Your CV is the first thing an agency or family sees. In the VIP and UHNW world, it needs to do more than list your experience — it needs to position you as a professional who understands discretion, structure and the specific demands of high-level household work.

This guide covers everything: what to include, how to structure it, what VIP employers actually look for, and the mistakes that get CVs rejected. Whether you are applying for a nanny, governess, or combined childcare role, the same principles apply.

1. Keep it to two pages

Recruitment consultants and private families receive dozens of CVs. Two pages is the professional standard — it signals that you can prioritise and communicate clearly. If you have 15 years of experience, that does not mean it all needs to be on the CV. Focus on the last 8–10 years and summarise anything older.

One page is too short unless you are at the very start of your career. Three or more pages is almost always too long and risks losing the reader before they reach your strongest experience.

2. Start with a strong personal profile

The personal profile sits at the top of your CV, just below your name and contact details. It should be three to five sentences that summarise who you are, what you specialise in, and what you bring to a family. Write it specifically for the type of role you are applying for — not a generic paragraph you copy and paste everywhere.

Notice it mentions nationalities of households, languages, age groups, qualifications, and availability — all the things a family wants to know immediately.

3. Be specific about the children you have worked with

Vague experience descriptions are one of the most common CV mistakes. Instead of writing “cared for two children,” write “cared for two children aged 18 months and 4 years for a British-Arab family based in London and Dubai, including periods of sole charge travel.”

For each role, include:

• Ages of the children at the start and end of your employment
• Nationality or cultural background of the family (where relevant and appropriate)
• Whether you were sole charge or part of a wider team
• Whether travel was involved and how frequently
• Any specific educational, language, or developmental work you undertook

This level of detail helps families identify candidates who have directly relevant experience. An UHNW family with a bilingual two-year-old wants to see that you have done exactly that before.

4. List your qualifications clearly

Qualifications matter more in VIP households than in standard nanny placements. Families expect to see formal childcare or education credentials, and many will not shortlist without them. Include all of the following that apply:

• Childcare qualifications (NNEB, CACHE Level 3, NVQ Level 3, BTEC National Diploma)
• Teaching qualifications (PGCE, QTS, Montessori diploma, EYFS training)
• First Aid certification — include the date and note if it is paediatric
• Language qualifications and proficiency levels
• Swimming, driving, sailing, sports coaching or other relevant certifications
• DBS check status (Enhanced, and when it was issued)

If your first aid is out of date, renew it before applying. It is one of the first things agencies check and an expired certificate is a red flag that can remove you from consideration immediately.

5. Include a professional photograph

In the VIP sector, a photo is standard and expected. Families are welcoming someone into their home — they want to see a professional, approachable face. The photo should be:

• Taken professionally or in good natural light
• Head and shoulders, looking directly at the camera
• Smart and well-presented — dressed as you would for a family interview
• Recent — within the last 12–18 months
• Not a cropped social media photo or a holiday snapshot

Place it in the top right or top left corner of your CV. A good photo makes an immediate positive impression. A poor one can undermine an otherwise excellent CV.

6. Address employment gaps honestly

Gaps in a CV stand out, and they will be noticed. Do not leave unexplained periods of time. If you took time out to travel, care for a family member, study, or have your own children — say so briefly and move on. A one-line explanation is all that is needed.

What recruiters and families are actually looking for is honesty and continuity of professional identity. A gap explained is a gap forgiven. A gap unexplained raises questions.

7. Show your languages properly

Language skills are highly valued in VIP childcare — often essential. Do not just list “French” or “Spanish.” Use the standard proficiency levels: Native, Fluent, Advanced, Intermediate, Basic. If you are unsure of your level, use the Common European Framework (A1 through to C2).

If you have used a language professionally with children — for example, conducting lessons in French or communicating daily with a Spanish-speaking family — say so explicitly. This is far more valuable than a language listed with no context.

Do not overstate your abilities. Families may conduct interviews in the language you have listed, and being caught out will end your candidacy immediately.

8. Get your references organised before you apply

References slow down more placements than almost anything else. Before you register with an agency or apply for a role, make sure you have:

• At least two professional references from recent employers (ideally the last two families)
• Confirmed with each referee that they are happy to be contacted
• Updated contact details (phone and email) for each referee
• A written reference from at least one employer if possible

In VIP placements, reference checks are thorough. Families may speak directly with previous employers and ask detailed questions. Warm, enthusiastic references from credible employers are one of the most powerful things a candidate can have.

9. Format it cleanly — design matters

A well-formatted CV signals professionalism and attention to detail — two qualities that are essential in VIP household work. Keep the design clean and readable:

• Use a single, readable font (Calibri, Garamond, or similar) at 10–12pt
• Keep section headings consistent and clear
• Use white space — do not cram everything in to save space
• Save and send as a PDF, not a Word document
• Name the file professionally: “FirstName LastName CV 2025.pdf”

Avoid elaborate templates with columns, graphics, or coloured backgrounds. They often break when opened on different devices and can confuse applicant tracking systems. Simple and clean is always best.

10. Tailor it for each application

A generic CV sent to every role is immediately apparent to experienced recruiters. Before sending, read the job description carefully and adjust your personal profile and key experience points to reflect exactly what that family is looking for.

If a role requires someone with sailing experience, bring that forward. If a family is looking for a bilingual governess for children aged 4–8, make sure your most relevant experience in that age group is prominent. Small adjustments make a significant difference to whether a CV is shortlisted.

This does not mean rewriting the whole document each time — it means five minutes of targeted editing that shows you have read the brief and are serious about the role.

What happens when you register with EED

When you register with EED, our recruitment team reviews your CV before it is presented to any family. We will let you know if there are areas to strengthen and give you honest feedback based on what our clients are currently looking for.

We work exclusively in the VIP and UHNW sector — our clients include private families, royal households, and HNWI employers across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. When we present your CV, it goes with our personal endorsement.