Nanny Job Listing Red Flags

Job searching can be nerve wracking and time consuming. During my last job search I wasted so much time applying to jobs that weren’t worth the effort because the job descriptions were not accurate or I ignored common problems in job listings. Here are the common red flags I noticed in job postings during my last job search:

Flexible Hours:

The phrase “flexible hours” doesn’t mean the parents will be flexible for their nanny. The phrase typically means that the employers want their nanny to be on-call and available to work for them, without extra pay. If nannies are on-call and cannot work another job during those hours, they need to be compensated.

Too Much Jargon:

Job seekers prefer simple, clear, and concise job descriptions. Too much information up front can be confusing. It’s well known that scammers that misuse nanny web sites include much too much detail in their job descriptions as well.

Too Vague:

On the other hand, job listings should include the most important responsibilities of the role, as well as important requirements for potential applicants.

Part-Time or Full-Time:

If the parents don’t know how many hours they need help, how will job applicants know? Parents need to create proper job descriptions defining what they need before posting nanny jobs or interviewing nanny candidates. Job seekers know how many hours they need to work, 52 weeks per year, to pay their bills. It wastes everyone’s time if parents interview nanny candidates that need to work full-time, only to decide later they really only want to hire someone part-time.

Honesty About Special Needs:

Parents must be upfront with children’s special needs from the get go. If their child is mentally handicapped, is on the autism spectrum, has ADHD, has developmental delays, or even severe allergies these imports facts should be included in the job posting. Not every nanny candidate is educated or trained to care for all children with different needs.

Moving to Town:

Scammers post fake job postings on nanny web sites. The criminals state that they live out of state and are moving to the area soon. They may ask the job seeker to accept delivery of special items, toys, money, or medical equipment their child will need while in their care. They may send a check for the nanny candidate to deposit and ask them to keep some money as payment for their services. They then ask the victim to transfer the rest to a third party –- supposedly to pay for the goods. But the check and the business are fake.

Pay in Cash:

If parents are willing to cheat the government, why wouldn’t they feel comfortable cheating you too? Employers risk penalties including losing their professional licenses for lying to the Internal Revenue Service. They should also want the best for their employees and being paid legally protects nannies if they get unexpectedly laid off, need to apply for a car loan or mortgage, get hurt on the job, and so on. Click here to see reasons it benefits domestic employees to be paid on-the-books.

Too Good to Be True:

The old adage says if something seems too good to be true, it is. Nannies should ask themselves, “What is the real reason the parents are offering such a high hourly rate?” Even if the pay is good, finding a family that values their employee’s well-being is important too.

Listing Posted for Months:

If a job listing was posted months ago, chances are the position is already filled and the recruiter just hasn’t gotten around to deleting it. It’s also possible once on the interview there are reasons nanny candidates aren’t accepting the job.