So You Want a Job Like Mine? The Real Guide to Becoming a High-Trust Nanny or Personal Assistant

How to Become a High-Trust Nanny or Personal Assistant | Real Steps & Experience

Want a career as a high-trust nanny or personal assistant? Lucy Castillo shares her real journey, practical steps, and the mindset required to rise from zero experience to working with elite families around the world.

So You Want a Job Like Mine? Read This Before You Start.

By Lucy Castillo

People often tell me:
“Lucy, I want a job like yours. How do I start?”

But here’s the truth:
You don’t start where I am. You start where I started.

At 18 years old.
No experience.
In a different country.
Without knowing how to cook, clean, or manage a home.
Just hunger, courage, and a clear desire to build a life bigger than the one I was born into.

This is the real guide — not sugar-coated — for any woman who wants a career like mine.
Not fast.
Not easy.
But absolutely possible.

1. You Must Love Challenges — And Accept Delayed Rewards

If you want quick success, this path is not for you.

My career took over 20 years.
Experience is built family by family, year by year.

You grow by:

saying yes to the first opportunity,
learning from mistakes,
accepting imperfect jobs to gain perfect skills,
and being brave enough to start again in new countries.

Nothing fell into my hands.
I chased every opportunity.

2. Experience Comes Before Agencies — Always

Many girls ask me:
“Lucy, I want to work for elite families. How do I enter that world?”

The reality is simple:

Agencies won’t accept you without experience.
High-net-worth families won’t risk their children with someone untrained.

Before the glamorous roles come:

long days,
small salaries,
mistakes,
learning,
trust-building.

That is how you become reliable.

3. My First Job — The One That Changed My Life

When I left Peru, my father said:
“Te vas para limpiar culo ajeno.”
He wasn’t wrong — but he didn’t understand my purpose.

My first job was in Santiago de Chile, caring for four children, including 3-month-old twins.
On my very first day, I wanted to quit.

But the mother, Silvana, told me a sentence that shaped my entire life:
“Before you quit, you must try.”

That one week taught me:

discipline
responsibility
emotional strength
time management
independence

It became the foundation of everything I built afterward.

4. Preparation Matters — Even When No One Notices

While gaining experience, I studied Early Childhood Education in Spain.

Even though nursery jobs paid too little, the knowledge gave me:

understanding of child development
emotional tools
professional vocabulary
structure and pedagogical confidence

If you want to work with children,
prepare yourself intentionally.

5. Being a Nanny Is Not “Just a Job” — It Is Emotional Work

This role is not mechanical.

You don’t simply:

change nappies,
prepare meals,
play for a few hours.

You:

give affection,
build routines,
shape habits,
guide emotions,
support parents,
create emotional security.

Some families prefer “detached” nannies.
The families I worked for?
They wanted someone who cares deeply.

That genuine affection is a big part of why people trust me.

6. Every Family Teaches You Something Different

Jewish families in New York.
Large Mediterranean families in Spain.
Structured European homes.
Multicultural households in London and France.

Each one taught me something unique:
discipline, culture, communication, routines, values, patience, and adaptability.

A great nanny does not impose her way.
She adapts with respect.

That’s what makes you truly international.

**7. Your Level Rises Only When You Rise**

You don’t “wait” for better opportunities.
You become the type of woman who earns them.

You rise when you:

improve your English,
refine your skills,
stay discreet,
show emotional intelligence,
elevate your standards,
anticipate needs,
project professionalism.

That is how you go from low salaries
to working with elite families —
the kind who fly privately and trust you with everything.

8. Passion Is What Keeps You Going

You cannot fake:

passion for children,
patience,
presence.

If you don’t love this work,
you will quit.

If you do love it,
it will take you further than you ever imagined.

Final Message: You Decide How High You Want to Climb

I want every young woman reading this to understand:

How you start does NOT determine how you end.

You can begin:

in a tiny room,
in a foreign country,
with little money,
with zero experience —

and still build a life of travel, stability, respect, and purpose.

But it takes:

hunger,
humility,
discipline,
patience,
compassion,
loyalty,
courage.

There is no shortcut.
Only growth.

I did it. And you can too.