Working as a nanny in another country is one way to travel the world. Employer families usually provide free room and board as well as some spending money to the childcare provider. The background and references of prospective childcare workers are usually thoroughly checked families and agencies. Applicants must enjoy working with children, have CPR certification, and excellent references. Many childcare jobs in other countries are advertised, but applicants should be picky about which ones they accept.
Learning as much as possible about the culture, language, and food of the prospective family can put an applicant ahead of the competition. Knowing these things will make the hiring family feel more at ease during the interview process. It also assures parents that their children will be observed someone who has taken the time to learn about their culture. Learning a few things about each family’s culture can be helpful when applying for several different overseas childcare jobs.
While many international childcare agencies require employees to take foreign language classes, those who arrive at the agency already knowing at least one additional language are usually given priority. The applicant should learn the language spoken in the desired employment country. If an applicant wants to work in Paris, for example, he or she should learn French.
Signing up with an international nanny agency protects the applicant from bad situations. Client families are typically vetted agencies to ensure that they have the financial means to pay for the service. Some agencies also run a background check on the family to ensure there are no criminal convictions or credit issues. This provides some assurance to the applicant when accepting work through the agency.
Workers should communicate with potential families several times before accepting overseas childcare jobs. This allows everyone involved to assess whether their personalities are compatible. It also allows childcare workers to ask potential employers questions before traveling a long distance only to find out the job isn’t a good fit.
A smart safeguard for the childcare worker is to save some money to take abroad. Regardless of how much communication there is before a job is accepted, things can go wrong at any time. Nannies should keep enough cash on hand at all times to get home if necessary. Choosing international childcare jobs can be a difficult task, but with caution and research, excellent travel opportunities can be found.