If you are a professional Nanny or just breaking into the profession, waiting to get placed with a family can be extremely difficult! It's not an question of your experience, your talents, your availability, your age, your anything, it can be simply explained like this:
Families are extremely particular when it comes to choosing a Nanny for their family. (as they should be)
After all they want someone "just like them."
If you polled families the general consensus would probably look a little like this: Nanny must be fun, energetic, playful, loving, gentle, kind, and above all, must love our children. You see, it's everything they offer their children so they expect to bring in someone with the same actions and feelings they have towards their children.
And true, they might even hold a brighter candle to you to make sure you pass the grade due to "you being the professional."
It's not always an easy choice. There are times when a family meets with just one applicant and "tag you're it!"
happens. There are families that had a clear idea on what type of Nanny they would like for their home only to interview many and decide they need to change their criteria and start all over. Then there are families that interview 15-20 applicants and decide not to hire at all.
It's constant wait and see but understandably a Nanny can become discouraged and feel she doesn't have what it takes should she be passed by time after time. (side note: a good support group or agency can help in that area)
Here are some suggestions that may help keep your mind strong and your days busy during your waiting period.
#1 Post its ---write out a post it stating, "today is the day I get placed!" or "My perfect family is going to find me today!!" Place your post its on your mirror, in your car, on your computer, on the fridge, ON YOUR TV! Keep reading your notes, you will get placed!
#2 Call another Nanny or two, perhaps they know of some on-call work you can pick up.
#3 Post a simple flier around town informing the public what an awesome Nanny you are!
#4 Find your local support group and go to the meetings, there may be some Nannies in the same boat that could use an encouraging word from you!
#5 Use the time to update your resume and references. Touch base with your references and make sure they are still accessible for a phone call or email.
#6 Pick up a Part Time job at a mall, especially right now, there are many seasonal jobs to be had! (think of the connections you could make there!!)
#7 Take an 8 week class online or at your local community college, you'd be surprised how much that keeps your brain moving forward.
#8 Start a blog. Write about the ins and outs of being a professional Nanny. Someone may need to hear your words of wisdom and your words of caution. Try not to be too opinionated, that makes that writer sound negative and that's the last thing you want! :-)
#9 Create a Facebook page and invite your past families and Nanny friends to join. Make it a fun place where they can find links to local happenings, local restaurant coupons, local parks, etc....you'll find that they keep coming back to your page for good information, their friends will begin to ask, "where did you hear about that great deal?" and before too long you'll have new requests from people you don't know BUT THAT MAY NEED A NANNY, especially a wise Nanny that keep her page updated with fun stuff!!
#10 Perhaps choose a room in your house to paint, switch the furniture around in your apartment or even get a new haircut. It's amazing what a little change does for a person.
#11 Take a weekend road trip with friends or family. Check with Hotels.com, they probably have some great deals! Maybe you can't be hours away from your home, but you can certainly spend the night at a hotel and take advantage of their indoor pool and treat yourself to their hospitality! (and free breakfast!)
#12 Lastly, keep a positive attitude at all times. If you go in for an interview expecting they won't offer you the position, they will pick up 0n that and you probably won't get the position. So chin up, smile in place, shoulders squared, laughter ready, wisdom in check, answers firmly planted, ready-set-go!
