I interviewed for a new job today. It pays fairly well and I enjoy the children but it's more of a scheduling issue than anything else. Nevertheless I have been keeping my eyes peeled for the "almost perfect" job. You never know, right? I really thought this could possibly be it!
Well, I get there and I am greeted by 3 large dogs. No prob. I go in and meet the babies, they are insanely adorable. I mean cuteness on overdrive times 5 billion. The parents tell me of the expected chores and part of the job is that all of the pet hair needs to be vacuumed at least two times a day, baby laundry, and "meticulous" cleaning of the kitchen needs to be done. I am surprisingly still on board because I am figuring that all of this work will at least be getting me 18.00! Now it's time to talk numbers: they offer $10.50hr! I know that 10.50 is not 6.00 or 3.75. It could be worse, but this is a very upper class area.
I'm sad because these children would have had themselves an awesome nanny, I really would have loved to have been a part of their little world, but I've been there and done that. I've taken a super low paying job before and luckily as of right now, I do not need to again. The real kicker is this family has a wonderful Au-pair employed. I know she is awesome because I just happen to see her all of the time when I am out with my charges.What a coincidence! She is super sweet. Always playing, singing and interacting with the babies. Always smiling! This woman is always so cheerful and seems radiantly happy with her job. I actually considered writing in a good nanny sighting about her a few months ago and I really wish I had. She is an amazing lady! Hugs to all the awesome nannies out there! - Anonymous
_____________________________________________________________
Edited to remove identifying information August 26, 2012. - MPP
Wow...that IS such a cheap rate for three young children. You're right, it would be much more expensive to put them in a daycare.
ReplyDeleteFor caring for three young children, having to vacuum pet hair, do laundry + clean the kitchen daily, it would have been a trainwreck OP.
I can't believe they offered such a low wage. I also cannot believe they expect you to vacuum pet hair. That is so not a nanny duty.
Anyway, I feel for the Au Pair you mentioned and am glad to hear she is so awesome in spite of being taken advantage of.
♥
Just curious, why is the Au pair leaving and they're hiring a new nanny? Do Au pairs have a specific time limit they can work for families?
ReplyDeleteGlad you turned this one down. $10.50 is way too low for what they were expecting of you. I don't know where you live, but we have some of the lowest cost of living rates in the country and $10.50 would be way too low even for my area. Sounds like they are trying to get 2 for the price of less than 1. Housekeeper + nanny = $20 or more.
Never accept a nanny gig with housekeeping duties. Nannys are not housekeepers & pay aside, it will end in resentment. Cleaners make three times what they were offering. So glad you didn't get sucked in by the cuteness overload! You sound like a wonderful nanny.
ReplyDeleteMannah, I'm not positive, but I believe that there is a set time that an Au Pair works for a family before returning home. It may be something like one year, but it also may be longer. I think it may have something to do with work visas and governmental red tape.
ReplyDeleteBut, wow! $10.50 for triplets AND cleaning!?!? Insane!! Did they say it with a straight face? Was there ANY room for negotiation or was this a set price? You won't be sorry you turned this job down, OP! It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen!
Caring for infant triplets alone has a starting value of $23/hr never mind houskeeping which is not a nanny's job anyway.
ReplyDeleteGlad you didn't get sucked in by the cuteness.
Don't give up that dream job will be you's before you know it.
I wonder how many nannys this family will cycle through. Before these babies turn five years, Id guess twenty. That would break down to a new nanny every three months. This will cause anxiety & they will only cling to each other that much more. Not healthy.
ReplyDeleteI am a former AuPair. There is a special visa (J1) that allows the AuPair to stay in the US for 12 months (different countries have different length of visas). The AuPair can also extend her visa to a 13th month for traveling, if she wishes, before having to return to her or his country of origin.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was an AuPair, I was paid $139 per week. Now, I believe that it is more like $200 per week. It is supposed to be more about the experienced rather than a real job. There are also fees paid by the family to the association where they found their AuPair.
That is why a lot of families think that this is the pay for a nanny. The $10.50 that the family offered is most likely what they ended up paying for the AuPair, including all the fees and insurances that the AuPair Association requires.
Now, AuPairs are only required to do light housekeeping duties, pertinent to the kids. So, this family is definitely taking advantage of whomever they are hiring when they are asking the nanny to vacuum pet hair twice a day!
