In areas like New York City and Los Angeles, the nanny market is competitive. Some aspiring nannies looking for a leg up over other applicants may be considering taking continuing education courses, or attending nanny schools. The length of these programs can range from a few months to a year or more, and can be costly. Before enrolling in any program, you need to make sure that it will help you in achieving your overall career goals.
Many nannies begin their careers as babysitters or staff at daycare centers. Most of their knowledge comes from their hands-on experience working with children. Others have degrees in psychology, early childhood education or child development in addition to some work experience. Employers have different preferences about whether or not they require a nanny to have a college degree, but almost all will only consider applicants with a certain amount of direct childcare experience.
Nanny schools sometimes tell their graduates that they can assist them in their job search or give them leads to families in need of a nanny. While this is certainly helpful, most potential nannies can receive this same assistance from a domestic staffing agency.
Nannies who are looking to set themselves above other candidates may be better served skipping nanny schools and looking into taking cooking courses or foreign language lessons. Many parents are looking for staff with multiple talents who can wear more than one hat.
If you are an experienced nanny in New York City looking to make the next step in your career, consider conducting your search through Colonial Domestic Agency. Our counselors can match someone with your skills and qualifications with a family who truly appreciates them.