I’m Perfect for This Role. Why Didn’t I Ever Hear Back About It?: A Peek Into the Matchmaking Process

You see the job. You press ‘I’m Interested’. You send us a lovely message about how excited you are. Then… nothing. You never get a text about interviewing. Why? Let us explain.

‍Vetting comes before everything else.

Before you are eligible for a role with any of our families, you’ll need to pass a few interviews, exhaustive reference checks, a social media screen, and a resume assessment. We can’t send your profile to any of our clients until you’re 100% ready. Nope, not even when we really want to. Yes, even if it seems like you would be perfect for the job. We don’t cut corners, but you can help speed things along by being responsive, scheduling interviews at your earliest convenience, preparing your references, scrubbing your social media, and making sure your resume is the best it can be.

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Screenings are the first step, but they aren’t the only step.

Once you’re completely through the vetting process, we consider every job application you submit carefully. When you press ‘I’m Interested’ and write an optional application note, you’re sending a note to us, not the family. You choose to work with an agency for guidance and protection; so do our clients. Our goal of making long-lasting matches based on fit goes both ways. We sort through applications from every interested candidate and decide the finalists for each role based on what we know about you, about the family, and what will make an enduring placement. You get opportunities that match your skills and personality, the clients don’t get bombarded with hundreds of applicants, and everyone gets what they came for. Waiting is hard, but it’s worth it.

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We mean what we say in the job descriptions.

When families tell us what schedule, experience, or flexibility they need, we believe them. If you’re allergic to cats, the family with three kittens won’t see your application. Applicants who have told us they don’t have flexibility beyond 9a-5p won’t move forward for roles that require weeks of international travel. Infant experience is nonnegotiable for positions with newborns. When our twin and triplet families ask for nannies who have worked with multiples before, those candidates get first dibs on those jobs. You probably won’t hear from us about a position offering $28-$32/hr if you send us a note saying you would only consider it for $35/hr. We wouldn’t post it if we weren’t planning to stick to it, we promise.

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Give the ad a second read-through before you apply.

It doesn’t paint you in the best light if you ask what the nannymobile situation is when the ad says “Since Mom and Dad are home all the time, so are our cars and you can use one to shuttle the kids!” The schedule, the vaccine requirements, the rate, and the driving requirements are almost always spelled out in the job description. Before asking a question, take another look to see if we’ve already answered it. We’re thorough on purpose so you don’t waste your very valuable time.

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But what if your profile is complete, your qualifications match, you love this family’s vibe, and you STILL don’t hear back?

It may be that there is a misalignment on a detail that didn’t make it into the ad. Sometimes, families share something confidential about what they’re looking for. Other times, we pick up on a vibe that shapes our perspective on the ideal candidate. If we get the sense that this family wants someone who will come in at 8a, leave at 4p, and hand off the kids without a lot of chatter, we aren’t going to send our most gregarious candidates and that’s a good thing! Remember what we said about fit going both ways? We wouldn’t get your hopes up with an interview for a job that won’t be your speed in the long run. When we decide who to introduce to a client, it’s with the best interest of all parties in mind.

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This market is wildly competitive.

If a role sounds like your dream job, chances are it’s someone else’s too. It breaks our hearts when exceptional candidates can’t have the role they want the most, but at the end of the day, each position gets filled by just one candidate. Just one out of the dozens of applications that pour in every day. We know that’s hard. Our team is full of former nannies and teachers who have been just where you are. We are in your corner, even and especially when that looks like holding off on sending you to a family where we don’t think you would thrive.

It would be a physical impossibility for us to follow up with everyone who expresses interest in one of our positions. If you’re wondering if your application made it to us, reach out and ask! If you get an interview or if you don’t, you should keep applying to any role that aligns with your interests and qualifications until you find your perfect fit.