It’s certainly not breaking news that technology is a part of all of our lives, but for nannies that have been in their careers for some time, it’s incredible to see how much has changed in the world of childcare. If you welcome this with open arms and are up to date on all of the latest and greatest, this may be old news. However, if technology is a weakness of yours, it’s important to read on as this may impact your chances at a future nanny role.
It starts with the Mom’s Best Friend process. When you sign on or reactivate with us, you will need to complete or update an online application, including uploading a photo, and many other important documents. You will also need to sign documents using your phone or desktop, such as our candidate agreements and background check releases. Next, you will need to conduct a Zoom interview (if you are a new candidate, and sometimes for returning candidates we haven’t seen for numerous years), which is a great primer for a future interview with a family. When you are through the process, you will respond to emails and texts, apply to jobs online, and have a video interview with families as a first step (could be Zoom, FaceTime, Meet, Teams, etc.).
Next it’s interview time! If you’ve looked at a baby registry lately, you’ve probably seen a LOT of products that weren’t around just 5-10 years ago. Things like Snoo smart bassinets, Baby Brezza bottle makers, Nanit Smart Baby Monitors, GPS baby tracking monitors, and Owlet smart sock (tracks baby’s oxygen levels and heart rate while they sleep) are just to name a few! It’s important for you to have some idea of what the latest and greatest products do when speaking with parents in order to give them confidence in your abilities.
Once you have a nanny job, many families want nannies to use apps for daily communication and information sharing. They may also have you use apps to track your mileage or your time. For little ones, digital literacy starts young, and parents expect you to have a basic understanding of safe technology use (although most parents prefer reducing or eliminating screen time). As the children are older, sometimes educational apps are used for learning or tutoring.
If this all sounds overwhelming, please know that not every new gadget is going to be used in every home, nor do they need to be mastered overnight! But being stuck in old ways or relying on old information just isn’t going to cut it, so we urge you to do some research. Even if you already work for a family and it doesn’t seem to be an issue, you may impress them by suggesting new technology that could make their lives easier! The key is to stay curious and open!
If you have any questions, please contact our Staffing Specialist and former nanny, Melanie! Some of her favorite apps are Baby Connect and Huckleberry (for newborn tracking), Mile IQ (for tracking mileage), and Trello (lists, To Dos, project organization).