How to Write a Nanny Resume (+ Nanny Skills for Resumes)

So you’d like to write a nanny resume that will land you that job. The one with paid time off, health insurance, lots of respect, and your own car, maybe? 

Doesn’t sound easy. The competition is intense. Feels like most candidates have a Mary-Poppins-level nanny resume: great references, vast experience, and excellent nannying skills. Let’s make sure your resume goes above and beyond! 

This guide will show you:

• A nanny resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a nanny resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put nanny skills on a resume.
• How to write an effective nanny job description for a resume.

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Looking for a guide relating to a similar profession? You might like:

• Stay-at-Home-Mom Resume
• Babysitter Resume
• Child Care Resume
• Tutor Resume
• Teacher Resume
• New Teacher Resume
• Preschool Teacher Resume
• Substitute Teacher Resume
• Teaching Assistant Resume
• Best Examples of Resumes for Any Job

Here's how to write a nanny resume:

Nanny Resume Example

1. Choose the Right Format for a Nanny Resume

Parents want to know you pay attention to detail. Without it, one wouldn't even get a job working for the Bluths. The best way to reflect it on your application is to ensure the resume format is perfect. 

Here’s how you get the nanny resume formatting right:

• Use a trusted resume layout. A reverse-chronological resume usually works best.
• Make good use of whitespace, eye-friendly headings, and clear, legible fonts. Best resume fonts include Helvetica, Calibri, and the good old Times New Roman (10–12 pts).
• Save your great nanny resume as a PDF. MS Word resumes can scramble during emailing.

Need more tips to write the best nanny resume since Jane Eyre's? See our article: How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide (+30 Examples)

2. Add Contact Info to Your Resume

A good nanny resume starts with a comprehensive resume header that should include:

• Your full name
• The position you’re applying for
• Current phone number
• Professional email address (make sure it’s not KittyPlayFunJaegerBombz@yahoo.com)

Like this:

That is the required contact information. But imagine the following: the McCallisters have narrowed it down to five live-in nanny resumes, including yours. But someone added a LinkedIn profile and Twitter handle. The parents checked those pages out and loved what they saw. They hired the other nanny because the application became more personal!

So feel free to add a LinkedIn/Instagram link or other relevant social media handles. That way, the families can dig deeper than your nanny resume, and there’s a chance you’ll “click” instantly.

Pro Tip:Clean up your online presence. Employers will most likely have a look, even if you don’t add the links, and you don’t want an out-of-context picture to cost you a great opportunity.

3. Write a Nanny Resume Objective or Summary

Meet Karen and Steve. They're searching for nannies for hire. The culprit is the cooing, smiling baby smashing on the laptop. They're fantastic to work for. They're also reading dozens of nanny resumes. How can you make them spend more time with yours?

Here’s how: by writing a good resume summary or resume objective.

A resume summary proves you're perfect for the nanny job, with oodles of experience. A resume objective does the same by showing passion, even if you lack experience (thus being a great idea for a resume for a first job).

Look at the nanny bio examples below, and see what sets a good one apart:

Nanny Resume Summary Example

That first one? Totally Mrs. Doubtfire. Chock-full of measurable proof!

Resume Objective Example for a Nanny Resume With No Experience

Big difference, right? That first nanny resume example could probably get you hired by the Huxtables. The trick is volunteer work and part-time babysitting (this is where the six clients come from). Remember that you can and should mention volunteer work on a resume if it qualifies as relevant experience.

Pro Tip: To avoid writer’s block, write this section last. This way, you’ll have all the information in front of you, making it easier to summarize.

4. Write a Nanny Job Description for Your Resume

Let's say you're trying to get hired by The Incredibles. Your professional nanny resume will need to show experience finding invisible girls. Adding a history of keeping up with bullet-fast boys would be good.

But, if you're applying to Hermione Granger's parents, you'll need to show resistance to magic spells. Plus, prove your knack for engaging with extremely brainy children.

See what's going on here? Only a tailored resume will get the job done.

To get the work experience section of your nanny resume right:

• List your last job first.
• Add 3-6 bullet points that show accomplishments (not just nanny duties and responsibilities). 
• Tie them to the nanny job description, and remember to use action words and power verbs to truly stand out.

Yep, that's how you put nannying on a resume.

Sample Nanny Job Description for a Resume

That bottom one might get hired by Peter and Lois Griffin at best, but all it really takes to get it dancing is a few measurable achievements.

Think you can only get nanny jobs with experience? Think again.

First, you already have experience. You just don't know it yet. Have you cooked meals for others? Done budgeting? Made schedules? Taught? Communicated? Those are all nanny duties for a resume!

Second, you can get experience to build a great babysitter nanny resume fast. How? By doing short-term nanny-style jobs, including:

• Babysitting
• Volunteer work for youth organizations like the YMCA or preschools
• Working for family, friends, neighbors
• Camp counseling

You can also check online forums where people ask things like, “How much do nannies cost?” or “What's the best way to find a nanny?”—those people are on the hunt for you!

Nanny Job Description for a Resume With No Experience

Angelina Jolie would hire from that first creative nanny resume sample. But here's the trick: the same person wrote both resumes!

