Here at Kith & Kin, we do a LOT of nanny interviews. If you've just walked out of an in-person interview with a nanny agency, first off, congratulations! We aren't like most agencies in that our schedule is super tight - we aren't able to let just anyone walk through the office door for an interview. To get to that point, you've already made it past some initial behind-the-scenes vetting processes, and an invitation for a face-to-face interview is often a critical final stage in our candidacy process. Unfortunately, however, a face-to-face interview with a nanny agency does not necessarily guarantee that we will be able to place you in a position, no matter how well you do. While we wish that we had the perfect nanny family for every qualified candidate who walks through our door, there are a lot of other factors at play that can affect your chances. Here are some common post-interview questions nannies ask us. Hopefully some of our responses can help demystify the process. Here are some common Post-Interview questions nannies ask when pursuing Nanny Agency jobs.Will you definitely get me a job? We would love to say yes, but we can’t guarantee it. Our role is to represent you well: we share your resume, the comments from your references, your essays, and our thoughts about why you’re great for a specific family, but ultimately, it is the family’s decision to move forward with you, or another candidate. I’ve gone on a lot of interviews... why is nothing working out? This can be extremely frustrating, disappointing, and borderline hurtful to be rejected multiple times. Take it in stride. Understand that parents may choose other candidates not because of something you did or did not do, but because of something another candidate said that resonated with them deeper. Maybe it was something as simple as start date, or salary. Most of the times, clients don’t reject a candidate based on their performance, but because the candidate pool was so strong. Maybe they have met many people before you who were further along in their process, or perhaps you were the first and they wanted to see more candidates before deciding. Or, a different candidate could have had slightly more education or experience than you. It’s such a tricky process step by step. We encourage you to not get too down about it - it’s not a reflection of who you are as a person. There are always things you can improve upon in an interview, and it's important to keep this in mind as a point of "interview practice". But also, when interviewing as a nanny, it's important to remember that parents have much greater "hiring-anxiety" than employers in other fields! Not only do they want to find someone qualified, but they are looking for a person who can mold to their specific family and work in their private space. If a family chooses not to move forward with a candidate, it's often not because they think the candidate is under-qualified or not-likable. Often these parents think there's a better fit for you out there! What do parents look for in interviews? They are truly looking for you! They want to know what you’re all about, in a professional sense. Share your philosophies, and your heart for working with children. Ask great questions about the role to help you understand it, as well as to prove to them that you're interested in more than just a paycheck. Listen to what they have to say, and go home and evaluate after the interview if you feel like you’d make a great match. It is not just up to the parents to decide if it feels like the connection is good! Ask us for feedback, and if we have any constructive criticism to share, understand that it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person - it means you can improve! Am I allowed to be interviewing with other agencies and families? Absolutely! You need to do what you is best for you, and that includes widening your net to catch the best opportunities. Know that we are here to support you, and when we send you to a job, it is because we truly believe you are an excellent fit. What is required of me now? Now that you’ve passed our process, please keep us in loop. Tell us which jobs you’re interested in, and respond quickly to emails. Often, securing a good nanny job can be a game of perfect timing. A candidate who has just had a great family interview, but who fails to respond quickly to a follow-up email will be a red-flag to parents who are expecting prompt communication from their future nanny. Why am I not getting a job through you? If you have gone on several family interviews with an agency but have not yet successfully been placed in a new position, don't panic! Here at KITH & KIN, we believe in encouraging a partnership between the nanny and their employers which belies on shared professional goals and values. This doesn't happen every day! Finding the right family can take time. If you have gone on multiple interviews without much luck, think about how you might better present yourself to potential employers. Make sure that you are selling your strengths and values in your answers! Be sure to make an effort to get to know the values and ideals of the parents you are being interviewed by as well. This will show the family that you are serious about forming a long-term connection with them and their children, rather than just someone who will take the first job that is offered. These are just some of the common post-interview questions nannies ask us. If you are a nanny with another specific question regarding the follow-up of your candidacy, feel free to ask us in the comment section below, or shoot us an email here! KITH & KINIf you've ridden on the subway in recent weeks, you will have noticed numerous ads for the new raise in minimum wage here in NYC. As of December 31st, 2018, New York City employees will see the third raise in minimum wage since 2016. This newest increase is part of a law signed into action by Governor Cuomo, which promised a new minimum wage of $15/hour for all New York State employees by the end of 2019. This new minimum, however, is being enacted gradually and differentially - based on the employer's size and location. We'll break it down to what the new minimum wage in NYC might mean for you, the nannies of New York City! If you work as a nanny here in NYC, chances are you are the sole employee for your nanny family, or one of a handful of domestic staff. The new minimum wage in NYC for employers with 10 or fewer employees is $13.50/hour. This rate will increase to $15/hr at the end of 2019. But, for now, if you are employed among less than 10 others you can expect to be making at minimum $13.50 an hour. If you are employed among more than 10 other employees, the new minimum wage is $15/hour. What Does This Mean for NYC Nannies and Housekeepers?
