Saturday, November 6, 2010

Nanny 101 - How to Get Started

Welcome to the beginning of my Nanny 101 posts where I explain more about the job and the variety of questions you need to ask to get started.  If you're interested in nannying read my posts under the labels "Getting Started" and "Nanny 101."

So you want to work with children and you find yourself asking, "How can I do that?"  While in college, I struggled with finding what to study and what to be when I grew up.  I thought about careers in pharmacy or in nursing but it just couldn't seem to fit.  It was like putting a circle in a square shaped hole and I was not happy.  Here are a few ideas that matched with my interests of childcare that I found along the way.

  • College - I majored in Family Studies and Human Development at the University of Arizona.  This was a great major for myself of finding a program of family life classes, child development, and adolescent issues.
  • Preschool - I worked at a preschool during college and it was a fantastic job where I learned more about kids and activities to help children learn and explore.
  • Private nanny - After my job at the preschool ended, I ran into a family who needed a nanny and found I could do a "Job-Sharewith another girl.  I worked in the mornings and she would work during the afternoons.  It let both of us work and continue with our college classes.
  • Nanny agency - There are agencies out there that have a variety of employment options.  They can place nannies with full-time positions or daily positions as families need a sitter for the day.  This employment is more "on-call" and works for nannies with more flexible schedules.
  • Word of mouth - It's true what they say, don't underestimate the power of the word of mouth!  When you find a family to babysit for they will likely recommend you to their friends.  I have received a lot of jobs based on recommendations from the families I already work for!
There are a variety of ways to get started with nannying and babysitting.  These are just a few ideas to help get you started!

No comments:

Post a Comment