourselves. You simply can't or don't want to afford the best(educated, fluent english, special skills, experienced) and that's fine, but don't try to convince yourself that it wouldn't make a difference.

Actually, what a lot of us are saying is that we've found plenty of $15 per hour nannies who have a degree, speak good English, are kind and loving, act professionally, and have experience. We've also found many $17-20 per hour nannies who don't have all those attributes, or even most of them. That does not mean there aren't some really special nannies out there who are worth every bit of a $20+ per hour starting wage, but these women are the exceptions. The point is that hourly rate requests in the nanny field do not accurately reflect q
uality or credentials, because they are frequently set by nannies who lack perspective on what they really have to offer.

The nannies who are earning $20.-30./hr. are obviously not the ones who "lack perspective" with regard to the value of their professional worth.

+1000

I am one of those nannies who starts between $20-$25/hr and usually don't suggest paying ANY FT nanny less than $17/hr (with the exception of jobs including 20+ hrs/wk of overtime), but I'm willing to concede there is another category of nannies who are adequate but not stellar who might be worth less.

I cannot think why any parent would want to save $2-4/hr on an okay nanny when they could hire a better one, but to each their own. I, however, am not lacking perspective in regards to my own worth nor would I suggest (nor do I believe) that other top-tier nannies are deluded either. If you make good money, you know why you're worth it end of story, whether it's your Ivy League education, native bilingualism, or the extremely generous flexibility you offer your employers. Trust us, MBs, if a nanny is well compensated there is a clear reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you all pay a higher rate for a nanny without a degree, or good English, but is very kind, and loving? If having a degree, speaking good English, experience, and professionalism do not warrant a higher rate, what does? It seems like what you're saying is that it doesn't matter what qualifications a nanny has, she only deserves $15/hr. in what other industry to education, special skills, and extensive experience count for nothing? You MBs are fooling yourselves. You simply can't or don't want to afford the best(educated, fluent english, special skills, experienced) and that's fine, but don't try to convince yourself that it wouldn't make a difference.

Actually, what a lot of us are saying is that we've found plenty of $15 per hour nannies who have a degree, speak good English, are kind and loving, act professionally, and have experience. We've also found many $17-20 per hour nannies who don't have all those attributes, or even most of them. That does not mean there aren't some really special nannies out there who are worth every bit of a $20+ per hour starting wage, but these women are the exceptions. The point is that hourly rate requests in the nanny field do not accurately reflect q
uality or credentials, because they are frequently set by nannies who lack perspective on what they really have to offer.

The nannies who are earning $20.-30./hr. are obviously not the ones who "lack perspective" with regard to the value of their professional worth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you all pay a higher rate for a nanny without a degree, or good English, but is very kind, and loving? If having a degree, speaking good English, experience, and professionalism do not warrant a higher rate, what does? It seems like what you're saying is that it doesn't matter what qualifications a nanny has, she only deserves $15/hr. in what other industry to education, special skills, and extensive experience count for nothing? You MBs are fooling yourselves. You simply can't or don't want to afford the best(educated, fluent english, special skills, experienced) and that's fine, but don't try to convince yourself that it wouldn't make a difference.

Actually, what a lot of us are saying is that we've found plenty of $15 per hour nannies who have a degree, speak good English, are kind and loving, act professionally, and have experience. We've also found many $17-20 per hour nannies who don't have all those attributes, or even most of them. That does not mean there aren't some really special nannies out there who are worth every bit of a $20+ per hour starting wage, but these women are the exceptions. The point is that hourly rate requests in the nanny field do not accurately reflect q
uality or credentials, because they are frequently set by nannies who lack perspective on what they really have to offer.

Anonymous wrote:Do you all pay a higher rate for a nanny without a degree, or good English, but is very kind, and loving? If having a degree, speaking good English, experience, and professionalism do not warrant a higher rate, what does? It seems like what you're saying is that it doesn't matter what qualifications a nanny has, she only deserves $15/hr. in what other industry to education, special skills, and extensive experience count for nothing? You MBs are fooling yourselves. You simply can't or don't want to afford the best(educated, fluent english, special skills, experienced) and that's fine, but don't try to convince yourself that it wouldn't make a difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if there was a correlation between wages and skills (would make it easier to weed out the bad nannies) but there absolutely is not. Being a good nanny is not correlated to having a higher education either. The best nannies are the ones who are caring, engaging, and loving, and set a good example of patience, social interaction, and kindness for their charges and those traits unfortunately have nothing to do with what nannies charge or what their educational background is. You don't need a higher degree to teach preschoolers ABCs and colors and shapes and model good manners and good behavior. I'd take an engaged, active, patient and kind $15/hr nanny who gets that she's part of a team and wants to work together with us on making good choices for DC over a more expensive college educated nanny who thinks she knows better than I do what is good for my child. In fact, I did do that and several years later, I think it was the best decision I made.

And I say this as someone who had a series of non-educated barely English speaking wonderful warm loving nannies growing up - I am now a relatively successful well-educated adult who continues to maintain great warm relationships with the wonderful nannies I had growing up.

I agree that it is important for a nanny to be caring, patient, kind, and all of the other things you mention above. However, there is much more to shaping a child's cognitive and emotional development than teaching ABCs, colors, shapes, and manners. Not all college educated nannies will have a sophisticated understanding of how to nurture higher-level thinking and emotional skills, but those with a degree in education will.

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if there was a correlation between wages and skills (would make it easier to weed out the bad nannies) but there absolutely is not. Being a good nanny is not correlated to having a higher education either. The best nannies are the ones who are caring, engaging, and loving, and set a good example of patience, social interaction, and kindness for their charges and those traits unfortunately have nothing to do with what nannies charge or what their educational background is. You don't need a higher degree to teach preschoolers ABCs and colors and shapes and model good manners and good behavior. I'd take an engaged, active, patient and kind $15/hr nanny who gets that she's part of a team and wants to work together with us on making good choices for DC over a more expensive college educated nanny who thinks she knows better than I do what is good for my child. In fact, I did do that and several years later, I think it was the best decision I made.

And I say this as someone who had a series of non-educated barely English speaking wonderful warm loving nannies growing up - I am now a relatively successful well-educated adult who continues to maintain great warm relationships with the wonderful nannies I had growing up.