We’re just beginning the process of hiring a nanny for Olive. Luckily we live in a young, family-dense neighborhood where nannies are in abundance. This is also the best time of year to hire a nanny because many nannies are laid off after September, as children head to kindergarten and preschool.

I’m very active on a local parenting listserv — it’s the best place to search for a nanny in our neighborhood (as well as to buy and sell used baby gear). I posted about my nanny search last week, and promptly received almost 50 responses from prospective nannies and parents recommending their former nannies. The best part about posting to the listserv is that I get emails directly from former employers who provide glowing references, and are willing to answer any questions I have. If you have an active parenting listserv in your area, it might be a great place to start a nanny search. Otherwise you can also check out local nanny agencies, as well as sites like Sittercity and Care.

Now we just need to figure out which applicants we’d like to interview, but before we do that, I want to nail down exactly what we’re looking for as well as what we’re offering. Here’s what I came up with:

Start Date/Hours: January, 2012, 9am – 5pm, M-F

Job Requirements:
– Full time (40 hours/week guaranteed) care of our newborn daughter
– Occasional care of our 2 year old toddler son when he is sick or his daycare is closed
– Dishes and light food preparation
– Laundry for children and cleaning up after children
– Experience caring for infants and toddlers
– Experience caring for two children simultaneously
– Flexible schedule/willing to work overtime
– English language proficiency
– Comfortable working with one work at home parent
– Legally authorized to work in the US
– Employment Agreement
– Confidentiality Agreement
– Background Check
– CPR Certification (we will pay for the course)

The Ideal Candidate:
– Is playful and loving – will play, sing, read to, and engage our daughter
– Is energetic – will proactively arrange playdates, take our daughter to the playground, museums, classes, the library, etc.
– Is punctual, reliable and trustworthy
– Understands the importance of infant/toddler sleep
– Has excellent communication skills so we can all work together as a team

ADVERTISEMENT

Salary:
– Compensation: $15/hour, Guaranteed salary 52 weeks/year (average for New York)
– Sick/Personal Days: 5 days/year
– Vacation Time: 2 weeks paid (1 week your choosing, 1 week our choosing)
– Paid Holidays: Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day
– Regular performance based bonuses and raises.

About Us:
– Laid back husband and wife
– Husband works full time out of home, Wife works full time at home

My dream candidate would be a mother of older children so that she has tons of experience, but also has flexibility in her schedule that having younger children wouldn’t allow. We’re looking for someone who is not only great with children, but is also very hardworking and wants overtime hours. Mr. Bee and I like to think that we’re pretty easy to work for, and we hope to find someone that we love and can consider a member of our family.

What are you looking for in your dream nanny?

Hiring a Nanny part 1 of 5

1. The Nanny Search Begins by Mrs. Bee
2. Nanny Interview Questions by Mrs. Bee
3. The Nanny Offer by Mrs. Bee
4. The Nannies Guide by Mrs. Pen
5. Interviewing for a nanny by Mrs. Chipmunk