The question uppermost in the minds of both a nanny and a parent employer at an interview is probably what the nanny is going to be paid. But for any new nanny just starting a job, a far wider range of considerations should come into play than what she can earn.
Compatibility with both the parents and the children should probably come top of the list, and good nanny agencies will make it their business to match nannies with suitable families. Even if, a few years down the line, you may be able to earn the salary levels shown in the Nannytax survey published in last month's Professional Nanny, bear in mind that future employers will be looking at your CV to see if you stayed put long enough in any one job to build up a real rapport with the children and their parents.
So concerns about pay should take second place to finding a work situation you are comfortable with and gaining that invaluable experience that the challenges of the job will bring you if you tackle them well. Of course your starting salary matters to you, but waving a copy of last month's magazine at your nanny agency consultant or at a prospective employer, and demanding to be paid what is printed there, is probably not the best way of achieving your goals. But you can be confident that market forces are on your side. You are unlikely to be disappointed by the money offered you, as long as you are realistic and don't expect to be earning from day one of your first job what a very experienced nanny can earn. You just need to build up a good track record first.
Once you have been in your job for a while, the issue of a salary review may well come up. A recent article in the Mail on Sunday magazine suggested that women are less confident than men when going into a salary review or negotiation. Women tend to be wary of risk when it comes to potentially confrontational situations.
STATE YOUR CASE
One way of taking some of the pressure off asking for a pay rise is by seeing that your right to an annual job appraisal and salary review is written into your contract (or letter) of employment when you first start a job. This means that the most you will have to do is remind your employer that the time for your review is coming up.
The timing for such encounters is a big issue in the typical modern nannying situation, where you may be going out of the door as your employer is arriving home from work. The ideal moment to discuss such matters is when neither of you are in a rush. If this moment never seems to come, then it's a good idea to fix a specific time with your employer, perhaps outside of the busy daily routine, to sit down and talk.
If you are taking the initiative in suggesting this, then it may be helpful for you to invite them to discuss any other work issues they may want to address at the same time. Ask them if they are satisfied with your performance, and pay close attention to their comments or suggestions. If they come away from the discussion with some adjustment to your routine or responsibilities agreed, and you come away with a fair pay increase and their continued support, then you'll both be happy.
The more you can let your employer see that you understand and are sympathetic to their point of view, the more likely they, too, will be able to put themselves in your shoes. They may well have a moan or a sharp comment to make about what an expensive item you are in their budget - after all, they are usually paying you out of their own already-taxed income. But this is in no way your fault. You can point out to them that it is something of a scandal that most other forms of childcare are now subsidised by the Government, in the form of childcare tax credits, while nannying is not. You might also remind them why they employed a nanny in the first place - you are probably giving them unique value for money, compared with nurseries and childminders that charge per child and are only available at fixed hours.
MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING
Where you are already earning a good rate of pay, it may be worthwhile to bargain for some type of benefit, or a slight reduction in working hours for the same pay, rather than just more money. These days more parents are letting nannies who are mothers bring their own children to work. Or there may be a particular benefit - such as a contribution to your personal pension, or health club membership - that you'd like, and this would be an obvious time to put it on the agenda.
Our pay survey showed a sharp increase in the number of part-time nanny jobs in the UK. Under recently-introduced employment legislation, part-time employees now have the same rights as full-time ones. This means that part-time nannies should be paid at the same hourly rate as full-time nannies. Nanny agencies agree that this is what is happening.
You should always look at your work situation in terms of the whole package, and not just your wage. Bear in mind that many nannies earning the best money are earning it not because they are good at salary negotiations, but because they are really good at their job. They often put themselves out for their employers beyond the line of duty, and are perceived by their employers to be indispensable to their family lives. In these circumstances, regular wage rises will take care of themselves and will be offered - without any prompting - by grateful parents.
Stephen Vahrman is the proprietor of the payroll service Nannytax
