Where do you find a good nanny?

We are in the market for a new part-time nanny. I have only ever used Craigslist and have been less than thrilled with the outcome. Any ideas of where else I might try? I don't have the money to use an agency, unfortunately.

 

We got our first nanny (before we started using au pairs) using an ad in the local "Pennysaver." We had several qualified applicants. The nanny we ended up with unfortunately ended up getting sick after three months with the girls, but it was during that crucial first couple months after I went back to work period, and she was the right lady for the job. She'll forever be a friend of the family for sure.

 

I have friends who have had luck with SitterCity. They say you have to weed through them, but I imagine that might be the case with any place like that.

 

Sometimes the EI coordinators will know of people looking for work. Also, your local twin club might have a member who's about to not need her nanny. Finally, some libraries have a message posting board.

(all that said, I found our nanny on Craigslist and got really lucky.)

 

We put a "help wanted" ad in the paper. We put some basics in the ad - hours, age of our kids, etc. Then I screen people over the phone first. I can tell right off if I want to pursue someone or not. I ask them some basic questions about their experiences and why they want the job. I go over the salary and "benefits" also. If I don't like them...I don't call them back. If I like them, I schedule a time for them to come to the house for an interview.

My attitude towards interviewing is that I have to have "good feeling" about the person in order to consider them a finalist. They are going to be in my house with my children, so the basic fact is, I have to like them and trust them. My husband and I chat with them for a while and collect their references. We then decide of finalists and call those people's references.

Once we've made the offer, it is contigent upon a good background check. We tell them that upfront. There are several places online to do good background checks - it costs money, but it is cheaper than going through an agency. You will need to collect some data from the nanny in order to process the background check (SSN, Date of Birth). We are upfront about doing it, if someone had a problem with that, we would not hire them.

The cost of the background check and the ad in the paper is not any where near as much as agency fees. It does take up a lot of time. We've done this process twice and I hope we don't have to do it again for a long time. Our nanny told us the other day she wants to stay with us until the kids go to school...keep your fingers crossed for us!!

Jess

 

We found ours a nannies4hire.com and we hit the jackpot with her. We found a lot of good candidates on the website (and a couple of people I absolutely woudn't hire also). We are moving across the country in a couple of weeks and I plan on using the site again to look for a nanny in CA. Good luck to you!