If you’ve mastered how to get a nannying job and are happy in your current role, it may be that you begin to think about how to get a promotion. For many household employee roles, it is more than possible to achieve a promotion, or certainly a raise. In this blog we will discuss how to increase the likelihood of getting a promotion if you’re a nanny, a house manager, or other domestic staff member.

Is it possible to get a promotion as a household employee?

Absolutely. Internal promotions are the best way to gain experience because the family already trusts you and you understand how their household works.

What kind of promotion can I get as a nanny?

Whilst getting a nannying job may not appear to have the most obvious route for career progression, if you are good at your job and demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond for your family, we have seen nannies being promoted to house managers or personal assistants and executive assistants. The family might promote you from nanny or housekeeper to house manager if the need arises or if an opening becomes available later down the line.

As a nanny, you are primarily employed to help take care of the children of the household. However, as the children grow and require less from you - your job could transition into a part-time family or personal assistant if your family would still like help with errands. Similarly, if the children have grown up but the family still requires help within the household, you could see if there is room to be promoted to a house manager.

What kind of promotion can I get as a housekeeper?

As a housekeeper, much like with a nannying role, there is still room for progression for the right person. It is possible to be promoted to executive housekeeper or house manager in the right circumstances, especially if you have experience overseeing other household staff or experience managing a team in a different industry. We have even seen housekeepers be promoted to estate managers over a period of 20 years. It is not common, but it happens.

To read more about what a day in the life of a nanny or household manager might look like, read our interview with a candidate here.

How much of a raise will I get if I get a promotion?

Ultimately, this will really depend on what role you are going from and to, and the family that you are working for. If you are promoted, you would expect to take on more responsibilities and therefore be compensated accordingly for that.

As an agency, we work with our clients and candidates to ensure that there is a fair level of pay from day one. Working with us means that both employers and employees can be confident that they are giving/receiving a market-appropriate rate of pay. For more tips on how to negotiate your pay and benefits, read our blog.

How do I increase the chances of getting a promotion as a nanny?

If you are already working as a nanny or a housekeeper and would like to be considered for a promotion, here are our top 5 bits of advice:

Do your job well - this goes without saying but do your job to the best of your ability if you wanted to be considered for a promotion.
Go above and beyond - make sure you are showing your worth and ability to work at a higher level than you are already employed at. Generally employees who are considered as over-achieving are more likely to be considered for a promotion, should a position become available.
Establish good rapport with your boss - having a close working relationship with your boss means that they know where your strengths lie and that even if a promotion isn’t immediately available, should a position come up - you might be first in line!
Find opportunities to assist with additional tasks that will strengthen your resume - even if these tasks are not in your job description, showing a willingness to work above and beyond (and do it well) means that when the right role becomes available, you are more likely to have the correct experience.
Taking on these extra tasks will of course not always translate into additional pay, but if does, great! There may not be a promotion available within your current household but if you are good at what you do, enjoy your work and build your experience, it could be that another role comes up elsewhere and your current employer can write you a glowing letter of recommendation.