Wednesday

Will Age be an Issue?

OPINION
Hi i was thinking about nanying next summer in the hamptons, ill be 17. Any thoughts. Will i be able to get a job?

23 comments:

Nan said...

...all we know is that you're 17. Do you have previous experience? You're young so some families may not be interested...it really depends on your experience I think. If you have absolutely none, you probably won't have a lot of luck.

knittynanny said...

Usually it depends on things like experience, reference, and what you charge people. Unfortunately, most families aren't looking for a fantastic nanny these days. They're looking to save money.

workingmom said...

I think you will be able to get a job as a babysitter.

I wouldn't call a 17 yr old a nanny.

bostonnanny said...

Yes age is a huge issue and so is experience. Most will see you as immature and unreliable solely based on your age. You might be able to get babysitting gigs but I can't see wealthy families in the hamptons hiring a teenager to be their summer nanny. The only way I think can get you a job is family connections.

Bethany said...

Most will probably see you as yoo young, which is unfortunate because I've met some amazing 17 year old carers.

Your best bet is probably as a babysitter to a few families or maybe even a mother's helper to beef up your resume.

You may have a shot at getting a nanny gig if you no someone.

Good luck!

blurp said...

I would not hire you as a nanny in the Hamptons. People have to drive to get anywhere there. You'd have *how* many months of driving experience? And you think I should trust you to drive my child around? Sorry, but no. Maybe if you came recommended from someone I knew, I'd trust you to sit in my house and watch tv and text your friends while my baby sleeps and DH & I go out to dinner with friends.

LAnanny said...

I've been nannying since I was 16, so It is possible, but I knew the first family I worked with which made it much easier.

Agencies probably won't take you either.

MissDeeWantsRain said...

Blurp: Wow....could you be any meaner?

Wendi said...

Blurp:

That was kinda mean.

Anyway, OP you probably won't be able to register as a Nanny w/any Nanny agencies since I think all of them require you to be 18 at least.
I also think childcare websites such as Care.com and Sittercity.com require you to be 18 as well, especially if you are going to run a background check.

For starters, I would use CL, but don't be surprised if you don't get too much interest.

You can use CL or make homemade business cards and flyers advertising your services as a babysitter. Perhaps say you need the money for college so parents will see that you are on a good path and may want to help you out.

Try to get CPR/First Aid certified as well.

I think the ideal place for you to start and gain some experience is by working alongside a Mother. You can be a "Mother's Helper" and assist a Mother w/her child(ren.) You will not only gain invaluable experience for any future Nanny jobs, but you will learn the ropes of childcare first hand.

Good luck to you OP. I wish you all the best. ☺ ☻

princess said...

Agreed that your best bet is if you have an in.. do you know anyone who can help you, even a friend of a friend type situation? That's how I have my 6 yr nanny position on my resume.. I started at a younger age than I would have otherwise bc I knew the family.

nycmom said...

You will be able to get a "Mother's Helper" type position which usually ends up being code for working hard for less pay. But it will get your foot in the door and if you do a good job, start building experience and references.

Manhattan Nanny said...

I'm wondering why specifically the Hamptons. Will you be there with your family? If so, I think you could get a lot of babysitting, as many nannies go home on the weekends.
If you are looking for a live in situation in a beach community, I think you should think mother's helper, and not limit your search to the Hamptons, as many families there bring their year round nannies.

Trish said...

MissDeeWantsRain,
I'm so sick of the cattiness of the few stand-out nannies n this board. Today it seems umass is being especially mean. As far as I know she's not a nanny and doesn't employ one, so wtf is she here.

OP, maybe through word of mouth/friends you can get someone to help you out. Do you have anyone you know that nannies?

nynanny said...

I think the "mothers helper" idea is fantastic! At your age, OP, that would probably be your best bet and will give you the experience you need to hopefully land a nanny job of your own shortly thereafter.

Lyn said...

