1- They are not the only way to find a nanny job
They are obviously a very good way to find a nanny job since they specialize in placing nannies, but not all families looking for a nanny go to a nanny agency to find one.
If you network with the right people and advertise your services in the right places, you may very well find a nanny job without the help of a nanny agency.
For example, you can sometimes find amazing positions via hospitality, yachting or real estate agencies.
There are also many family offices, concierge services or other firms that work with HNW/UHNW people, who are looking for nannies for their clients and who do not need any intermediary person…
And obviously, there are plenty of nannies, personal assistants, house managers who can put you in direct contact with their current or previous employers who are looking for a nanny.
So network like a pro to find these opportunities!
2- The biggest agencies are not always the best
A bigger agency does not mean a more professional agency or an agency that cares more about its candidates. Signing up with a big agency doesn’t mean you’ll be guaranteed a job either.
Sometimes bigger agencies only care about money and profit and since they are not paid by the candidates, they can be very rude to them…
The larger the agencies, the more they are saturated with candidates. If you only apply with these big agencies, you do not really increase your chances of being placed…
There are plenty of smaller, less popular agencies that have perfectly decent positions to fill too! Sometimes these smaller agencies can help you better and it is more efficient to go through them.
Choose the agencies you like the most obviously, but keep in mind that it’s important to target the right ones and that not all of them will be able to help you!
3- The industry has also changed for recruiters, and it is also more difficult for them
Many nannies who have trouble finding a job start their own agency because they figure it’s easier to bring in money when you’re on the recruiting side. This is not the case at all : nanny agencies are not always successful in placing a candidate, they do not fill all the positions they advertise (far from it), and often they spend hours working for nothing!
Many small agency owners run their nanny agency and have another job or business on the side.
Recently, many nanny agencies have started offering new services (e.g. babysitting services) or have had to start offering their services in new locations to continue doing business.
This past year, some other agencies had to lay off staff or close altogether because the money wasn’t coming in as expected.
The agencies that are doing well financially are those that are diversifying (those that also place other house staff, for example) or those that are super selective, both with their clients and with the candidates.
Believe it or not, times are tough for some nanny agencies too!
