Growing Into a Household Management or Personal Assistant Position

Kate Weeger is a Recruiting Counselor (RC) on the Estate Staffing team. During her time at T+C, Kate has gained expertise on how to make a successful transition from a Nanny/Family Assistant role to a Household Management and Personal Assistant position. It can be a logical step, as employers’ children grow, a family requests tasks outside the scope of childcare. This is an excellent opportunity for Nannies/Family

Assistants to grow into Household Managers and Personal Assistants. Here are some of Kate’s tips to encourage the transition:

Communicate –

Share your interests and long-term goals to grow into a PA or HM. Discuss which duties you already feel proficient in and what areas you would like to develop. For example, if your employer is planning a party, let them know you’d like to assist in hiring the caterer, purchasing decorations and securing a venue.

A good time to sit down with your employer is during an annual review, but this type of growth shouldn’t be limited to a once a year window. If you’re not due for a review, ask to schedule a meeting when the children are occupied with an activity, already asleep or at school. This meeting will be essential to ensure everyone is on the same page. Be receptive to feedback and communicate areas in which you think your role can grow.

Take the Initiative –

Is the family going on vacation?  Look at the weather for their location, then wash, fold, and pack any necessary items for the children. Maybe your employer has already asked you to do this task before, but the key to showing initiative is doing it before being asked. You might even ask the parents if they would like help planning activities while they are away!

Has the refrigerator been acting up? The faucet in the bathroom leaking? Ask your employer if you can schedule a repair person to fix any items looming on the family’s to-do list. Take it upon yourself to manage the repair of household items and be home when the vendors show up. Enter the appointment in a shared calendar so your employer knows you have it covered! Creating a calendar event demonstrates tech skills and ability to execute the task.

Simple scheduling tasks are also a great start to show your initiative. Ask your employer if she wants you to schedule any personal appointments over the weekend or offer to plan and make reservations for date night. Demonstrating this all-in mentality shows your employer that you’re here for more than their child’s well-being, you’re here for them too!

Offer to take on additional errands beyond those involving the children. Tasks could include handling the dry cleaning; returning items to retail stores, mailing back online orders and shopping for household items.

Offer to take on household organizational projects too. Ask if you can organize the children’s drawers and closets. Set aside items that the child(ren) have outgrown. Ask your employer if they would like you to vacuum pack the clothing to save or donate to a local shelter. Ask if you can organize kitchen drawers, linen closets, or the laundry room. Make sure you label and document your process so they can replicate the system.

If you want to make the switch from childcare focused jobs to Personal Assistant/Household Manager positions, try implementing some of these tips. Show initiative and communicate with your employer. Typically, employers would like to keep their Nannies long-term, but cannot justify the cost once their children are older and no longer need as much care. If you can make a case that your skills extend beyond childcare and benefit the whole family, especially the parent(s), they might be more inclined to keep you employed with their family. You should also reach out to your Recruiter at T+C! She can give you personalized tips on how to grow into your current position.