When you need to find work as quickly as possible and you see live-out positions (no housing or relocation offered) that perfectly match your profile but the only problem for your application to be considered is your location (you live too far away and you cannot commute every day), it is very frustrating…
So to increase their chances of finding work, many nannies are willing to move anywhere, anytime, and even at their own expense!
They know full well that their applications will be rejected because of their location, but they apply anyway, clearly stating that they can relocate immediately and at their own expense, and they hope that being ready to relocate without any notice or assistance from their future employer may work in their favor.
It’s not really a good idea to offer to move at your own expense to try to get a nanny job.
Firstly because it will not increase your chances of finding work (on the contrary you will rather be perceived as desperate) but above all because people are unreliable in this industry, so it’s hazardous to offer to relocate at your own expense to try to find work.
Things don’t always work out between the candidate and the family. Sometimes families change their minds and cancel the contract before the end, or even shortly after it begins! Sometimes it’s the candidate who wants to leave the family earlier than planned, sometimes as soon as they start working for the family. Imagine: you make big changes in your life and incur a number of expenses thinking they are worth it, but things don’t work out with the family and you have to leave after a few days or a week… you risk finding yourself in a real mess and having financial problems. You’ll regret offering to move at your own expense, and you’ll have no recourse if things don’t go as planned.
Fortunately, recruiters and employers generally do not consider candidates who live too far away for live-out positions and who offer to relocate at their own expense, because they know that it is risky for the candidate if things do not go well with the family, and they do not want to be held responsible in the event of a problem.
If a recruiter or employer is interested in your application for a live-out position, even though you are not already based there, you should consider this a red flag!
