Not so long ago we were blogging about how much nannies are in demand... and now we are seeing a distinctive change in the market all down to the recent upheaval in the financial sector.
Thanks to the collapse of a number of long established banking and finance companies many of London's finance workers have faced income cuts and job losses. Unfortunately as a direct result of this London's hard working in home staff will suffer, including nannies.
The current situation? While it looks as though the job market for nannies is busy as ever, there is hesitation in the air and negotiations for the top pay rates are tougher. There are more nannies in the market so competition is rife- you need to really excel in order to convince parents you are both better than the others and worth the rate you are charging.
What will this mean? We are yet to see the full effects of the credit crunch on the nanny industry. It could mean an overall decrease in pay rates or a move to more part time roles available in the market.
We hope the market proves resilient and are crossing our fingers that all of our fantastic families and nannies are secure in their jobs. We will also be looking forward with interest to the publication of the nannytax annual wage survey in Feb 09, which should give us a clearer indication of the true effect of the credit crunch on the nanny industry.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Friday, 19 September 2008
First impressions count- how to really impress your employers in your first few weeks on the job
Lots of our nannies come to us for advice on how to start a placement off well and what sets apart a good nanny from a great nanny.
Well, here are some tips we can pass on that will help you ensure you are getting full marks in your first few weeks at work:
- Arrive to work on time or 5 minutes early
- Complete planning for the week ahead so you have an idea of the routine that you would like to follow for each week
- If you are in a shared charge role note down the duties as you go along, then present a list to the parents after a week to ensure you have everything covered
- Don't text or make personal calls throughout the day as you are working- keep personal calls for other appropriate times such as after work
- BE SAFETY CONSCIOUS. Always be aware of where the children are and keep them away for everyday dangers including stairs, hot stove tops and baths
- Be well presented. You should always dress in smart casual clothing, have your hair done and look well presented for the day ahead. If you are tired DO NOT bring that through the door and into your workplace- not acceptable in an office environment, not acceptable in a home work environment
- Make the job fun for the children! Parents want to know their nanny is enjoying their children and vice versa- be active
- Involve yourself in getting to know the other nannies and families in the area and arranging play dates, this is one of the best ways to start feeling a part of the community
- Always tell the parents as early as possible if you are ill. You should not send a text, calling is the most professional way to let them know
- If there are any problems speak directly to the parents and do not bottle up- if you don’t feel comfortable speaking to the parents or are unsure what to do, call us to talk it over, we are always happy to discuss.
- Use your initiative and be pro-active! Look for jobs and do them before needing to be asked.
Some great feedback that we have had back about our nannies includes:-
- “Sue turned up with an activity box twice a week- the kids really looked forward to her coming. She would alternate books, games and toys in it so there was always something different to play with.”
- “At any outings with other nannies or children Anna would swap numbers with other nannies and arrange play dates for the upcoming weeks, the kids loved the variety of playing with different children”.
Remember that consistent effort in the first couple of months will set the standard for the rest of the employment period. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the above please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Well, here are some tips we can pass on that will help you ensure you are getting full marks in your first few weeks at work:
- Arrive to work on time or 5 minutes early
- Complete planning for the week ahead so you have an idea of the routine that you would like to follow for each week
- If you are in a shared charge role note down the duties as you go along, then present a list to the parents after a week to ensure you have everything covered
- Don't text or make personal calls throughout the day as you are working- keep personal calls for other appropriate times such as after work
- BE SAFETY CONSCIOUS. Always be aware of where the children are and keep them away for everyday dangers including stairs, hot stove tops and baths
- Be well presented. You should always dress in smart casual clothing, have your hair done and look well presented for the day ahead. If you are tired DO NOT bring that through the door and into your workplace- not acceptable in an office environment, not acceptable in a home work environment
- Make the job fun for the children! Parents want to know their nanny is enjoying their children and vice versa- be active
- Involve yourself in getting to know the other nannies and families in the area and arranging play dates, this is one of the best ways to start feeling a part of the community
- Always tell the parents as early as possible if you are ill. You should not send a text, calling is the most professional way to let them know
- If there are any problems speak directly to the parents and do not bottle up- if you don’t feel comfortable speaking to the parents or are unsure what to do, call us to talk it over, we are always happy to discuss.
- Use your initiative and be pro-active! Look for jobs and do them before needing to be asked.
Some great feedback that we have had back about our nannies includes:-
- “Sue turned up with an activity box twice a week- the kids really looked forward to her coming. She would alternate books, games and toys in it so there was always something different to play with.”
- “At any outings with other nannies or children Anna would swap numbers with other nannies and arrange play dates for the upcoming weeks, the kids loved the variety of playing with different children”.
Remember that consistent effort in the first couple of months will set the standard for the rest of the employment period. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the above please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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