Managing Your Own Nanny Search?

We know how hard it can be to find the right nanny – we do it every day. To help you plan your search, we have compiled a list of important questions to consider when deciding whether to use a full service agency or search online on your own:

Saving Time

Question:
How much time can you commit?

Concern with online services:
A detailed online nanny search requires 60-80 hours. There are no minimum eligibility requirements to post a nanny profile online, which means you will sort through hundreds of unqualified and unverified candidates. Next, screening your selected matches requires time for phone calls, returning voice messages, setting up interviews, and keeping track of paperwork. Unreliable candidates can waste your time by missing interviews or not returning calls. A complete phone interview takes up to 30 minutes and an in-person interview takes up to an hour.

Although parents have the best of intentions, they generally feel exhausted or run out of time, and hire a candidate impulsively without completing all the necessary steps. If the nanny does not work out, there is no guarantee and the search begins from scratch.

MoniCare Approach:
MoniCare completes a full, customized search for every client. We screen candidates, arrange interviews, complete reference and background checks, and recommend only the top candidates that match all of the client’s requirements. We also offer a long-term guarantee – in the unlikely event that the first nanny you hire does not work out, we will complete another full search at no cost to you.

Safety

Question:
What safety measures do you require?

Concern with online services:
Anyone can post an online profile as a qualified nanny. These candidates have not been screened, and their references have not been checked. It is your responsibility to verify that the posted information is accurate. There is no way to verify that the individuals you are corresponding with are truly who they claim to be. Do you feel safe divulging your family’s personal information, providing your home address, and introducing your children to a complete stranger?

MoniCare Approach:
We utilize a rigorous Candidate Screening process. All of our recommended candidates have been interviewed in-person at the agency office and have passed thorough reference checks. MoniCare requires that all candidates present government-issued photo identification and proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.

1-year Nanny Commitment

Question:
How important is it for you to hire a nanny who can commit to long-term employment?

Concern with online services:
Online services contain many applicants who have no desire to stay in a nanny position for a long period of time. Typically, these individuals are not professional nannies, but are considering working as a nanny temporarily until they find a job in their professional field. Such candidates do not generally reveal their true long-term goals during an in-person interview. You are then responsible for differentiating their motivations and intentions.

MoniCare Approach:
During in-person interviews, we ask an array of questions to reveal a candidate’s future goals and the stability of her current situation. We are well-trained to read between lines, if needed. MoniCare only works with candidates who can commit to long-term employment and agree to sign our Minimum 1-Year Commitment Agreement.

Long-term Agency Guarantee

Question:
How important is it for you to have a long-term agency guarantee?

Concern with online services:
Online services offer no guarantee.

MoniCare Approach:
We offer a long-term guarantee. In the unlikely event the first nanny becomes unavailable or does not work out, we will conduct another full search at no cost to you.

Extensive Background Check

Question:
How important is it for you to have an extensive background check?

Concern with online services:
Online services offer an inexpensive background check. Typically, it is limited to an online-based National Criminal Background Report. It is your responsibility to conduct a thorough background check.

MoniCare Approach:
We have partnered with reputable companies to conduct an extensive Background Check. It includes: County Criminal Background Report (going 7 years back), National Criminal Report (going 7 years back), Driving History Report, Social Security Trace, National Sex Offender Check, and National Terrorist List.

Full Candidate Profiles

Question:
How important is it for you to have a complete candidate profile?

Concern with online services:
Online services offer generic and rather short candidate profiles. The forms are designed for candidates to fill out quickly and easily, and do not include much of the information that is required to determine the candidate’s suitability for your family. If the answers are not readily available, you will have to ask and write them down for each candidate during a phone or in-person interview, adding a substantial amount of time to your nanny search.

MoniCare Approach:
Our comprehensive Nanny Application is 11 pages long and contains over 240 questions. All candidate answers are verified during a phone and an in-person interview. We provide our clients with a full 3-7 page Candidate Profile for every recommended candidate. For a list of professional MoniCare has previously placed, visit Meet Our Nannies.

Licensed Placement Counselors

Question:
How important is it for you to have professional help from an experienced placement counselor?

Concern with online services:
• Have you successfully defined what type of person would best match your family?
• Do you have a complete list of nanny requirements?
• Does your ad include all of the necessary information to attract the right candidates?
• Are you able to fully evaluate the applicant’s intentions and motivations?

Online services do not have licensed placement counselors on staff, and do not provide any client support, so you will have to answer all of these questions yourself. If any important variables are missing from your ad, it is most likely not attracting the right candidates. After 2 to 4 weeks of intense searching, you might realize that, in order to get the best nanny for your family, you will have to update your ad and start a completely new search.

MoniCare Approach:
We start every search with a complimentary Client Consultation and fully analyze your family’s specific situation. There are many questions that must be considered. We also draft a detailed Job Description for every client, specifically designed to attract the right candidates.

Also read:

Nanny Childcare Duties and Tasks >>

Finding a Long-Term Nanny >>