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Whether this is your first time hiring a nanny or not, it's important to make sure you are doing the rights things to ensure a nanny stays long term.
It can be incredibly daunting hiring a nanny, especially with so many resources. You can easily find yourself scrolling through popular job sites and posting on Facebook long after the kids have gone to bed. What makes hiring a nanny so difficult and how can you ensure that you are offering the right benefits and pay so that you aren't having to go through this process again?
In this guide to hiring a nanny, we will share with you what to do during the interview, what kinds of benefits and pay you should offer, and how to make sure the nanny you hire will stay with your family long term.
Screening the nanny
Determine what you need from a nanny
Do you require a nanny to just help you pick up kids from school, or are you looking for somebody who can help with homework, light housework (think kid's laundry and their dishes), and running errands? Does the nanny need to have first aid & CPR certifications, an education, or a certain amount of years worth of nanny experience? What would make your life easier while not pushing your budget?
Many nannies are comfortable assisting with tasks that involve the children, as long as they are compensated properly for it. We see too many times parents are hoping for a nanny to do it all without being able to properly afford it; you can have a nanny within your budget, you just may need to temper your expectations on what you need from the nanny.
Determining what your budget is
The more you require from a nanny, the more you will be required to pay them. If you only require a nanny to do base work, such as play with the children and not worry about picking up after them, then you can pay them a base pay. You will need to factor in many details when determining pay, such as location, number of children, ages of children, hours, etc.
You also need to factor in taxes, workers comp, and raises, bonuses, and benefits (vacation, sick, and holiday pay). Check out our guide to helping you determine pay
Getting ready to hire the nanny
Before hiring a nanny, you'll want to interview them and do a few trial days to verify that they are a good fit for you. Check out this list of questions you can ask during your initial interview with a nanny. If you're using an agency, they will do all of the background screening for you. If you are going at this solo then you need to ensure you are calling and verifying references, checking social media, and running a 5 point background check at minimum.
One you verify the nanny and their references are legitimate, you'll want to prepare an offer letter for the nanny. The offer letter should include your first draft of a contract (we provide a template for all of our clients!). Ideally the nanny and you will go back and forth for a little to ensure that the contract has everything from pay, hours, benefits, and responsibilities to ensure that the fit will be long term and there won't be any confusion or hiccups in the future.