Being Nanny of the Year™(NOTY™) can sound a little intimidating and you may feel it is too overwhelming to apply for. I am here to let you know that it doesn’t have to be so. We won’t mislead you, it does take some time to apply but we are here to walk you through the process in 7 weeks.
It is important to point out that this year the process is quite different than it has been in years past. We are able to use the INA’s new membership platform to move the NOTY application process into the digital age. Rather than sending 4 spiral-bound hard copies of your portfolio to the office, the process will start with the NOTY Nominator.
He or she needs to complete the online form by October 31, 2016. This is a simple form that gives us basic information on the NOTY candidate and the nominator. It also includes an essay (max word count 700) from the nominator telling the NOTY Selection Committee why you should be the next Nanny of the Year. The NOTY Nominator can be a fellow nanny that has interacted with you in some way throughout your career, your employers, past or present, a nanny agency owner that you have worked with or a family member that has first-hand knowledge of your experience with children. The person who nominates you should really understand your strengths and experience in the in-home child care industry. Talk with this person about what it would mean to you to be Nanny of the Year and what specifically you are asking of him or her.
Once this form is submitted, the NOTY Selection Committee will confirm the nomination with the nominator, review the candidates and give eligible candidates access to the NOTY Digital Portfolio through your INA member portal.
This should all be complete by November 15, 2016, and you can then start your part of the process. You will find Digital Portfolio when you log into your INA member portal under “Forms”.
You will be able to fill this form out in steps, saving your work as you go. It will be helpful for you to download and print the 2017 Nanny of the Year Guidelines for reference during the coming weeks.
- Read through the 2017 Nanny of the Year Guidelines in its entirety.
- Go to page 2 of the Guidelines and verify your eligibility for NOTY.
- There will also be responsibilities as NOTY that will be occurring before, during and after the annual conference. These are on page 3-4 of the Guidelines. You should be able to fulfill these responsibilities with enthusiasm and professionalism.
One of those requirements is to give a speech at the 2017 INA Conference. Some nannies may be a little frightened or nervous of speaking in public. You are not alone as there have been many NOTY’s that have not been comfortable with this aspect of the honor. The speech the new NOTY gives is only a few minutes and we offer assistance in preparing for the event. This is your chance to share your experience as a Professional Nanny, tell stories about your charges and share a little of your wisdom.
Every NOTY’s experience has been unique and different reflecting the personality of the individual. Conference month (May 2017) and the following month (June 2017) are probably the most exciting and hectic times. The rest of the year generally is low key. Getting to share with people that you are NANNY OF THE YEAR can be lots of fun. Getting to explain what you do for a living and what the International Nanny Association is incredibly rewarding.
Finally this week you should begin gathering glowing reference letters. You may have reference letters that you use in your job interview portfolio but the letters for your NOTY portfolio should be slightly different. You want your NOTY reference letters to specifically express why you should receive the honor of NOTY.
Get 3-4 past or present employers to write a reference letter sharing why you are their “Nanny of the Year”. Talk to Placement Agencies that you have worked with or managers at other child-related centers you know. Make sure you give them a firm deadline. Remember this is a busy time of the year so the sooner you ask and set the deadline, the less chaotic it will be later on you. Ask them to either get them to you in a PDF file form or be prepared to transfer it to a PDF when you get it.
You will need at least 2 weeks before the January 15, 2017, deadline to complete all needed aspects of your NOTY Digital Portfolio for submission. I would ask for them no later than December 31, 2016, to give yourself enough time.
And that is your week. It seems like a lot but it is mostly preparation for the work ahead. Please know that this blog is meant to be a helpful suggestion on how to break down the process but you are not required to use this process.
We are here to answer your questions about the NOTY program and portfolio requirements. Please contact INA Membership Services Office by phone at 888.878.1477 or by email at admin@nanny.org . Please include “NOTY Question” in the subject line of your email.