Will Nannies Take a Minimum Wage? It depends. While the new minimum wage for NYC employees is a commendable move in the right direction for workers' rights nationwide, the fact of the matter is that it is darn near impossible to survive here on $540/week, pre-tax, even with over time in place. Qualified nanny professionals with experience, extra trainings, and credentials are often considering going the agency route when searching for new employment at a live-able salary, as referrals are often not at the level of professionalism they need, and the reputation of online sitter-services is poor, with the assertion from many being that these sites have normalized low hourly-rates, due to the amount of entry-level nannies using these services. If you're an inexperienced sitter looking to break into the field and pick up some babysitting on the side, online sitter-services are often the route for you until you become more qualified. However, if you are a professional nanny, looking for a full-time role, then you do not need to compete with entry-level caretakers for cash-positions. If you've been working as a nanny for at least two straight years, then you are no longer an entry-level employee. If you are CPR Certified, have education coursework, a background in teaching, experience with newborns, or any other marketable childcare assets, then you are well above minimum wage, in the $18-20/hr range. Working with an agency ensures that your particular skillset and credentials will be highlighted to any potential employers. It also ensures that, at least through KITH & KIN, the families you're meeting will already have a standard of respect for their future employee, know their obligations on a living and viable "gross-pay" wage, guaranteed hours, sick and vacation time, and know from our first conversation that entry-level employees will not make it through our extensive nanny-vetting process. They also understand that they must be willing to give their nanny a certain standard of professional respect. What if I Can't Afford to Pay a Nanny More than the New Minimum Wage in NYC?
For your job, either the job and experience expectations will need to decrease, or the childcare budget will have to rise. Unable to do one of those two things, some families have looked into nanny-shares, live-in au-pairs whom are younger and less experienced, or whole-group childcare centers. While each of those three options are not as convenient as an experienced career nanny, over the past few years without this rise, it has become, and will continue to become, harder to find qualified nannies whom are able to be vetted fully and still pay $15/hr. We know first-hand the cost of living and childcare here in NYC is extremely high. This is the reason why so many families weigh their careers and relocation out of the city. It is a tough conversation to have! If you are a family interested in hiring a nanny in NYC and the greater metro area, and are confused about rates and taxes, get in touch with us here. If you are a nanny with questions about your wages, we may be able to steer you to the right resource, so please get in touch here. Have any additions questions about the new minimum wage in NYC? Ask us in the comments below! - KITH & KIN Summer, glorious summer is coming to an end, and for us nannies that means one thing: getting the kids ready for back to school! The coming of the new school year brings with it a wave of panic to parents who are being inundated with back-to-school lists, shopping reminders, activity sign-ups, new schedules, and more. Here's where you, the nanny expert can chime in! Here are some tips of how to offer your nanny-family a helping hand in taking on some of the many responsibilities that are sure to arise in this busy planning season. Offering to tackle the stress together will be an invaluable help to your nanny-family! 1. Securing the Back-to-School SuppliesIt is likely the child's school has already provided a detailed list of school supplies that will be necessary for the following year. If you're dealing with multiple school-aged children, print out those lists for side-by-side comparison. That way, you can make a comprehensive checklist of what needs to be bought or ordered. Make note of anything that you will need to buy two of, and do a quick sweep of the children's supplies to see what they already have. Once the list is compiled, head to the stores together to buy the materials (always fun for the kids!) and make notes of anything that will need to be ordered specially from somewhere else. Don't forget: be sure to check with the parent's before making any purchases for the kids! Have them give everything a once-over first. 