When times are good, qualified nannies are often sought-after, and parents are willing to dish out tantalizing pay, benefits and other perks for those nanny jobs. When the economy is sour, however, nannies no longer rule supreme. Some formerly sought-after nannies, for example, are now scrambling to even find a nanny job.
Layoffs, downsizing, and an increasing awareness that a booming economy may not be returning to the United States anytime soon means that many families who previously had nannies are turning to less expensive child care instead. For those who still use a nanny, parents feel now more in control of what they consider to be reasonable pay and benefit expectations for nanny jobs. The balance of who yields the ultimate power (the nanny or the parent) is back on the side of the one paying the salary. And many working parents who are facingt a child care crisis say that it is about time.
Says one New York City parent: "I've had two wonderful nannies literally hired right from under my nose over the past five years because another family provided extra vacation time and even weekly spa visits. One of those nannies actually called me recently to ask if she could get her job back, as she was recently laid off by the family she left me for. Times have indeed changed."
While many families who use nannies would never consider using anyone else, even considering their nannies as part of their families, others are now choosing more affordable child care options.
"My husband was laid off and I took a 10 percent reduction from my job," says Jamie, a 32-year-old mother of two from Texas. "We loved our nanny, but until my husband finds another job, he's staying home with the kids and I'm just hoping I make enough so that we can keep our home."
During robust times, most nannies can expect to stay with a family until children head off to school--sometimes even longer. If circumstances do change, they were easily hirable to another family. Regardless of whether economic times are good or bad, however, many nanny jobs don'tt offer long-term job security or extended benefits. Today, nanny salaries are lower, benefits may or may not even exist, and more parents are adding longer hours or additional household tasks to duties as they themselves work more to stay afloat.
While some nannies are still considered in high demand, ones who do not drive, speak fluent English or have no family nearby to turn to when out of work are those most being affected by tough economic times. Many nanny agencies are reporting an increased number of out-of-work nannies who are desperate for a job.
So what should you do if you're seeking a nanny job?
- Set realistic expectations about your services. If the area where you live is hard-hit by a struggling economy, you'll need to keep your ego in check and understand that you may not command the salary and benefits you did a few years ago. It's not a personal reflection on your abilities and you're not alone, by the way. Many workers are facing the same harsh reality.
- Compare your salary to what parents would pay by using traditional child care, and see how you can promote yourself as the better choice. Consider marketing yourself to families who work non-traditional hours, for example, instead of the typical 9-to-5 shift.
- Tout your experience and if you have the advantage of being able to drive children in your care to enrichment activities or to other places that may be hard for working parents to do, now is the time to promote that aspect. Nannies can also appeal to being a trusted member of the household rather than "just" an occasional babysitter.
- Network and don't be afraid to ask for people you know to put in a good word for you. While times may be tough, people are still working and children still need caregivers, so if parents think the arrangement is to their benefit, they will still utilize the service of nannies.
- Consider hiring yourself out as a night nanny, to help new parents get needed sleep with newborns.
- Seek out the services of nanny employment agencies. While they may have more qualified nannies looking for work than ever before, families are still hiring nannies, and in the end, want the individual who will most likely work best with their children and their family's needs. Why can't that pick be you?
Should you consider using a nanny if you're a family on a tight budget? Consider the following:
- Parents should consider using a nanny if they require flexible hours, if they would like to have a caregiver to perform quality child care and provide light housekeeping or similar services as well, and don't mind having a caregiver in their home with their child.
- Some families with multiple children may find that using a nanny can even be less expensive than utilizing daycare or family care in certain situations.
- For those who are a bit nervous about having a caregiver in their home, security measures as nanny cams are always an option.
