If you love working with kids and want to take things one step beyond babysitting, you’ll need a great nanny CV to find the perfect family and get started. Now is the ideal moment, as nannies are in high demand and opportunities abound for motivated candidates.
Your CV is the place to show a potential employer (probably parents!) that you have what it takes to keep their little cherubs happy and healthy. Luckily, we’ve got the resources you need to do just that. Resume.io offers dozens of job-specific CV examples and writing guides.
In this guide and the corresponding nanny CV example, we’ll cover the following:
- What does a nanny do?
- How to write a nanny CV (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a nanny CV
- Advice on each section of your CV (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional CV layout and design hints.
What does a nanny do?
Nannies are childcare professionals that usually work in private homes looking after children. Unlike babysitters, who are often called for sporadic help, nannies generally have a set schedule and work multiple days a week. They sometimes live within the home of the family.
Nannies can take on a wide range of tasks but some of their principal duties include:
- Helping children get ready for school, packing lunches and backpacks
- Taking care of babies and toddlers throughout the day
- Cooking and serving meals based on child preferences and parent guidance
- Picking up kids from school or driving them to after school activities
- Helping kids with homework or playing with them in the afternoon
- Light housekeeping duties like doing dishes or laundry
- Taking care of any pets the family may have
- Tending to emergencies and updating parents about the health and activities of their children
While nannying is sometimes seen as a stepping stone for young people, childcare can easily become a career — and even a lucrative one. Britain's most sought-after nannies, graduates of Norland College, can make up to £120,000 a year!
How to write a nanny CV
In order to succinctly convey your skills and abilities, your nanny CV will need to contain certain standard elements. Here’s the right structure:
- The CV header
- The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The CV skills section
- The education section
If you have a lot of experience as a nanny, you may want to consider updating your CV for each new position you apply for. Learn more about the family’s needs and lean into them in your CV. For example, if you’ve already worked with children who have food allergies, make sure to note that in your summary when applying to work for a family with their own dietary restrictions.
You can also create and save different versions of your CV for different age groups. After all, a nanny for newborns has a very different day than one who works primarily with preteens.
For more inspiration, check out our related CV samples including our:
Choosing the best CV format for a nanny
Nannies have a few options when choosing the best CV format, but it largely depends on how much experience a candidate has. If you’ve worked in multiple childcare positions, or have held related, traditional employment, the reverse chronological CV format will likely suit you best. This is considered the ‘standard’ CV format and is commonly expected by employers.
Reverse chronological CVs focus on the employment history section where you can list previous jobs going back up to ten years. However, this is not the only type of format. The function or hybrid models are also good options for candidates with limited experience or those making a career change. Read more about them in our guide to CV formats.
CV header
Your CV header is the first section right at the top of the page. The header holds your name and contact information so the hiring manager can find it easily should they want to get in touch with you. Common elements of the header include your phone number and email address, but you may also want to include your LinkedIn or any professional social media accounts.
Want to make an impact? Adding a friendly and appropriate headshot to your header can help you stand out as an approachable candidate. The header is also a great place to add a splash of colour and create your own ‘personal brand.’
Consider the file type
Nothing’s worse than a perfect CV layout that shows up as a scrambled mess on the prospective employer’s computer. Keep your design the same from one computer to another by choosing the right file type. If submitting to an online application portal, you may be asked for a .docx file. Otherwise, a PDF is the way to go for printing and emailing.
CV summary example
Think of the CV summary as a way to greet an employer or family before you step foot in their home. These three-to-five sentences are practically the only place on your CV where you’ll be able to showcase your personality and highlight the specific talents you have.
Nanny jobs aren’t just about previous experience but how well you fit with the needs and style of the family. Help the family get to know you in the summary so that they will be more likely to reach out for an interview. See how this is done in our adaptable CV sample below.
Nanny with 6+ years of live-in experience for babies, toddlers, and young children. A self-starter with a proven track record of being proactive, reliable, and deeply caring. CPR and First Aid certified with an associates degree in Early Childhood Education and experience in foreign languages tutoring.
Employment history sample
Next up, the employment history section is the place to get into the details of your previous experience and why it relates to the nanny role. It can make or break your nanny CV. Make sure to offer the job title, employer name, dates worked, and location.
