Nanny agencies in NYC: How we’re different
Hiring a nanny is hard work. Not only is it time consuming, but it can be a little nerve wracking to trust that the candidate you selected is a trustworthy choice with the experience they claim. For this reason, many parents in New York City and around the country turn to nanny agencies to help them in their search. But here you’re faced with a conundrum again - which nanny agency is best for your needs? What should you look for in a nanny agency?
We’ve gathered some helpful tips to help you in your journey, so that you can make informed choices about the best nanny agency in NYC or across the country, and in the long run, find the right nanny for your family.
How are NYC nanny agencies similar?
Nanny background checks
Nearly all (and certainly all reputable) nanny agencies in New York City run background checks on candidates before they begin working with a family. These background checks normally cover national criminal history, sexual offenders register, and social security trace checks.
Please note that some nanny agencies will run background checks only at the national level and the county where the candidate currently resides. Smart Sitting follows best practices in the industry by additionally conducting manual background checks for previous counties lived.
Standing out from nanny job listing services
When you work with an NYC nanny agency, a significant amount of the ground work is done for you (to varying degrees). When you try to find a nanny or babysitter through a listing service, all that work falls on you - flipping through hundreds of profiles or applicants who do not have the experience or skill set you outlined in your job listing, interviewing all the candidates, ensuring that they are safe and trustworthy caregivers, etc.
As long as you are working with a reputable nanny agency in NYC or elsewhere, you can feel a level of relief and comfort in the standard of the candidates provided. It also helps professional nannies and babysitters feel more comfortable and confident about you and your job listing to be connected through an agency.
Read more about nanny agencies vs. job listing services.
How are NYC nanny agencies different?
The most important parts of working with a nanny agency are to ensure:
That the agency is reputable
That the agency hears you and works to meet your childcare needs
That the nanny candidates presented to you are suitable for the job
Seal of approval from nanny certification groups
There are many agencies out there, and it can feel overwhelming to know which ones are legit. Thankfully, there are independent organizations that verify nanny agencies around the country and make sure they live up to their standards.
In the US, the International Nanny Association, INA, and the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies, APNA, are the main organizations providing this certification, vetting nanny agencies and reassuring families. (Smart Sitting is proud to have long been certified by both!)
A personal approach to finding your nanny
Some agencies will send you nanny candidates from a general pool without taking the time to hear the specifics of your position. These may be experienced, skilled candidates (or not!), but if they don’t tick the boxes of what you’re looking for, it may be a sign that the agency isn’t tailoring their search to your needs. Be sure to work with an agency that takes the time to chat through what you’re looking for in a candidate and then uses that information to recruit and handpick the top candidates they believe could fit your bill.
A premier NYC nanny agency will also be able to explain what they saw in a particular candidate that makes them think this person is right for your family. Sometimes it takes a few times to get it right, but by connecting you with your own personal consultant, some agencies (like Smart Sitting) ensure that you have a personal connection and resource to work through it with you. This also helps in the ongoing relationship.
If anything comes up in the working relationship with your nanny, make sure the agency will still be there to help, guide through any conflicts, advise on employment matters, and assist in case you need a new caregiver.
By connecting you with your own personal consultant, some agencies (like Smart Sitting) ensure that you have a personal connection and resource to work through it with you.
Additionally, agencies will differ in the kind of promises they make to you as a client. By working with a nanny agency that guarantees a select few, well-suited candidates in a certain time frame, you’ll know that your search fee is a sound investment.
NYC nanny agency pricing
Cost is an obvious factor when deciding which nanny agency to work with. Most agencies charge a percentage placement fee based on the nanny’s income and a search fee to start the search. Make sure you know what happens to your money if something goes wrong and your nanny does not stay for the full term of the contract. Ideally, the agency should help you find a new nanny if needed, while also crediting the remainder of your placement fee towards the new candidate, ensuring a smooth transition without financial hiccups.
In general, hourly rates for nannies are about the same across New York City nanny agencies. Be wary of agencies that promise low rates. In order to get great candidates who will also stay with you, it is worth treating this position as the real job it is. By undermining professional nannies and pushing them into lower-than-standard rates, the nanny agency is implicitly telling you they do not take the role - and as such, their work with you - seriously. Alternately, the agency may be working with less experienced, less professional candidates for whom the low rate is appropriate, but which will likely have repercussions for you in the standard or longevity of the work with your nanny.
By undermining professional nannies and pushing them into lower-than-standard rates, the nanny agency is implicitly telling you they do not take the role - and as such, their work with you - seriously.
What’s your experience in working with nanny agencies in NYC or beyond? We’d love to hear your feedback! Join us on Instagram or Facebook.
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