A lot of great nanny applications get filtered out before a family ever reads them. One major reason? Unintentional age bias signals.
It’s not fair, but it does happen.
And small details on your resume can trigger it before families even see your value.
You can’t control bias, but you can control how your resume presents your value.
Here’s how to make sure your resume works for you, not against you:
1. Don’t let them calculate your age before they see your value
You don’t need to include:
• Date of birth
• Graduation dates
• Exact years of experience
• Jobs from 25+ years ago
Quick tip:
Instead of “26 years of experience,” you can say “10+ years of experience.”
It communicates expertise without inviting bias.
2. You don’t need to show your full career timeline
Your resume is not your life story.
Focus on the last 10–15 years, and prioritize the most relevant childcare roles.
Older experience isn’t always helping you, sometimes it’s doing the opposite.
Quick tip:
If it doesn’t strengthen your application for the role you want today, cut it.
3. Lead with results, not responsibilities
If your resume reads like it was written 15 years ago, it can signal that your approach hasn’t evolved.
A responsibility-based resume can come across as outdated. Today, it’s not enough to list duties, families want to see impact.
Show that you’re adaptable and aligned with modern expectations.
Quick tip:
Show how you make a difference, not just what you were assigned to do. That’s what signals you’re aligned with current expectations.
4. Update your language
If your language hasn’t evolved, people will assume you haven’t either.
Outdated phrases like “references available upon request” can make your resume feel old,
while terms like Montessori, baby-led weaning, or gentle parenting show you’re in touch with current practices.
Quick tip:
Remove outdated phrases and intentionally include relevant, modern childcare terminology.
5. Show that you’re current
Recent training makes a huge difference.
CPR, First Aid, newborn care certifications, courses, languages. All of these signal that you’re active and evolving.
Quick tip:
Always include at least one recent certification or training to show you’re up to date.
This isn’t about hiding your age.
It’s about making sure your skills and impact speak first.
You don’t need a fancy or trendy resume to prevent people from focusing on your age.
What matters is presenting your experience in a way that feels current, so your strengths stand out before anything else does.
These adjustments help ensure your resume gets considered, not overlooked in those first few seconds.
You deserve to be evaluated on your experience and professionalism, not assumptions made in 5 seconds.
