If your nanny is applying for a specific job that requires letters of recommendation, you should address whoever’s in charge of hiring. If your nanny is applying to a job through an agency, it might be a good idea to address that agency in your letter. For example, “Dear Hiring Staff of Lancaster Nannying. "
You can start by jotting down a list of words. Write down your nanny’s best attributes on a piece of paper. Challenge yourself to think of 5 or 10 words that best describe your nanny’s best qualities. Then, write down your best memories of working with your nanny. The best letters of recommendation will include anecdotes and stories that speak to your nanny’s talent. [2] X Expert Source Jessie DavidsonChild Care Specialist Expert Interview. 11 June 2021. You may want to ask your nanny to e-mail you his or her resume. This can help jog your memory as it’s a good idea to list your nanny’s personal achievements and career success in a letter of recommendation.
You’ll usually start your letter with something like, “I am writing this letter to recommend Lacey Shepherd to your nanny agency. " If you want to set your letter apart a little, you could give a slightly more glowing recommendation. For example, “I would highly recommend the services of the Lacey Shepherd for your agency. She has been an extraordinary asset to me as a working mother. “[3] X Research source From there, you should state the basic facts. List the dates of employment, whether your nanny was a live-in or live-out nanny, and her basic responsibilities. For example, “Lacey worked for me from March of 2014 to April of 2015. She lived in a small guest room in my basement Mondays through Fridays. She supervised my children, Charlie and Olivia, while I was at work. She was responsible for getting the kids ready for school in the morning, driving them home after school, preparing snacks and meals, and accompanying Olivia to her various extracurricular activities on the days I worked late. “[4] X Expert Source Jessie DavidsonChild Care Specialist Expert Interview. 11 June 2021. [5] X Research source
List traits in terms of features and benefits. What positive attributes did your nanny have and how did those attributes help you? A prospective employer is interested in how a job candidate could benefit him or her. [8] X Expert Source Jessie DavidsonChild Care Specialist Expert Interview. 11 June 2021. [9] X Research source For example, don’t just say, “Lacey had a lot of patience. " Instead, write something like, “Lacey is a tremendously patient person, which was helpful as Charlie has a learning disability. Lacey took the time needed to help Charlie with his homework each night and, as a result, he excelled in school. He earned a B+ in math the semester Lacey worked for us. " The trait is Lacey’s patience and the benefit is your son’s academic success. [10] X Research source
Read over the traits you listed above. Say you claimed your nanny was very hardworking. Can you think of a time she used this trait to help you as a parent? Is there a story you can tell to illustrate this strength? For example, say your daughter wanted to act in a pageant for school. You had volunteered to make costumes for some of the other children, but had an unexpected obligation come up at work. Your nanny stayed late on a Friday night to help you finish all the costumes you had put off, making jokes and maintaining a positive attitude to keep you calm. This would be a great anecdote to include in order to illustrate your nanny’s work ethic.
Achievements should showcase how your nanny went above and beyond the call of duty. Focus on achievements relevant to the job. It may impress you to know your nanny was an honors student at Brown, but it may not be important to someone looking for someone to watch their kids. Talk about achievements that occurred while your nanny was working with you. For example, something like, “Lacey helped Olivia memorize a William Blake poem for a school contest. She stayed after hours each night to help. Due to Lacey’s dedication, Olivia came in second place. “[13] X Research source Any special skills also warrant mentioning. Maybe your nanny is a highly skilled chef. Maybe she’s good at arts and crafts. Any skills that would prove useful to a parent should be listed. Stay away from jargon, however. For example, if your kids have special dietary needs that your nanny had to keep track of, avoid listing any medications or medical terms. The person reading the letter does not need to know this. He or she only needs to know that your nanny was able to keep track of your kid’s diet. [14] X Research source
Two or three sentences should be adequate. Try something like, “Once again, I would very much recommend Lacey’s services to anyone looking for a quality nanny. She is a patient, hardworking, and caring individual whose presence had a tremendously positive impact on my family. “[18] X Research source