Want to add a babysitting description to your nanny resume? See this guide: How to List Babysitting Experience on a Professional Resume

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, our professional resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

5. Mention Your Education

It's true that formal education might not be crucial to a nanny resume. However, if you have a degree—not flaunting, it is like having an UppaBaby stroller and only using it to carry laundry—it can do so much more.

How to list education on a nanny resume:

• Name your degree.
• Add school name and location.
• Indicate the period of studies.

If you don’t have much experience, your education can double as magic: use nanny resume bullet points to prove you fit the job, just like you did in the work experience section.

Nanny Resume Examples of Education

Wow. Suddenly, you're Maria from The Sound of Music! And remember, a GPA should go on a resume only if it’s high. Otherwise, it’s just going to backfire.

Want your nanny resume education section to turn heads like Pippi Longstocking? See our guide: How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips & Examples]

6. Choose the Right Nanny Skills for a Resume

Let's check back with our awesome parents, Steve and Karen. They're in a room with big, sunny windows, munching homemade coffee cake and poring through 300+ nanny resumes. They're looking for the right skills and qualities. Only a few nanny resumes will have them. Be one of those few.

Here’s how you select the top nanny skills for a resume:

• Read the nanny resume job description. 
• Highlight all the nannying skills you see.
• List them on your nanny resume. 
• Add extras, so you're not just pandering.
• Prove your nanny skills on a resume by showing them in your experience and education bullet points.

Let's say you're applying for an infant nanny resume position. It values the following nannying skills: newborn care, attention to detail, and prepping baby formula.

You'll put those in your skills list, plus changing diapers and doing laundry.

Then you'll prove them in your nanny resume bullet points, like this:

Newborn Nanny Skills on a Resume (Sample)

They're all there. Those last two resume bullet points show attention to detail. With a formula like that, the Bradys will hire you if Alice ever quits.

Here are some extra suggestions for what skills to put on your resume:

List of Top Nanny Skills for a Resume

• Communication Skills
• Pediatric First Aid
• Physical Stamina
• Problem-Solving Skills
• CPR
• Newborn Care
• Love of Children
• Cooking
• Toddler Care
• Nonsmoker
• Planning Meals for Children
• Young Adult Care
• Reliability
• Laundry
• Dressing Children
• Listening Skills
• Transporting Children
• Teamwork Skills
• Clean Driving Record
• Helping with Homework
• Interpersonal Skills
• Teaching
• Scheduling Activities
• Patience
• Preparing Baby Formula
• Language Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Changing Diapers
• MS Office Skills

Pro Tip: Is not smoking a skill? Not exactly, but 89% of parents say they won't hire smokers. Yet most won't list it on a nanny resume! If you do, you're way ahead.

7. Add Other Sections for an Effective Resume

Remember our fantastic parents, Karen and Steve? They've narrowed down “the pile” to 30 nanny resumes. All show similar skills, experience, and education. And they all seem great at carrying out nanny duties.

Make it easy for them! Add some Supernanny extra sections that show you're more than just a sheet of paper.

Here’s what you can include as additional information on your resume for a nanny:

Certificates & Licenses

• Child Development Associate (CDA)
• Pediatric First Aid & CPR
• Scored a 95% on the 4NannyTraining.com Nanny Skills Assessment

Volunteer Work

• Regular volunteer at YMCA as a youth mentor

Hobbies & Interests

• Take weekly yoga classes to stay fit.
• Listen to the NannyWise podcast regularly.

Pro Tip: Don't put references on a resume for a nanny. If you've got some glowing reviews, add them in your bullet points as resume accomplishments. You can still mention that you can provide letters of recommendation from parents.

8. Write a Nanny Cover Letter

Nobody reads cover letters anymore. Right?

Correction. Nobody reads boring cover letters. You know, the ones that go, “Hi, I'm Sue, I'm great, I'm looking for a job, here is my nanny resume.” That letter might as well get eaten by the very hungry caterpillar.

Here's how to get your nanny cover letter right:

• Make it personal. Address the parents by name.
• Make it passionate. Share your excitement about the job. If you can learn a detail you like about the parents or referral agency, use it.
• Make it tantalizing (in a good way). Add 1-2 accomplishments to whet the appetite.
• Use a call to action. That's as simple as, “I'd love to talk with you about your needs.”
• Follow up. A thank-you note a few days after you submit your nanny resume can put you top-of-mind.

And with all that, you’re done!

Want to see how this all works in action? Need a sample for your nanny cover letter? See our guide: How To Write A Nanny Cover Letter [Complete Guide With Examples]

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Even with a perfect nanny resume template in front of you, writing your own is still a challenge. So let’s go over it one more time:

• Start by looking at the job description. 
• Open your resume with an objective or summary.
• Prove your cred in bullet points. Show measurable accomplishments.
• Highlight all the nanny responsibilities and nanny duties in the job ad and use those keywords on your resume. 
• Bring out your best nannying skills.
• Add other sections to show who you are as a person. In a resume for a nanny, that means interests, hobbies, and other extras.

Do you have questions on how to write a nanny resume? Not sure how to describe your nanny skills or achievements? Give us a shout in the comments! We'll answer as soon as we can!

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