I am badly being taken advantage of in my current position (baltimore, md) they have me working 45 hours a week for $160 pre-tax - are constantly asking me to do things for them on my off days without compensation (ex: evenings when they need to be somewhere, or a week while they go on vacation), and ive also suddenly become the house keeper too. Mom can be verbally abusive at times (accused me of running off with a mop?!?) and parents fight alot which is very stressful for me, and I have no privacy. All in all, I cant take it anymore, I'm at my wits end. Living here is depressing, and everyone I know can see the toll its taken on my mental and physical health, my studies are even taking a toll, my grades have dropped... (im a college student). Ive been trying for a year to find a new position and have been searching more seriously the past month because this is just no longer tolerable, which is sad because I love the kids, but my sanity here is dwindling. I am searching (in secret, i don't want the wrath of mom to come down on me, or for them to just kick me out if i told them), which makes things tougher since I dont have them on my references and ive been here for 2 years.. oh well.I'm looking for a job that is:
-live in
- full or part time
-offers a vehicle for nanny use
-private room
-30-45 hours a week
-a fair wage (not looking to get rich but be paid fairly AND legally)
I dont mind doing some light housework, as long as we agree upon what it is you want me to do... would like a contract to protect both parties.
Ive list myself on:
greataupair.com
gonannies.com
care.com
sittercity
craigslist
dcum
But I have had no luck at all so far - any advice would greatly be appreciated, anything helps as I see it now. Thanks!
7 comments:
Go to your local nanny agency. "A Choice Nanny" is located in both Baltimore and Columbia, Maryland. I've interviewed with them and they were fantastic!
achoicenanny.com
That would be my recommendation. They will make sure you get fair accommodations and pay and are on your side since the owners used to be nannies too!
Good luck!
A couple posts down, somebody suggested networking to find a new nanny job, and I couldn't agree more. You are your own best advertisement, so a personal interaction with someone is worth way more than a resume on a web site.
However, I urge you very strongly to line up alternate living accommodations asap. You do not want to be stuck without a place to live, because being homeless is awful in itself and also affects your employability.
I think one reason you are not getting responses is that the hours you are asking, 30-45, are less than most employers of live in nannies need.
I second the suggestion that you register with a good agency. (They do not charge the nanny a fee, it is paid by the employer.)
Since you mention your pay is "pre-tax", I assume you are being paid on the books, which SHOUlD make you eligible for unemployment benefits, but somehow I suspect there is more to the siuation than that, as paying someone $3.55/hr is NOT legal in any state and that's what they are paying you.
My advice, if you can't find sometihng quickly through all the nanny channels you have tried, is to look for a non-nanny job that pays a decent living wage and find the cheapest possible place you can to live, possibly with roommates.
I agree with Cali mom, just because you are a nanny, doesn't mean you absolutely have to work as one, especially if it makes you miserable! Go work at McDonalds, WalMart, wherever. Get your own place, even if that means sharing an apartment with a few roommates. That way you can still search for nanny work, without the stress of MomBoss breathing down your neck. Also, definitely put in at least a 2 week's notice and be as nice and respectful as possible. You've already made up your mind to leave so it isn't even worth trying to explain to her everything that has been making you unhappy. You have been working there for 2 years, I would assume you'd need that reference. And while you're doing some major sucking up to this beastly woman, make sure you get a letter of recommendation out of her too, just in case she decides to change her mind down the road and talk nasty about you to prospective employers.
I don't have enough money or A car to go get another job and apartment. All my other nanny jobs were wonderful. These kids are, mom is however not. I have a previous live in reference, and a babysitting reference too. I'll have to stick it out for now.
Other than what's been said, I highly recommend not using greataupair. The amount of scammers and creeps I was emailed and interviewed by was astounding.
nannies4hire and CL are the way to go! I wish you luck! I'm a nanny FROM Baltimore but work in Howard County, I recommend looking for families from out here!
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