Congratulations! You have been offered a new role with a family either in the UK or abroad. You have met one of our consultants either via Skype or come into our offices in Covent Garden, London and have been successful in the interview to be able to register with us. Whether you are a seasoned Nanny or new to this rewarding career, there is always a little bit of apprehension when it comes to starting with a new family.

At Randolphs we pride ourselves at not only providing a top service to our clients but ensuring that we apply the same value and high standards to our candidates. Our consultants, some who have worked in the Industry themselves, have inside knowledge and an empathic understanding of what is involved in those first few weeks.
We have written our top tips given to us by our current candidates as well as our in-house experts to help you make the most of your placement.
There is a great deal of work behind the scenes to ensure that the client and the candidate are well matched, documents and references are verified and trial days and plenty of communication between nanny and family entails. Our first top tip to remember is:

1. Once you have successfully been placed, you are not on your own!
Randolphs understands that there can be further questions or details that come to light after the job has begun. We are here to support you and ensure that you have the best possible start. Please always call us to speak to a consultant about your queries or concerns so that we can help you.

2. Understand the kind of Nanny you are or want to be.
It is important to know what you enjoy, find challenging, how you like to communicate, what your boundaries are to name but a few points. Do you believe in the naughty step approach, would you know how to advise a parent an alternative way to discipline their little one. Do you know the area the family live in and how you can entertain the children during those long summer holidays? Having a toolkit of various ways to support a child is vital. If you don't know how you like to work because you have just started, then we will speak to you before your interview to help you prepare and start on the right foot. We have an In-house questionnaire and a Children's Nanny Toolkit guide to help you gain a deeper understanding of how you like to work and what works developmentally for a child. Please contact your consultant who will be happy to pass this onto you.

3. Communication is key!
Handover notes from the previous nanny or parent is great but what really helps is sitting down with the parent and going through the notes a few days after you have started to make sure you are completely in sync with what is expected. It also gives you a good opportunity for you to raise any concerns, observations or just connect with the parent which always improves the relationship. It is important to make time with the parent no matter how hard it may seem to be in catching them. Find a time that works for both of you and make it regular. If you are struggling to do this then contact your consultant at Randolphs who will be more than happy to discuss strategies on how to do this.

4. Remember, it takes time to get to know a new family and for them to get to know you.
Working in a home is very different to working in an office. The boundaries can take a while to establish and it can be easy to find yourself in a position where you may have over-compromised yourself or you have not asserted yourself at the right time. This is where the contract really is important to get right from the beginning. Know your hours, financial agreements when it comes to overtime and babysitting (planned or emergency), holiday allowance and terms of payment. These types of conversations are difficult to have but you have to remember that you are a professional, you are offering a very special service and your time is not for free. If you don't have these conversations, then bad habits will start to develop on both sides. You will find yourself feeling disheartened and frustrated, so it is important to face this head on. Again, speak to your Randolphs consultant to guide you through how to raise issues of this nature up with your family.

5. Be proud of your profession!
You are not a play mate for a child or someone who is just there only to practically mind a young person. Your role is to bring out the best in that child/children both emotionally and physically. You are bringing support to a family which will enable them to continue to run their household and family life with a great deal more ease. It takes a lot of training, experience, learning, and hard work to become a professional Nanny. Ensuring you enjoy your work will enable you to reap the benefits fully. We are proud to represent you, be proud of yourself too!