I started to Nanny full time at 17 myself. I was approached by a professor at my college about it though.
If I were you and I did not have a Nanny friend who could recommend you to parents, I would sign up for care or sittercity, do a COMPLETE profile with background checks and a video interview to introduce yourself. I would also make sure you have your CPR and First aid certifications. List all the bells and whistles on your profile: were you a camp counselor? a life guard? work at a daycare (church daycare on Sundays DO NOT COUNT)?
And once my profile was perfected I'd just apply to babysitting gigs in the area as they are posted. Even if a family only needs you for a few hours a week this summer next summer they may have a need for more full time help, and will probably recommend you to their friends as they look for sitters or Nannies.

don't just phone it in said...

I am sincerely NOT trying to be catty, but honestly?

I would start with not presenting yourself so unprofessionally, using a lower-case "i" when you mean "I", using "ill" when you mean "I'll" or "I will", ending questions with a question mark, etc.

No, a post on a random anonymous message board is not a job application, but at least be aware of how poorly your post represents you to someone looking for a responsible, mature caregiver.

Trish said...

don't just phone it in, yes - I do have to agree with you there. I hope she doesn't use that kind of grammar when applying for a job.

I don't get why so many people write like they would in text. I consider it very tacky.

TiredMissDee said...

OP, your post reminds me of how I entered the field of early childhood education. I spent my summer vaycays and extended periods of time caring for my sisters kids, now 26 and 23. Although it was caring for family, I figured it was experience, so I applied at an agency, unaware at the time I needed paid non family childcare experience. The agency gave me the best advice, which I want to pass onto you:

WI childcare centers will hire applicants who are 17, however, they are not counted in teacher ratios, due to liability issues. However, working in a childcare center when you are a teen gives you an insight into the hardest profession in the world that is the most underpaid.

I don't know anything about the Hamptons; are there childcare centers nearby? Perhaps you can work at a childcare center to gain experience and babysit in the neighborhood to build your resume.

Good luck. I am sure someone will take a chance on you, no matter what Blurp thinks.

Chelsea said...

Like everyone else said, I think your age will make it significantly more difficult to find a nanny job, particularly in a wealthy area like The Hamptons.

I've been nannying full-time since 18. Prior to that, I had the same 15 hour p/wk afterschool care job for 4 years. I also worked in a church nursery about 6 hours per week, worked in a daycare full-time for about two months, spent an entire summer working at a "sleep-away" summer camp, and provided serious full-time live-in (up in the middle of the night and everything) care for an infant cousin for 4 months. That's not even to mention all of the "side jobs" I did babysitting on evenings or weekends, and all of the family members I had with young infants/toddlers that I spent countless hours caring for.

Unfortunately, I still had quite a bit of difficulty finding jobs, specifically because of my age. In my experience, the things I was able to find easily either were NOT full-time, or didn't pay well. I took home $300 a week working my first full-time nanny job. And, honestly? When I was job hunting a couple months age, even with my 4 years of full-time nanny experience, I was turned away a couple of times for my age--and I'm 22 now, and am not looking at jobs with high-profile or ultra-wealthy families.

Not to be discouraging--that's just my personal experience. I think your best bet, as others have said, is a job as a mother's helper--or perhaps, a job with older children. I find that (totally reasonably) parents tend to be lest trusting of young people when it comes to infants and young toddlers.

Katie said...

Is there a special reason you want to work in the Hamptons?

as has been said, I believe your best bet is to apply as a Mother's Helper or Nanny's Helper.

Why not get some experience this summer and during the school year?

Take all the babysitting jobs you can. See if you can get in at a local daycare center part-time.

I hope you find your way into the nanny world there is nothing like it!

Unknown said...

Clearly someone has been reading the fun escapist series "The Au Pairs" by Melissa de la Cruz. Just an FYI: teenage girls are not paid $10,000 to spend a summer in the Hamptons.

world's best nanny said...

I have a problem on the opposite side of the spectrum, I am approaching 50 years old. I am thinking this is going to be my last nanny job. People are going to think I am too old to run after their 3 year olds.

Bethany said...

aw that's sad, world's best nanny!

Maybe you can transition to just caring for babies newborn to age one. Many parents want the older more experienced caregivers for infants.