To clarify on the au pair issue:
ReplyDeleteAu pairs used to be allowed to stay on work visa for only one year, then an extra travel month as COnanny said.
However, several years ago (sometime between 2003 and 2007) the program was changed to allow au pairs to extend the work visa for an additional 6, 9 or 12 months with the same or a different family. Thus, they are now allowed to work for up to 24 months in the US.
Thanks for all the info! I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteWow oh Wow!! They probably spend more a week on their dogs food and care than their kids.
ReplyDeleteI would think you would make $25 an hour with the housekeeping.
Did you ever try to negotiate the pay or the duties? $10.50 is an odd amt. and may have been a door opener for you to move them up the salary ladder. Vaccuuming the pets was probably presented as a throw away clause so they could pretend like they cared about it and could negotiate it away for a term that they did care about.
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like you've escaped the potential job from hell!
ReplyDeleteI believe that AP's earn federal minimum wage for their 45 hours a week, MINUS 40% for room and board. $195.75 a week.
ReplyDeleteAds for AP placement companies tout "Childcare for less than $7.50 and hour!" and that takes into account all the agency fees parents pay.
IMO, the program is badly misrepresented to both AP's and to potential host families.
I would never hire an AP unless I had school age kids and was willing to take on the "raising" of a young person from another country as well.
OP we are in the same boat. I like the family I am working for. My problem is also the mothers schedule. She is always changing my times,coming in late, etc
ReplyDeleteSo I am looking for something else. I am married with kids and I can't have such a crazy schedule, especially when school starts
@change of name-I really wish my MB wasn't such a flake with her schedule. She likes to go in later and stick around doing her hair and what not. Kids can watch TV all day with her but the minute I step through the door it morphs into the devil and I have to thrust the kids into activities which of course they do not want to do because they would rather be watching Netflix or playing WII and complain the whole time about how they hate when I'm there because I turn off the tube. The entire day no matter how fun I try and make it just feels like a very long struggle.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the triplet job goes, I wish it was just a fair pay rate!I live in NY and it should simply be higher. The family was very nice, but yes they did say 10.50 with a straight face. I did find the number they decided on odd as well and thought to negotiate but I don't really feel this one would have worked in my favor. Lets say I got them all the way to a whopping 15.00, they would probably be very resentful come pay day and most likely search for a cheaper alternative asap.
Oh well..my dream job is out there somewhere!
Beezus, my jaw dropped open when I saw you said you live in NY! Are these people nuts??
ReplyDeleteMy jaw dropped too when they told me! She wanted me to say yes and take the position right then and there so it was very awkward! I told her I would let her know by Wednesday (tomorrow) and I will. I will totally let her know that she is being very unreasonable.
ReplyDeleteI think what miffed me the most was that she said they had researched nanny rates online and asked some of their friends who employ nannies what they think would be a fair rate.
So I actually checked the Care.com rate calculator.I figured that may have been where the "online research" they spoke of was conducted. It's annoying because when you click the calculator link it says " Are you OVERPAYING your babysitter?"Are you kidding me? Care.com did however list 21.00 as the going rate in my area so I guess they just have cheap friends with bad nanny advice!
Beezus, please update us after you turn her down. Id love to know what you say to Miss Cheapskate & her reaction. I am glad you stood up for what you deserve.
ReplyDeleteI would probably say that considering the number of children & the area, a reasonable rate would be closer to $20-$30 an hour. Also, Id let her know that a professional nanny will balk @ the idea of vacuuming pet fur & meticulously cleaning. That's simple not what a nanny does and requesting it is demeaning & inappropriate. This woman will probably react defensively. But if she's smart, she should be able to see the bigger picture. That you're trying to help her. If this family would just pay what the job is worth & leave the cleaning to the cleaning service, they would be able to retain a wonderful nanny. Instead, they will cycle through bitter nannys. That is so bad for the children. Its worth it to pay $25 an hour & to have one nanny for the formative years. Instead in their attempt to save money, they will wind up spending time, money & resources attempting to find & retain a decent nanny. But with such low pay, there will always be a better offer on the horizon. And so the cycle continues....
I hope you find your dream job soon!
OP I live in NJ. I know the cost of living here near the city is a killer. My friend living down south her mortgage on a 3br/2bath house is what we pay on rent for a one bedroom
ReplyDelete