Posting a nanny job ad is easy in this day and age. There are countless online platforms and groups created just for this purpose. What may not be as easy, however, is knowing what you need to include in a posting and what you should leave out. I’ve read through hundreds of nanny job ads, so I can tell you from a nanny’s perspective what tends to make a job posting clear, professional, and respectful to applicants—and what tends to do the opposite. Believe it or not, there is a certain level of etiquette to posting a nanny job ad.
So, without further ado, here are the “dos” and “don’ts” of creating a nanny job posting.
(Warning: The “Should” list may be longer than you expect!)
What You Should Include
General location where care will be provided: This helps applicants roughly estimate what their commute would be if they worked for you. Without this information, many interested nannies might apply before finding out that the job is too far away.
Relevant household conditions or rules: If there are things about your household that would be important for an applicant to know, you should absolutely disclose them in your posting. Some common examples would be a smoke-free home or a home with pets, which could be dealbreakers for some nannies.
Number of children needing care: Not all nannies are comfortable with looking after multiple children at a time. On the other hand, some might prefer to look after more than one child. They should have this information immediately so they can make an informed decision on whether they want to apply.
Ages of children needing care: Some nannies have specific age ranges they’re more or less comfortable with caring for. Someone who has no experience with infants, for example, might be less inclined to apply if you have an infant needing care.
Any special care needs your children may have: Not all nannies are comfortable or experienced enough to care for a child with special needs. You certainly don’t have to share their full medical history, but you should always disclose any special care requirements upfront.
An accurate descriptor for the position: Many nannies are not just nannies; they might also be tutors, housekeepers, family assistants, household managers, or another hybrid role. If you are not looking for a standard nanny whose main job is to care for the children, you should be thoughtful about how you present the job title. This helps applicants better understand your expectations for the position.
Clear, specific duties required for the position: Providing a clear list of specific duties gives applicants a better idea of the job scope. This allows them to decide whether the position would be a good fit for them. It also helps you prevent job creep, where a nanny is given more responsibilities than they initially agreed to for no additional pay.
Expected work schedule and weekly hours: No one wants to apply to a job just to find out the timing won’t work for them. If you don’t know exactly what schedule or how many hours you’ll need, make that clear in your posting and do your best to give an approximation.
Attributes you would like your nanny to have: These could be almost anything within reason. Maybe you want someone outgoing who will happily take your children on fun outings. Or maybe you want someone who’s comfortable with quieter days at home with the children. If you have preferences, make them known from the start.
Any experience, qualifications, or certifications you require: This filters out applicants who may not meet your criteria for the job. If you want to be a bit more flexible and bring in more applicants, you can list any number of these as “preferred” instead of “required.”
What compensation you are offering: At the most basic level, this includes the hourly rate or pay range you will offer. If you also offer benefits, bonuses, paid time off, or perks, you should specify those, too. Although we nannies typically do what we do because we love children, we (like everyone else) still need to know what we can expect to be paid.
Start date or time frame for starting the position: Leaving this information out of your posting makes it impossible for applicants to determine whether your timeline works with theirs. If someone is hoping to start working within a few weeks, a start date that is months out could be a dealbreaker, even if the job is a good fit for them in every other way.
Position duration: Although this often comes up at the interview stage, it’s still best to tell applicants beforehand whether the job is short-term/temporary or long-term/permanent. Otherwise, you may end up in a situation where you interview someone, think they’re a great fit, and then find out it won’t work out due to the position duration. That can be frustrating for both parties.
What You Shouldn’t Include
Unnecessary sensitive or identifying information about your family: This is for your family’s safety. Never post your home address, your child’s school or daycare, or any other sensitive information that could be misused.
Excessive unnecessary background details: When you include too many details, the important substance of your posting can get lost. This makes it more tedious to read, possibly causing some applicants to stop reading. You can include some nonessential information, but you shouldn’t overdo it.
Misleading language about the nature of the role: This might include omitting important job details or incorrectly describing the role. One example that seems to have grown more common is listing a nanny job as a “mother’s helper” position. Some people may do this because they genuinely don’t know the difference, but mislabeling the role can downplay the scope of the position and make regular nanny duties appear deserving of lower compensation.
Hostile wording: Your ad is what makes your first impression on potential applicants. It’s never a good idea to use language that is condescending, passive-aggressive, overtly aggressive, or otherwise offensive in your posting. You don’t want them to read it and think, “I don’t want to work for this person.” Try to keep it positive, open, and respectful.
Discriminatory criteria: There’s an important distinction between having job-related preferences and discriminating against applicants, which is why there are protected classes under federal antidiscrimination laws. Although many federal employment antidiscrimination laws have employer-size thresholds that most individual household employers do not meet, criteria based on protected characteristics can still be legally problematic depending on the characteristic and jurisdiction. But regardless, they don’t belong in a professional posting.
Any direct or implied grievances against a former nanny: There are a few reasons why this is generally a bad idea. For one, it’s unnecessary, so it takes away from the more relevant information in your posting. Second, it doesn’t look good for you as an employer. Nannies don’t want to worry about their employer publicly bashing them if the employment relationship ultimately doesn’t work out. And third, it could jeopardize your former nanny’s career prospects, making employers less inclined to give them a chance. Even if you have a valid reason for thinking they’re not a great nanny, that still doesn’t belong in your job posting.
Overly invasive questions or screening demands: There are questions that are relevant to the job, and there are questions that aren’t. You typically don’t need to know much about someone’s personal life if it doesn’t affect their ability to provide quality care. You can certainly ask a nanny a little about themselves later on in an interview, but asking genuinely invasive questions is likely to deter them from applying. Also, keep in mind that there will be opportunities for further screening a little later in the hiring process. You don’t need to know everything immediately.
The Takeaway
Creating a good nanny job posting is something many people probably wouldn’t think twice about. It sounds simple enough, but there are definitely various unwritten “rules” to it. The two main objectives, however, are simple: include the right information to avoid wasting time, and exclude language that could make applicants hesitant to work for you. If you remember those two things, you should be well on your way to finding the right nanny for your family.
