For parents who can’t justify the added expense of paying a nanny agency to recruit a potential nanny for them, there are several ways to recruit nanny candidates for free.
For many families, extended family members are the best childcare providers, and there are no costs associated with asking one to provide care. But since families no longer live as close together as they did in years past, finding a family member who can commit to providing regular childcare isn’t always easy. In these cases, childcare must be outsourced.
While word-of-mouth is an effective way to recruit nannies for free, leveraging social media is another effective, no cost way to recruit viable nanny candidates. By simply updating your Facebook status or tweeting your childcare needs, you are likely to generate many feasible nanny leads.
Posting nanny wanted advertisements in print and online classifieds and on local community related bulletin boards is another way to recruit nannies for free. A well written post with a detailed job description is likely to generate many worthwhile nanny leads.
If your child’s school or church has a newsletter, consider placing an ad there. Most schools and churches won’t charge members to share their needs with others in the community.
Message boards for moms can be another excellent way to recruit nanny candidates. Facebook, Yahoo! Groups, Meet Up groups and private email lists provide an opportunity to share your needs with others in your peer group. Even if you don’t get specific names and numbers of nannies seeking employment, members can likely direct you to the best local places to recruit a nanny.
For some parents, paying to find a nanny simply isn’t an option. In these cases, parents must think outside of the box to secure high quality care without a pricy finder’s fee.
10 Free Ways to Find a Nanny
When it comes to the care of your child, there is nothing more important than finding a qualified caregiver. Whether you need a full or part-time nanny, finding the right person is essential. Thankfully, there are easy, free ways that you can recruit nanny candidates.
- Referrals. In some cases, word-of-mouth can be one of the best ways to find a nanny, especially if the referral is from a source that you trust. However, before you hire someone based purely on a good recommendation, it is important to ensure that the nanny fits your family’s specific care needs.
- Classified ads. Many online sites allow parents to view information about nannies seeking employment for free.
- Online searches. There are numerous websites that will allow parents to search for nannies seeking employment. In most cases, these sites are free and do not require you to pay anything to search their listings.
- Craigslist. Not only are the childcare listings on Craigslist viewed by many nannies and parents alike – the site is free to both. It may be worth posting an ad for a nanny; even if 90% of the responses you receive are not quality, your perfect nanny could be waiting in the other 10%!
- Bulletin boards. Another free way to advertise a nanny job is to place flyers or informational postings on local bulletin boards around town.
- Local organizations. It is worth checking with your local organizations to see if they know of a reliable nanny looking for a job. Churches, schools and community centers can be great resources.
- Word-of-mouth. Another great, free way to find a nanny can simply be to ask around. If you have friends who have a nanny, you can ask them how they found their nanny and if they, or even their nanny, know of anyone looking for a job.
- Nanny groups. Many communities boast nanny groups that offer networking opportunities for nannies. Sharing your need with an established group can result in nanny leads.
- Recruit a daycare teacher. Many daycare teachers have the necessary skills to become a nanny, although there would be a learning curve when it comes to working in a home environment. Since nannies typically earn more, a daycare teacher may jump at the opportunity to work in private in-home care.
- Social media. It costs nothing to share your childcare needs with those in your social network, and you’ll probably be surprised at how many leads you’ll generate from doing so.
Paying a hefty recruiting fee on top of a nanny’s annual salary can be a tough financial commitment to swallow. Before paying a hefty placement fee, you may wish to try to recruit nannies on your own. Seasoned nannies who are looking for the right job with the right family are likely to extend their search beyond the traditional placement agency, so don’t be fooled into thinking there is only one way to recruit qualified nannies. Regardless of how you find a nanny, you still have to make sure to conduct a thorough screening of the candidate you wish to hire so that you can make an educated and informed decision about who to employ.
