Do you need to write a good nanny CV?
Are you a great nanny, with experience who is looking for a job right now?
Have you been sending your CV off for numerous positions and not hearing anything back?
You may think that you are ideal for a role and have lots of experience, however you may not be selling yourself in the right way! Making your own nanny CV isn't hard. It just takes knowledge of the basics, plus a little creativity.
General rules for creating your nanny CV:
Click here to view an example of a cv lay out.
- We generally focus on the top half of the first page of a nanny CV, therefore ensure that key information is in this area!
- Use a clear, easy-to-read font such as Arial or Times New Roman. Keep your font size no smaller than 10 point (depending upon the font) and no larger than 12 point for the general body of your CV. Larger point size font is only OK for your name and CV section headings (such as: Educational Background, Interests, Work History, Other Qualifications).
- At the top of the CV (personal profile area) introduce yourself and provide an overview of your experience, length of time you have worked, qualifications, if you are Ofsted registered and when you are available to work. This section shouldn't be longer than 5 lines.
- List your work experience from the most recent (the job in which you just finished or will be finishing soon in 2010) to the oldest (first job held in this field).
- When outlining your experience, ensure you stand out from the crowd. Think beyond ‘caring for children 0-2 years' mention what skills you have and demonstrated, i.e. support with weaning, potty training, implementing routines etc…
- Keep your CV to 1-2 pages. A 2 page CV is acceptable if you have had extensive experience in the relevant field (in this case nannying). Do not write a book. Parents and agencies just want a general overview of your work experience and will ask you for more detail during your interview.
- When adding references at the bottom of the CV, write ‘References available on request', rather than outlining details on the CV. If you are required by an agency or parents to provide references, you will need to provide references from families that have employed you as a nanny (or a similar childcare role). It is recommended that you list at least 3 professional references i.e. not friends or family members.
- Keep the format of the nanny CV consistent. This means if one heading is in BOLD, all headings MUST be in BOLD. Same goes for underlining, font sizes, spacing between sections etc…
- Always check your grammar and spelling, and get someone else to look at your nanny CV before you send it off!
- Use the correct language. For example, when referring to children in your nanny CV, ensure you use the word ‘children' rather than ‘kids'.
- Think like a parent, what would you want to know if you had 60 seconds to read a CV!
Useful links:
Nanny CV sample and CV support services: