If you’ve been a professional nanny, Newborn Care Specialist (NCS), or household caregiver for any length of time, you’ve probably wondered at some point: “Is my resume too long? Should I leave certain experiences off?”

At Westside Nannies, we hear this concern all the time. And here’s our honest answer: No, your resume isn’t too long if it gives us the full picture of your skills, experiences, and abilities.

In fact, holding back details—whether it’s about travel, newborn care, or special duties—can limit your opportunities with agencies like ours. When you share your entire professional story, you give us the tools we need to match you with perfect-fit families.

1) Why agencies (and families!) want to see all of your childcare experience

When a family partners with us for a nanny placement or professional staffing search, they aren’t just looking for basic childcare. They’re seeking someone whose background aligns with their unique needs—whether that’s a nanny comfortable with private international travel, a seasoned NCS with twin experience for overnight newborn care, or someone experienced in managing multiple children with a big age gap in a busy household. Even if this experience isn’t recent, we want to know about it.

We recently spoke with a fantastic nanny who had submitted a streamlined resume to a position. The position required specific Montessori experience, a strong value of the family’s. Despite the nanny’s awesome experience, we didn’t see Montessori experience on her resume. But when we asked if she had this experience, she shared that she did. Not only did she have this experience, but she had worked with multiple families who prioritized Montessori values in their homes.

That’s incredible experience! But because it wasn’t on her resume, we—and the families we serve—had no way of knowing. It didn’t make the cut when the nanny recently reworked her resume and tried to condense it as much as possible so that it would fit on one page.

This happens often, especially when nannies separate out their NCS experience from their nanny work, or leave off special skills like tutoring, household management, or travel.

The bottom line: We want to see everything. Let us determine how to present your experience to families in a way that showcases your strengths. You never know what about your past is going to be a top priority for a family, and if you don’t provide them with the information they need to get to know your professional experiences, they just might go with someone who does.

2) Common resume mistakes that limit your opportunities

Here are a few resume habits we see often—and why they can hold you back:

a) Keeping multiple separate resumes

Some nannies keep different resumes for different types of work (one for nannying, one for NCS, one for travel, etc.). While this might feel organized, it can actually limit your visibility. Families don’t always know what they need until they see your full skill set, and agencies can’t accurately present you for roles if we don’t know your background.

b) Leaving off “extra” responsibilities

Maybe you didn’t think to include that you handled potty training, sleep coaching, or household errands. But these are highly sought-after skills! Leaving them off means missing out on placements that would value your expertise.

c) Oversimplifying to “save space”

Some caregivers worry about their resume being “too long” and cutting out rich detail, like the ins and outs of a “normal” day, family dynamics, or unique duties performed. But families and agencies want that detail so we can match you more accurately. The little things? They often make a big impact!

3) How to structure your resume for maximum impact

Length isn’t the problem—clarity is. A multi-page resume is perfectly acceptable if it’s easy to read, well-organized, and comprehensive.

Tips for building a powerful nanny resume:

• List every childcare position chronologically, with clear dates and schedule, ages of children at start of employment, and family details (e.g., number of children, household type).
• Include all duties and special skills—did you travel? Handle overnight newborn care? Coordinate playdates? Manage household vendors? Families want to know.
• Highlight certifications and specialties like CPR/first aid, NCS training, early childhood education, bilingual abilities, multiples experience, special needs care, or travel expertise.
• Group related experiences smartly. For example, list NCS roles within your work history or as a separate section on the same resume, but don’t omit them altogether.
• Use bullet points for clarity. This keeps even a longer resume remain easy to scan.

Pro tip: We’re happy to help format your resume for clarity and impact—just send us everything, and we’ll take it from there!

4) Why letting the experts guide you makes all the difference

You’re the childcare expert. But we’re the placement experts. Our job is to take your full experience and present it in a way that highlights your skills and makes families excited to meet you.

Here’s how we can help:

• We review your entire background and suggest adjustments that align with family needs.
• We highlight your unique skills—whether that’s experience with private travel, sleep training, managing a household—you name it.
• We ensure your resume positions you for the highest quality placements.
• We help avoid the frustration of being overlooked simply because critical experience wasn’t mentioned on paper.

When in doubt? Share it all. Let us help you shine.

A nanny resume isn’t about keeping things short; it’s about telling the whole story of what you bring to a family. The more we know, the better we can match you to positions where you’ll thrive. Don’t hold back. Your experience is valuable, and we want to see it all!

The right job is out there. Let’s make sure your resume helps you find it!