It can be hard to fill up a resume if you are a nanny. Going past the “good with children” skill, what else should go in a CV? Even if you are an experienced nanny, writing an excellent resume is a must. But how do you put that you’re a nanny on a resume?
Nanny resumes are more analyzed, scrutinized and checked than many other professions. The reason for that is simple – parents want to feel safe about leaving their children with someone else. It is your job to provide a feeling of trust, and why not start with your resume? You want to set yourself up for success, so let’s get into the best nanny resume skills you can have.
Nanny resume – tips to get started
Cover letter and resume writing is a lot easier than it seems. The first thing to check when creating your resume is your contact information. If the “potential employers” (parents) are looking for a nanny, chances are they want a personal touch of an individual. They didn’t look for an agency or child care facility. Double-check your phone number is right, your email is updated and you are accessible. If the parents call you for an interview and you don’t pick up, how can they trust you will answer when they need you?
Right at the top write a summary statement. This is a summary of your skills and certifications, as well as personal traits. The key is to personalize this for each nanny position. Study the job description. Are they looking for a newborn’s nanny? Highlight your CPR for infants’ training. Do they need someone to help with a toddler’s after school activities? Emphasize how creative you are in designing age-appropriate projects. Children aged 0-2 require you to have different work experiences than children aged 8-10.
As tempting as it may be to go over all your accomplishments, this is not the time yet. Keep it short – three or four sentences are enough. Try to include a summary of your most relevant qualifications for this job. If you have a particularly impressive accomplishment – go for it. For example, the job description states that the child is allergic to something. In a past job, you identified an allergic reaction and reacted quickly – this is something you can mention.
Hard skills vs Soft skills
After the summary statement, it is time to move on to professional experiences and skills section. When contemplating what abilities to include, consider hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the measurable ones, like CPR training, Spanish and cooking. Soft skills are part of your personality, like being caring and responsible.
Yes, a bullet point list will be useful for a nanny resume. Look at a sample resume or one of the many resume templates out there, and use action verbs to describe your experiences.
Here are some soft skills that we deem crucial for a nanny to have:
- Multitasking and time management. Taking care of children is not easy, and you know that doing more than one task at once is a common occurrence. Take an example of a time you accomplished that and sell yourself!
- Communication skills. This is a crucial one. Parents want someone that understands them and that communicates well with them. Highlight this aspect of your personality, ensuring them you are a clear communicator.
- Conflict resolution. If you ever took care of more than one child at a time, you know you sometimes have to be a master in conflict resolution. A top police negotiator. A skilled and patient mediator! If that is you, draw attention to that by adding examples to your CV.
- Creativity and patience. Children come up with unusual questions and test the patience of even the most zen people. Being creative will help a nanny to keep the children occupied. Being patient and able to come up with engaging activities will be a plus in any parent’s eye.
Some hard skills that will bump your resume are:
- An extra language. Many employers will see as an advantage to have a nanny that speaks and writes a second language. Be sure to add that to your resume, together with any qualifications about it.
- CPR and first aid training. If you don’t have CPR training, it is a good idea to do one. Being able to act correctly when accidents happen can save a child’s life. That is something that will definitely pop on a resume.
- Drivers license and clean driving record. Chances are parents will need you to drive the children to and from school or extra activities. Adding that you have a clean driving record is a great resume builder.
- Cooking. Nannies are not cooks, but being able to provide snacks and meals to kids usually comes with the job. If you can cook nutritious meals that is a plus for health-conscious parents.
Extra information
Not all nanny jobs require a degree, but if you have one you should display it. The sidebar of your resume should detail your qualifications, even if already mentioned. Any educational background should also be listed, and certifications mentioned. Again, look for nanny resume samples to help you if you’re stuck.
The best thing about nannying skills is that they are usually part of your personality. If you are a caring, patient, and responsible person who loves children you are halfway there. But employers of any field appreciate a professional who is serious about their job. A diploma or course will help tremendously.
Here are some of the courses a nanny can take to further develop their skills:
- Water safety certification. If you are working with a family that loves swimming pools and the ocean, this will put you on top of the list. The American Red Cross is a great place to get one.
- Professional Nanny Certification. The American Council of Nanny Schools has a list of approved courses you can take. With them, you’ll become a certified nanny and your resume will be enriched.
- Positive discipline training. Disciplining children is a big part of a nanny’s job. Positive discipline helps children to develop emotional intelligence and social skills. It does that by focusing on positive behaviors, and it states that there are no bad children. Visit the Positive Discipline Association and find a course next to you!
With a job as important as taking care of children, your resume must reflect that. It should be clean, professional and paint a picture of who you are as a nanny. Follow our tips and you will achieve that!
