We caught up with Jennifer Hung-Zanarini, Founder & Director of { NANNY, TATA & CO. } an international boutique nanny agency dedicated to finding families worldwide the highest quality childcare. We are excited to be working with {NANNY, TATA & CO.} in our upcoming Maternity Nurse Training in Switzerland on the 12th & 13th March! For more details about this course, visit our course page.
0:00 Have you always been involved in the maternity industry?
Yes, in fact I started this agency when I was pregnant with my youngest boy, Romeo. I kicked myself for not hiring a maternity nurse the first time around- I had no idea what I was doing!
I still take great pleasure in helping my clients find the right maternity nurse because I understand more than anyone the value of it! Especially for first time mothers…its one of those joyous moments until the arrival and then its like….aaaaah, now what! A maternity nurse really puts you at ease. They give direction and the confidence needed: the ultimate gift a maternity nurse can pass along.
0:15 Why be a maternity nurse in Switzerland?
Switzerland offers great quality of life- fresh air, natural beauty, cleanliness, and safety. German, French and Italian speakers live here, offering an opportunity to learn a new language. Maternity nurses will find plenty of job opportunities! There is also a growing mix of young professionals and families from other countries so there is a strong international feel in the bigger cities like Zurich, Geneva and Lugano.
0:25 Do you have a family of your own?
Yes, I have two amazing school age boys, Rocco and Romeo and my husband is Italian and in the motor racing business.
0:30 What do you love most about your job?
I love connecting with people. I feel passionate about children, as a mom and global world citizen…–what a huge responsibility we have to this next generation!
I appreciate the importance of the job being put forth to our Nannies and Maternity Nurses, and hope that I have in some way contributed positively to her/his career growth and life journey.
I also love that I can do my job from any city and any country in the world allowing me the freedom to travel at a moment’s notice. Part of this has helped create a wide International network for our agency.
0:45 What is the most exciting placement you have organised for a client?
A family who treated the candidate and family to a dream holiday. It was a wonderful thing to put in a contract!
0:50 Advice for maternity nurses / nannies looking to sign up to an agency?
Always feel 100% sure that the agency is representing you correctly. You must feel comfortable talking to them and they absolutely must be available to talk out of working hours.
Make sure the agency does not send your CV out to everyone, left right and centre…especially without telling you. The politics and “behind the scenes” at agencies are such that you should find 1-2 agents that you enjoy working with, who understand you and do not see you as only a number or worse, a dollar sign- and stick with them. Sometimes agencies will have the same clients and ultimately if your CV gets sent to the same client, it does not reflect well. It becomes then more likely that the candidate will not get the job.
1:05 What always surprises you about maternity nurse candidates?
Sometimes we have to remind MNs that what they learned in class is great but in real life application, a mother’s feelings and wishes must always be considered — whether an MN agrees with it or not. Caring for the baby is really only half the job, the other half is making sure your employer is happy. MNs must never forget they must walk away with a good reference!
1:15 How do you relax?
When the kids are asleep and there is absolute silence in the house…I flip through my favourite magazines – Elle Decor, the Economist, British Vogue, and nibble (OK, devour!) chocolates from Laderach, with a nice cup of tea! J
1:23 What one thing would you change about the industry?
It annoys me when I see exaggerated articles and claims from agencies claiming to place nannies in glamour jobs (notate photo of nanny in high heels sitting in private jet.…yeah right !) The glamour in this industry is the impact you make on a child’s life. The rest is fluff. Private jets, yachts…when you’re on the job it is still work for the Nanny/MN. And one should never take that for granted!
1:35 Is your company based solely in Switzerland?
No we are worldwide.. I operate out of Switzerland because this is where I live now…however the company administration is in London. Our agents are in London, Miami, Moscow, Italy, Germany and Hong Kong. Our network is quite wide — we are indeed International!