Don't Judge a Nanny by her Cover

But it was very interesting to read about how people's minds work when setting criteria of who they would like to meet for a date.

I've been trying to see if there are any parallels within our industry or ways we can improve how we help parents search for the right nanny.

What do people really want...

Match.com has worked out that although a person may say they only want to meet someone aged 35 to 40 with brown eyes and dark hair, they actually click on profiles of people who are 50+ with blue eyes and blond hair, and often end up dating those types.

When parents ask us to find them a nanny, they often list a long line of criteria that the nanny must meet. But sometimes we discover that ultimately the parents go for a nanny that doesn't tick those boxes.

How do parents choose their nanny?

Everyone has an ideal of who they would like caring for their children - Mary Poppins, Jo Frost, or if the Dads had their way, Megan Fox!

But the reality is that the right match normally comes down to the right personality and the right fit, and that has very little to do with boxes on forms.

Choosing  a nanny that's right for YOUR family

We therefore try to think outside those boxes, and if we see a nanny who we think would be right for a family, and she doesn't match all of their criteria, we will suggest they meet.

And more often than not we are right!

Amanda Coxen, Working Mum and Tinies Director