A nanny is hired differently from an office employee. There is no HR department, no competency matrix, and no second round with a hiring manager — there are parents deciding whether to let a stranger into their home and near their child. That is why a CV that would work perfectly well in the corporate world often gets no reply here, while a modest one-page document from a candidate who understood what the family was actually reading gets a call the same day.
Why a Nanny's CV Is Read Differently
A private employer is not assessing career growth. They are answering three questions: can this person be trusted with the child, will she fit into this particular household, and how long is she likely to stay. Everything in your CV either answers those questions or takes up space. A list of duties copied from a job description answers none of them; a line saying "twins, from 4 months to 2.5 years, live-in, family of five, contract ended when the children started nursery" answers all three at once.
The Structure of a Strong CV
Header. Name, age, city and country of residence, citizenship, visas and work permits, languages with an honest level, driving licence.
A three-line summary. Who you are professionally, the age range you specialise in, and the format you are looking for. Not "responsible and loving" — that is what everyone writes.
Experience, newest first. For each family: period, country and city, the children's ages at the start and end, household format (live-in, live-out, rotation), how many staff worked in the house, your actual responsibilities, and the reason the contract ended.
Education and certificates. Pedagogical or medical education, first aid, early development methods, language certificates — with dates and issuing bodies.
Practical details. Readiness to travel and relocate, attitude to pets, swimming, cooking for children, experience with special needs, non-smoker.
References. Names, roles and contacts of families willing to speak — or a note that references are available on request.
Two pages is the natural limit. If the experience does not fit, cut the oldest jobs rather than shrinking the font.
Photo, Video Introduction, and References
A photo is expected in this profession: a clear, recent, neutral portrait in daylight, with no filters, sunglasses, or party backgrounds. A short video introduction of one to two minutes is increasingly requested by international families — say who you are, your experience, why you work with children, and what you are looking for. It is not an audition; families use it to hear your language level and see how you hold yourself.
References are the single most important element. Ask each family for a written recommendation at the end of the contract, while the relationship is warm and the details are fresh. A reference with a name, dates, and contact details is worth more than a page of self-description.
Five Mistakes That Cost Interviews
A generic list of duties. "Care, walks, meals" describes any nanny in the world. Specifics describe you.
Gaps left unexplained. A family will notice a missing year and imagine the worst. One line — study, maternity leave, family circumstances, relocation — closes the question.
Exaggerated language levels. "Fluent English" is checked in the first three minutes of the interview, and the whole CV loses credibility with it.
Details about previous employers. Names, addresses, business affairs, photographs of the children. This is the fastest way to be rejected: the family sees exactly how you will talk about them.
One CV for every vacancy. A family with a newborn, a family with three schoolchildren, and a travelling family are looking for three different things. Reorder the emphasis each time.
How the Interview Process Works
Stage 1 — the agency
A consultant checks documents and references and clarifies what you are actually looking for: format, country, schedule, expectations. This is the moment to be direct. A specialist who hides that she is not ready for constant travel loses the placement two months in, not at the interview.
Stage 2 — a call with the parents or the family's assistant
Usually a video call of thirty to sixty minutes. Language, manner, and reaction to unexpected questions are assessed alongside experience. Take the call from a quiet, tidy room with good light, and keep your CV and certificates to hand.
Stage 3 — meeting the child
Sometimes online, more often in person. The family is watching how you make contact: whether you get down to the child's eye level, whether you address the child rather than only the parents, whether you can hold attention without a phone or sweets.
Stage 4 — the trial day or trial week
Paid work under observation. This is where most decisions are actually made.
Questions to Be Ready For
Describe a day with a child of the age ours is now.
What do you do when a child refuses to eat, or has a tantrum in a public place?
How do you handle it when the parents' instructions contradict what you consider right?
What did the last family do that you found difficult?
Why did you leave each of your previous positions?
What are your plans for the next two or three years?
Answer with situations rather than adjectives. "The child would not eat, so I stopped insisting, removed the plate without comment, and offered the same food an hour later" tells a parent more than any statement about patience.
What to Ask the Family
Candidates who ask nothing look indifferent. Ask about the child's routine and character, the parenting principles the family holds, who else works in the house and how responsibilities are divided, the schedule and days off, how often the family travels, the rules on screens and sweets, and how the family prefers problems to be raised. These questions also protect you: a large share of failed placements come from expectations that were never spoken aloud.
The Trial Day
Arrive early, dress simply and practically, and leave your phone in your bag. Observe the household's rules before improving on them — how they eat, how they speak to the child, what is not done in this house. Save your questions for the end rather than asking throughout. And do not try to win the child over with sweets or unlimited screen time: parents read that instantly, and it reads as weakness rather than kindness.
What Is Checked Before an Offer
identity documents, visas, and the right to work in the country;
diplomas and certificates, including a valid first aid certificate;
a criminal record check;
a medical certificate;
direct conversations with at least two previous employers.
Prepare these in advance. A candidate who sends a complete set within a day is very often chosen over an equally strong one who spends three weeks collecting paperwork.
Working with an Agency
An agency is not a middleman between you and the family — it is the party that verifies both sides. Royal Keeper works with candidates for positions in Europe, the UAE, and the USA, taking visa requirements and local legislation into account, and helps to formalise the contract so that duties, schedule, pay, and confidentiality are fixed in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Should I put my expected salary in the CV?
Better not. Give a range when asked, and only once you know the format, the schedule, and the country — the same work is priced very differently in different places.
What if I have little experience?
Show what you do have, honestly: education, practical training, work in a nursery or a children's centre, care of relatives' children with contactable references. Families with a first baby often prefer a well-trained beginner to an experienced nanny with rigid habits.
Is a trial day paid?
Yes. A trial day is work and should be paid at the agreed daily rate. Agree the amount and the hours in advance.
How do I explain leaving a family after two months?
Briefly, factually, and without criticising the employer: the format did not match, the family relocated, the terms changed. What matters is not the short contract but the ability to talk about it calmly.