I want to get a nanny for DS for January 2010; when is the right time to start looking?

[mumtojohn]

I realise this may be a stupid question, but since (as I have found) it is advisable to start looking for nursery places very far in advance, is the same true when looking for a nanny?

I ask because I am realising it is very likely that I won't get a place in one of my top choice nurseries for January so am thinking of just calling off the search and plumping for a nanny instead. But I am wondering if the lead times for nannies looking for work is shorter than is the case for nursery-hunting? Should I start looking now or is that a bit silly?

Sorry if this question is facile! x

Around Oct./Nov. You need enought time to place add, filter the applications, interview, ect. and then give him/her enough time to give notice at current job.

Great, thanks very much

You may want to initially start looking a bit earlier... as some nannies may want to give their employer a month or more notice (I've been known to give an academic terms notice).

You could start by posting a few internet ads and state in them the starting date... and see what turns up.

The problem with that, Nick, is that your memberships/ads expire before you are really ready to go full speed ahead.

Yes that is true but the cost isn't that high usually, so ads could be re-written.

The last time I applied for a nanny job, I applied a little over 3 months before the job was due to start.

I've seen a couple of ads recently for jobs starting in January or even February and have thought it is far to far in advance - a potential nanny you find now could get offered a better job or get pregnant in the meantime!

I've just started looking for a new job this week, and am looking at late July/August/September starts.

I am currently looking for a job for September, have been keeping an eye out since middle of May...

if you want a nanny i would place adverts 3/4mths before hand

this gives you a month to look through cvs,interview, check ref, interview 2nd time those you like and then offer the job - and then many nannys have 2mths in their contract as notice

so in your case sept and no later than october if you want a nanny to start beg of jan

I'm been looking over the last few weeks for a nanny to start in October, and had a good selection of applicants for that start (although I think it helps that people are looking for positions knowing their current charge starts school in September).

It will always be the case that if you look ealier/ later you may have found a better candidate, but if I were you I would go for September, if you don't find someone in the inital hunt you have time to keep looking. With a Jan start you need to bare in mind nothing much will happen in the last couple of weeks in December, so you need to be ready before that.

Righty-ho, thanks all.

Im starting a new job in Septmber and its already sorted.

Last time i changed jobs (3 years ago) i had found my family 4 months before and contract signed and sealed 3 months before.

With this in mind i would start advertising around September