Under each of these subheadings, add four or five bullet points about your main responsibilities and accomplishments within the job. Make sure to tailor these bullet points to the needs of the family. Don’t forget to mention duties and skills that you’ve completed in other nanny roles.
If this is your first time applying for work as a nanny, and if your previous roles aren’t directly related to childcare, make sure to highlight the reasons why the past job prepared you for the nanny position. For example, a job in customer service may have taught you patience and how to keep a positive attitude. Focus on transferable skills – abilities that carry over from one position to the next. Check out our CV sample below to get started.
Live-in Nanny at Fulton Nannies, London
May 2017 - Present
- Caring for three girls currently aged 2, 7, and 9-years-old.
- Offering daily care for youngest child since age of 6 weeks.
- Acclimated to different stages of the children's lives, beginning at home, and transitioning to the schooling stage.
- Handled all aspects of morning care, from making breakfast and getting everyone ready, to seeing them off to school.
- Provided safe and timely transportation to and from school and after-school activities.
- Tutored the children in Spanish.
- Handled various housekeeping duties in addition to caring for the children.
- Cared for two household dogs and ensured they were fed and walked.
Nanny at Greyfield Childcare, London
August 2015 - June 2017
- Cared for two sisters aged 6 months and 5 years old for two years.
- Maintained an organised and stable household environment and completed housekeeping duties in addition to childcare duties.
- Managed children's general daytime schedules including meal preparation, bathing, school run, and indoor and outdoor activities.
- Followed daily speech therapy practice for older child.
- Provided basic household management during busy periods.
- Organised and facilitated play dates, as well as birthday and holiday celebrations.
CV skills example
What do you place in the skills section of your CV when the whole document is about skills? Think of the skills section as a place to catch the reader’s attention and make sure they don’t miss key elements of your experience and abilities.
Make sure to include a mix of hard and soft skills. You should also include any requirements from the job description, like having a driver’s licence, for example. Get more inspiration from our CV sample.
- Educated in Child Development.
- Knowledge and Implementation of Montessori Theory.
- Awareness of Safety Precautions for Young Children.
- Foreign Languages Tutoring.
- Cooking of Household Meals.
- Friendly and Outgoing Attitude.
Hard vs soft skills
If you’re wondering about the difference between hard and soft skills, let’s break it down. Hard skills are learned traits that are usually job-specific, although in the case of a nanny they may be more general. Examples of hard skills for your nanny CV include the ability to drive a car, CPR certification, tutoring abilities, or even the ability to cook.
Soft skills are your personality traits and the innate qualities that make you right for the job even if you’re new to the position. Examples of soft skills for a nanny could include punctuality, ability to follow instructions, a love of working with children, and trustworthiness.
Nanny CV education example
While nannies aren’t required to have formal education, there are key certifications that can show a parent you’re serious about childcare. First, list any degrees or diplomas in reverse chronological order. You may also list your marks if they show you’re a motivated student.
Should you have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, you should mention it here. The education section is also the place to mention CPR certification, babysitting courses, or any other memberships and certifications that show you’re well equipped for potential emergencies and issues. Alternately, you could create a dedicated section for training and certifications.
Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education, University of East London, London
September 2014 - May 2016
CV layout and design
Parents are interested in the details of your experience and a great CV layout puts them front and centre. For a nanny, a simple design is often best, although a touch of colour can help your CV stand out and make you a memorable applicant. Our professionally-designed CV templates allow you to try out a few different styles without wasting time on formatting questions. Here are a few more tips for a great layout:
- Create an eye-catching header to highlight your name and contact info.
- Stick with the same 1-2 font styles throughout your CV.
- Customise your CV for each position you apply to.
- Go overboard with colour or too many design elements that could distract from your experience.
- Overload the page with text making it hard to read.
- Forget to proofread before you submit!
Key takeaways for a nanny CV
- Nannies are trusted members of families’ households so it’s important to convey your dependability and passion for childcare on your CV.
- The summary is a key place to share your personality and interest in the position. Make sure to speak to the family’s particular needs.
- Reverse chronological order is the best CV format for those with previous experience but other options exist.
- Check out our adaptable nanny CV sample to get inspiration for your layout and design.
