Nannies4Hire.com: All the Help, None of the Drama
Candi Wingate, President of Nannies4Hire.com explains what makes her business unique, what you can expect to pay, and dishes (a little) on nanny drama.
BTS: What sets you (Nannies4Hire) apart from other online caregiver search services?
We are an exclusive nanny referral service, specializing in helping families find nannies and nannies finding families. Our nannies at Nannies4hire.com expire compared to other sites that keep them on their site forever. Our nannies are on the site for 35 days, keeping the database up to date. We also have a no tolerance program, when a nanny receives a complaint from a family, they are immediately removed from the Nannies4hire.com database.
BTS: Do you pre-screen applicants for Nannies4Hire and Care4Hire? Do you pre-screen the families? If not, what precautions do you prescribe to potential nannies and families to ensure a smooth interview process?
No, we do no pre-screening on the nannies. We do give families the tools to screen the nannies. There is an online investigation service on the site and registered members also have access to sample interview questions, a sample reference form and a sample contract. Nannies can also list references on the site that they can grant families access to. We highly recommend all families and nannies do background checks and take advantage of the resources we provide.
BTS: What is the going hourly rate for a nanny to watch 2 children for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week? I know this may vary across the country so it would interesting to compare NY nanny costs with the Mid-West, and even LA or San Francisco if you have it.
Salary is negotiable directly with the nanny, but could range anywhere from $10-$15/hour on average. It varies depending on duties, experience and geographic location. At Nannies4hire.com; nannies can include in their profile the salary they are looking for but they are also willing to negotiate on salary and duties.
BTS: What would you give as a holiday bonus/gift to your nanny?
Here are several suggestions that families have given nannies as Holiday Bonuses: money, flight tickets, memberships, day spas, or something as simple as lotions.
BTS: Let’s talk drama (we are behind-the-scenes after all)
Do you find there are more disagreements between a caregiver and the woman or man of the house?
Usually the relationship is between the nanny and the woman of the household. Communication is key when employing a nanny. You may want to sit down with your nanny once a week or once every other week to confirm you are both on the same page on what is going on in the household. We highly recommend signing a contract before the nanny starts detailing the duties, salary, responsibilities, etc.
BTS: Is there a nanny black list – families they simply will not work for?
No; we are not aware of a nanny blacklist; where nannies will not work for certain families. Every nanny and family looks for something specific in a position/nanny. We highly recommend families do not just hire a nanny just to hire someone and recommend the same to a nanny.
BTS: Finally, there are people who have very strong feelings about either staying at home to raise their own children and those who prefer working outside the home full-time – how do you respond to them?
Every family has a different goal for their family and every family has a different need. Families need to know what works best for their family and specific needs.
