How to hire a nanny? Clueless!

[Penthesileia]

We would like to hire a nanny from early to mid-August this year for our 11mo DD (she'll be 14mo by then, of course).

In my head, when we first talked about it, it seemed so straightforward, but now that we need to get down to the nitty-gritty of finding and interviewing and choosing a nanny, working out the hours and the salary, etc., we find ourselves totally lost!

We need a nanny for 3 days a week (Monday to Wednesday), from 8am to 6pm. My DH is insistent that s/he have about 5 years experience.

I would really appreciate any advice about:

1. where to post a job advert
2. how to compose said job advert (are there any templates, or samples, etc.?)
3. how much to offer as a salary (we are in Cambridgeshire, btw).

etc.

Thanks in advance for any advice or pointers.

Hey Penth, I am getting really excellent Gumtree responses so it is definitely worth posting there (but please give me a few days' grace so they don't all choose you instead of me!) Frannikin was right, you can get very good people for the salary we are offering. They all have between 3-15 years' experience so far and sound a lot more promising than the agency runts applicants.

Hanaflower, great minds think alike.

Can I once again offer a huge thanks to all the nannies helping us mums on here. The recruitment thing is incredibly fraught, and getting good solid advice from experienced people at the coal face has really helped me personally keep a degree of sanity. Thank you. xx

I am quite surprised by the level of candidates being offered by an agency. Doesn't seem to me as though they are matching suitable candidates to the job - more like just sending details of anyone they have on their books. Poor show by the agency... luckily not all agencies are like that. In my area agencies will aim to avoid even taking applicants on their books who don't meet Level3 qualification standard (maybe agencies in my area are a bit picky).

Good luck BoffinMum, Penthesileia and Hanaflower with recruiting nannies.

Glad you're getting some good'uns from gumtree Boffinmum - I replied to you on another thread telling you my experience of nanny agencies quoting ridiculous rates in Cambs.

Boffinmum - your ad was easy to spot on Gumtree... it's a great ad, clearly sets out what you want, what you expect, what you will pay. Glad it's getting you applications from suitable candidates.

Boffinmum - (assuming your ad is the live in or live out one), have you had any good applicants for live-in? If we went the nanny route we would need live-in, so interested to know if there are candidates out there (are never any live-in jobs on nannyjob).

Aw shucks, thanks, Nannynick

Millarkie, one person wanted live in on weekdays only. For us that's ideal!! But she was the least qualified of the applicants so far (still better than agency fodder). I have also registered with a London agency for live-in, and they reckoned £300 pw net live-in in this area for good qualifications and 4-5 years' prior experience would be OK. They don't place live out people outside London. You can also get a Norland for £300 pw net as well, but their placement fee is crazily high.

I think you are all right, btw, the agencies are clearly sending me any old crap lying on their desks. Glad I didn't fall for it and waste time interviewing them.

Hanaflower, imagine if we inflicted a nanny share on someone, with having two kids the same name ... 'clear that up please' 'no because Felix did it' ....

my dc has same uncommon (but lovely) name as another younger sibling - both will be in same school class, and both are blond and blue eyed -sure teacher will mix them up

course my dc is lovely and the other child a monster

congrats btw on felix

Thanks, Blondes.

Thanks for the info Boffinmum.

boffin - go and check your email

is this your ad

i got it sent to me via one of the sites i am on

bofs ad??

That ad looks very similar to one I have seen on Gumtree. Hope the agency only puts forward suitable candidates, not any rif raf.