Fuming at nanny website - and how much notice for a nanny?!

[annh]

Probably overreacting a bit here but current nanny has handed in her notice (1 month). She told me she was leaving on Wed night last (30th) and on Friday asked if she can leave on 27th April as she is going to work in admin and they want her to do some computer course on 28th. As I am already in a high-level panic about her departure, I figure, what the hell, what's two less days so agree. On Friday I also posted the vacancy on a couple of websites and had some responses yesterday including one from a male nanny who was not looking until later in the year. I responded to say that as I needed someone sooner, it was probably not viable. So far, so good ... today I go on to the message boards on that website to find that he has started a thread called Advanced Planning and included comments such as the following in his message (including citing responding to my vacancy):

It amazes me how often parents who are wanting a nanny are not planning in advance....

Surely parents plan more than four weeks ahead of time... or am I expecting too much? .....

If parents are not taking the time to plan in advance, I feel they will just opt for whatever nanny they can get, rather than taking there time to choose a nanny which will be perfect for their family. No wonder so many nanny arrangements do not last very long!

Perhaps the unaccustomed sun has gotten to me but that smug attitude really irritates me. Am I completely misguided in thinking that a month is a reasonable notice period for anyone? Sure, I'd love to have written a 2/3 month notice period in current nanny's contract but doubt I would have found anyone to sign it? At least one sensible person on the thread did point out that I might only have been given a month's notice.

Anyway, must get on with looking for that "perfect" nanny for my family! Perhaps someone could reassure me however that a month's notice is normal or should I try to put a longer notice period in the next contract?

Annh - I'm sorry you are feeling so 'got at', I don't know about nannies but as a childminder I am always grateful for a months notice.

Most jobs only have 1 months notice - so you are not in anyway unreasonable (imo)

Good luck finding a nanny - don't settle for 2nd best as this prat obviously was.....

oh boy what a twit! And how dare he imply that you'd go for the first one available, I'm sure you've got enough common sense to judge for yourself who's suitable.

I think 1 month is standard in most jobs, so reasonable for a nanny too.

I'm currently looking into getting a nanny but until I exactly know when I'll be going back to work I can plan as much as I'd like ... also I've noticed e.g. on gumtree everybody seems to be looking for asap.

Have you posted a reply on his thread stating that you were "let down" by your current nanny and asking what notice he would consider reasonable?

AnnH, I started asking around re nannies a few months before I went back to work. The response I got from nannies and friends who employ them was fairly unanimous: a month's notice is standard so really, there's no point in advertising far in advance.

This scared me rigid, but we did sit tight for a few months before starting to advertise. And it all worked out fine.

this chap -- mmm, nice attitude. i wouldn't hire him, would you?

Well I know a lot of people do look well in advance, however one month is normal. I would go on his thread and say that you were the person who he applied to and it is no wonder he needs so long to find a job as no normal person will employ him. I found the perfect nanny at first interview for a temporary position, and she stayed with me for 2 1/2 years, a position that didn't exist when I started looking. She also started less than a week later

Thanks for the reassurance everyone. Have to admit I did post a message to say I was the parent in question but was quite restrained in pointing out that as I had only been given a month's notice, I could hardly start looking in advance of that, could I?

Sure, I would love to have longer to sort the whole thing out and am sweating at the thought of the end of the month but it does seem to be standard that people who advertise their availability are available NOW and want to work NOW so I'm sure it'll work out.

this man is exhibiting a deeply poor understanding of what it's like to be a parent. Which, to my mind, is a fairly fundamental skill for a nanny. Give him some careers advice and tell him to come and read mn.

and good luck for finding the nanny - if you;re in London Simply Childcare might be worth a try

He's a twit. It's always a nightmare when someone's on a month's notice but that does seem to be the norm. You only tend to get three months notice for senior positions - I'm a journalist and have never known anyone other than editors, publishers and directors on more than a month's notice.
At least it's saved you the bother of interviewing someone you actually wouldn't want to touch with a bargepole.

your post got me irritated on your behalf

I figured out which website you were talking about (easily) found the post and have just posted to back you up

Oh, bless you, Twiglett!

So, what's the website? I might join into the fun?

BTW, I would never write more than a month's notice into the contract. What if you need to let them go. How many month's pay do you want to bind yourself to in lieu of work? I am currently rewriting my contract for my next nanny, whom I haven't seleced yet but will begin in mid August. I'm considering reducing the notice to 2 weeks. Of that means, if she leaves me, then I only would have two weeks to sort out a replacement. But, I think I could live with that.

annh - yes, what an idiot! Buut just as long as he's happy to be tied to a contract where he has to give 3 months notice in his next job....

Are you within the M25? if so try Simply Childcare....usually loads of really good nannies advertising.

Thanks Blu. Yes, have considered Simply Childcare, will get on to it tonight. We are JUST outside the M25 but can hear it from the back garden so probably close enough! Uwila, it was nannyjob.co.uk, although the thread seems to have become calmer since my intervention!

I post on the messageboard you are talking about.
I thought it was a bit rude of Nick to actually post that and usually I love and respect his posts.
I say it depends on circumstances, i.e first time employers and not knowing how difficult it might be to find the right nanny, or if a nanny had suddenly handed in her notice, the normal notice period is 4 weeks.
Well don't be put off, and I hope you find a good nanny soon.

I have to say i see where you are coming from
(i am a member of the nanny site) and it wasnt fair for him to post that

I happen to know Nick, and he is a highly sought after nanny!!
I belive his post was actually aimed at 1st time parents, and was asking a question rather than making a statement.

Scotsnanny, if that is what he intended, then he should type what he means. His post certainly looks to me as though he was having a go at irresponsible and disrespectful parents and not simply posing a question for open discussion. If parents didn't get in these binds, a lot fewer would need to employ nannies. So his little rant is rather self-defeating in my view.

How do you get a police check done? Enhanced CRB checks seem to cost a lot to do through a nanny agency, is there a cheaper way to get them done?

Out of interest annh, when you advertised on the afore mentioned website, did you actually put in your advert when you were looking for the applicant to start? What about any indication of salary, do you put that in a job advert at this stage, or is that something you discuss later?

Jothorpe,
I would put in the duties, the hours of work (if that is set in stone), and a start date. I personally think salary belogs a ways down the interview process. If you are offering a low salary, you won't get any response and may need to sell the position on other points first in order to convince nanny to take the job. And, if you are offering a very attractive salary and state it up front then you may end up with someone who wishes to obtain the position based only on salary. And,I personally, would prefer someone who took the job because it was the one she wanted to do and where she thought she would be happy, and then attractive salary is a plus. But, she is working for you because she wants to and not just because you are offering her a lot of money.

Uwila,
I agree with you, duties... hours... days... start date (or at least some idea of timescale, if you're flexible) are things I'd put. I would also put the age of the children, which also indicates the number of children. With luck that way I would get applicants which had some prior experience of caring for similar aged children.

Salary I think is something that could be missed off initially, though a ball-park figure would need to be given prior to arranging the face-to-face interview.