The Importance of a well written Resume!

The first step is to choose a resume template and format that will efficiently highlight your skills and qualifications. You can go here to choose the best resume format for you.  

• Contact Information: Make sure your full name, phone number, email and home address are at the top of the resume and in a large enough font size to stand out. 

Objective:  The objective statement; is relevant to the positions for which you are applying. For example: If the job postings require a live-in assistance and  if you're seeking this type of position, stating so in your objective shows potential employers that you're a good match. For instance, "Seeking a live-in nanny position in which my degree in Early Childhood Education, caring nature and optimistic attitude will make the difference in the lives of the children in my care" clarifies that you want a live-in position and expresses your talents.

• . If you are applying for several different types of childcare positions such as nanny, babysitter, mother's helper, preschool teacher, daycare etc., , make sure you create a separate objective/resume for each position or else leave this section off the resume entirely.
• Qualifications/Skills: Typically is a bullet list at the top of the resume that quickly outlines what unique qualifications/skills you possess that set you apart.  Try to focus on the unique skills, personality traits, and experience you have rather than the standard “good communicator,” or “excellent at multi-tasking,” that are usually seen in most cookie cutter resume templates.  Are you multilingual and capable to teach children a second language? Are you really good at working with a certain age group and their developmental needs? Do you have amazing craft skills? Do you have excellent rapport with children of all ages? Do you know how to play the piano? Make sure to emphasize that in your resume to make it unique.
• Professional Childcare Experience:Obviously the most important part of your resume, and ignore that the old rule that a resume needs to be only one page for it no longer applies.
• Include ALL relevant childcare positions, no matter how old or if you still have the reference.  By showing your complete work history it gives a clear picture of your experience level and professionalism.
• List positions in REVERSE chronological order from most recent position to oldest.
• Make sure to include the dates you worked, the position held, the ages of children from start to finish, job duties, and why the position ended.
• For each childcare position, when listing job responsibilities make sure you detail out all you did for that particular family. Sometimes this gets overlooked and families really want to see if you’ve done similar duties to their job.
• If you have done regular babysitting for various families, you can lump them together or separate them out.
• If there are any gaps in your childcare experience that were filled with other positions, consider separating those positions out under a separate section entitled: Work Experience
• Education: Include secondary and all higher education, training courses such as CPR, and any other continuing education you have pursued.  You may not think a dance or pottery class you have taken is relevant, but families are often looking for well rounded candidates that may have diverse interests to be shared with their children.  Make sure to date your education and note if a degree was achieved.
• Other: You may have excellent computer skills or have done a lot of volunteering work. If so, make sure you list it and include any relevant information that will give recruiters and prospect employers insight into your personality and in what you have to contribute to their family.
• References:Consider developing 2 resumes. One with your references included and one without. If you are going to be sending your resume to lots of agencies or families, you don’t want everyone to call your references before they meet you. That may burn your references out.  Also, make sure to contact all your references prior to your job search to alert them they may be getting several calls.  That way they will expect the calls and be able to respond to them in a timely manner.

Sample Resumes and Templates:

If you are having trouble starting the process you can contact us for help or follow this link to nanny resume examples:

Personal Touch Career Services example 

Additional, Microsoft Word has a diversified number of templates that can provide the framework of the resume so you just input your information.

Feel free to share with us any resume writing tips that you have learned in the comments section below! This entry was posted in A.B.L.E Inc, Blog

Live-in Position - While some parents only want nannies to come in and care for their children while they're at work, other job postings request live-in assistance. If you're seeking this type of position, stating so in your objective shows potential employers that you're a good match. For instance, "Seeking a live-in nanny position in which my degree in Early Childhood Education, caring nature and optimistic attitude will make the difference in the lives of the children in my care" clarifies that you want a live-in position and expresses your talents.

Personal Assistant and Nanny - Along with childcare, some families seek an employee to assist one or both parents by running errands, caring for pets and even help with a home-based business. When applying for this type of position, your objective might state, "Seeking a nanny position with a private household that will allow me to employ my experience and expertise as a childcare provider and personal assistant to enrich the lives of both the children and their parents."

Nanny/Housekeeper - If you're open to cleaning a home as well as caring for children, you might have a broader base of positions available to you. Some families seek a nanny who provides light housekeeping, while others primarily want a housekeeper who also cares for children part of the time, such as after school. You can adapt your objective to fit the job posting, such as, "Seeking a position that will utilize my diverse set of childcare, as well as my proficient housekeeping skills."

Bilingual Nanny - Many families seek a nanny who speaks two or more languages. In some cases, this is because the family's first language is something other than English, while other parents want their children exposed to another language at an early age and are not bilingual themselves. Adding your language skills to your resume can always help you stand out, but it is especially beneficial when you're applying for a position that specifically calls for a bilingual employee. Your objective might state, "Experienced nanny, fluent in English and Portuguese, seeks a live-in position in which I can make a difference in the lives of children under my care."

Related Reading: List of Sample Human Resources Resume Objectives