5 Profile Mistakes Parents Make with Online Listings

We often get questions from parents regarding why their family profile doesn’t seem to be getting as many responses as they think they should be receiving or sometimes the responses they are getting in their opinion are just not a good match.  It often gets down to the amount of effort they have put into creating a profile for their family as well as how realistic they have been with the requirements.  One thing is certain, their are plenty of caregivers out there that would love to work for you if you properly describe your job.  Here are some of the common mistakes parents make with their nanny job listings:

1. Leave out the details.  Sometimes in a hurry to get through the sign up process parents will leave out some important details.  Perhaps they figure that they will eventually get back to them.  You really should take the time to get these in there because things like proposed work schedules and family preferences can make a huge difference in the number of nannies that apply for your job.

2. Advertise for the wrong type of provider.  If you are looking for a live-in nanny you need to be very clear about it or any other type of specialization  like (live out nanny, full-time nanny, part-time nanny, backup nanny, etc.).  You definitely need to make sure that any special needs are well addressed as some nannies are better equipped than others to deal with those.

3. Not calling references.  It’s absolutely critical that you check references.  This includes professional references, personal references, and even educational references.  If you feel like you are running out of time and can’t get that done then make sure you use a resource like eNannySource to do the reference checks for you.  You may think you know the person that you are interviewing but checking with previous employers gives you an opportunity to support your hiring decision.

4. Not doing a background check.  Yes, a background check is different than checking references.  Background checks will help you discover not only any crimes that your prospective nanny may have committed but also any minor issues that could be highly relevant to being a nanny (like traffic violations for excessive and regular speeding, etc.).  You can use a service like GoNannies to get your background checks done regardless as to whether or not you used them to find your nanny.

5. Underestimate the importance of a personality match.  It’s really important to be on the same page as your caregiver and that usually involves genuinely getting along with them and their personality.  If you are not comfortable with the caregiver then your children may not be as comfortable and you are more likely to second guess them and your hiring decision.

The biggest mistake parents make really is just rushing through the profile creation process.  It’s important to remember that this is your chance to describe the opportunity and to set expectations upfront.  That’s really huge to finding a great candidate so be sure to take the time to do it justice.

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