Nanny CV and profile building course

First impressions count. The very first thing parents see of you is your profile including your job history, qualifications, personal description and photo. The better your profile is the more likely you are to get your dream nanny job!

This course will give you the tools to improve your nanny CV, but the help doesn’t stop there! We would be happy to offer a CV and social media presence review for you. We know what parents are looking for so you can trust us to make sure it is perfect!

We also spoke with Zarja, a mother and long-time nanny employer. She gave us the perfect insight into how parents screen nanny CVs and check their online presence. So make sure you check out that video at the end of the course!

Follow this course to create the perfect nanny profile, with examples to show you what nanny employers are looking for. Once you have read through the course please take the quiz to see how you can improve your CV and social media presence.

Module 1- CV

Photo. Your photo is very important and is often the first thing that parents will look at. For more information on the perfect photo read this blog post.

To get the perfect picture make sure to follow these tips:

Smile
Stand against a white background
Don’t take a selfie
Have just head and shoulders in the frame
Don’t crop photos
Dress neatly

Job History

Your job history should be clear and detailed. Start with the dates that you worked with each family (month and year), the location, the name of your employers and the age of the children. Next outline the duties and responsibilities that you undertook whilst in this role. Please see the example below:

Qualifications

Qualifications are another great way to demonstrate your knowledge of childcare and your dedication tothis line of work.

An in person Paediatric first aid course, which lasted at least 6 hours, is necessary in order to care for children.

An Enhanced DBS check is also required. Both the First aid certificate and DBS check are valid for 3 years, unless the DBS check is on the update system.

Other childcare qualifications such as Ofsted registration, Cache, teaching qualifications and childcare studies can also help to exemplify your dedication to childcare.

Personal Statement:

A great way to stand out from other nannies is to write a personal description of yourself and your experiences.

Use this description to let parents know a bit more about you whilst sticking to relevant information that will help parents to understand your ability to look after children. You can include your skill set, why you decided to work with children and the age range of children that you have experience with.

Please see below. This is a good example of a personal statement that highlights the nanny’s skills and interest in childcare, as well as demonstrating her knowledge within this field.

Look at the next example below. This statement does not explain the skills that are mentioned or expand on her childcare experience. It is okay to talk about hobbies but these examples may make a parent worry that the nanny will not be available or flexible with hours. You can suggest the types of roles that you are interested in however we wouldn’t suggest limiting your search this much as it will deter parents.

Watch this video for the main Dos and Don’ts when writing your CV:

Module 2- References

References are a key element of your profile and that will ultimately improve your chances of getting hired.

References should be someone who has witnessed you working with children i.e. a parent, nursery manager or teacher. They need to be someone who can give a detailed account of your work and not just the dates that you worked for them.

You should always let your references know before you give their number to an agency or family to contact them.

Written vs verbal references. Written references can be useful as initial proof to parents of your work experience. However, verbal references are far more meaningful. Unfortunately, written references are too easy to forge or edit so they do not hold the same value as being able to actually speak to someone. As Zarja mentions in the video at the end, it is very unlikely that a parent will hire a nanny without speaking to a previous employer.

Module 3- Social media presence

In the age that we live in social media is a new factor that we all have to consider when applying for jobs. This is especially relevant for nannies as the nature of the job is more personal than most employment relationships.

The main things to consider are your photos on Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. We would suggest that you make your social media accounts private if there is anything at all that you would not want an employer to see!

Another thing to be aware of is Facebook groups. There are hundreds of Facebook groups where nannies and parents can engage with each other. You need to think about what you are posting on these pages before you post them. If you are complaining about previous or current employers other parents can see this and will likely not want to continue with your application.

You also need to be aware of the email address that you use. All you need is an email address with your name, there is no need for a ‘nanny’ related email account.

Watch this video for tips on how to create and maintain a professional online presence:

We spoke with one of our parents Zarja, who has her fair share of experience when it comes to screening, interviewing and hiring a nanny. She talks us through the process of looking through a nanny’s CV and social media from the perspective of a parent.