2. Cleaning out the ClosetsBack to school season often signals to parents that it's time to switch out some of their child's old or outgrown clothes, and replace them with new clothes for the new school year. Give your nanny-family a hand, by offering to go through the child's closet or wardrobe. Chances are you know pretty well which items of clothing are getting too small, or have been worn beyond the point of return. If you're on the fence about certain items, have the children put on a fun fashion show and make sure they actually still fit. Don't forget: Put all of the small, outgoing clothes neatly in a labeled bag, and make sure that to give the parent's a chance to go through it, if they prefer. Offer to take any clothes which are still in good condition to a local second-hand store! 3. Alleviating the Back-to-School BluesOften times, heading back to school, or beginning school for the first time, can be a stressful period of transition for your child. Help alleviate some of their anxiety by preparing them early! Bring up the start of the school year now, so they can begin to adjust to the idea. Reassure and remind them how much fun school is, and how great it will be to be reunited with their peers. The week before school, ease the children back into a school-like schedule, if you let things get a little looser for the summer months. Making sure to have meal-times back on track, and some afternoon time devoted to reading or other quiet learning activities will help the children mentally prepare to go back to school season. Don't forget: If you're planning to slowly get the schedule back on track, make sure your bosses are on board as well! If calm afternoons and early bed time is only enforced on your watch, it may be counter-productive. Make sure you are all on the same page about the timing of the phase in. We hope these tips help you and your nanny family prepare for the back to school season ahead! Have some advice of your own on how to help prepare your charge for the school year ahead? We'd love to hear it! Are you a parent looking for a new full-time or after-school nanny for the school year ahead? Get in touch with us! - KITH & KIN Last month, our founder, Christa, sat down for a conversation with the founder of the Prenatal Yoga Center, Deb Flashenberg, on her podcast Yoga | Birth | Babies. The episode is called NANNY 101. Shared within it are tips and tricks for hiring and employing a nanny or babysitter, whether temporarily or long-term. It's completely appropriate and helpful for nannies, too! Have a listen here and catch some helpful gems!Are you overwhelmed by the thought of how to hire a nanny in NYC? Have you started the nanny search on your own, but need to run a nanny background check? We are here to help you. Send us an email and tell us about your family's needs - we'd love to help you hire a nanny in NYC, or help you vet your own candidates properly!
Finding a new nanny job in NYC can be a daunting endeavor. There will be a lot of highly experienced, ready-for-anything nannies vying for that amazing position. When you’re up against dozens of other competent nanny candidates, families and agencies will often not even consider candidates who don’t have a professional nanny resume. Having a polished, professional nanny resume is the very best way to ensure that you will get your foot in the door past that first hurdle, and onto an interview. When working with kids, it’s okay to have a little more fun on your resume than you might in other job fields - but you want to make sure that you’re still keeping it professional and always including a few key pieces of information. |
At some point, whether we like it or not, that wonderful little child you're raising and caring for is going to need to go school, and the role of a nanny will likely change in some way, as care for the child won't be needed as often. These transitions can be very challenging on nannies and children alike! In order to keep the nanny employed at full-time hours per week, some families who hire a nanny in New York will add additional tasks not directly related to typical nanny duties, such as some housekeeping, personal assistant tasks, dog walking, and errands. Other families will need to move their full-time nanny to part-time hours to accommodate the rising costs of preschool while still employing a nanny in NYC, as we all know how costly these things are here! |
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Copyright 2021. Kith and Kin is a division of Adventure Nannies. Kith and Kin does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, height, weight, physical disabilities, veteran status, and marital status. We place nannies, newborn care specialists (formerly called baby nurses), and private educators throughout the New York metro area and beyond. You may contact us at hello@KITHandKINnyc.com |