Help me understand French Work Visa policy

Factual Questions
1

Since I’m trying to get to France to work as a nanny, I’ve been busy arranging my paperwork for a visa. It turns out that I’m not eligible for an Au Pair Visa, since I’m not a current student, but I may be able to obtain a Work Visa. So, does anyone know…

…how likely I am to be approved for a Work Visa?
…what sort of documentation is required?

Before you hit that “reply” button, yes, I’ve checked the various Consulate websites and spoken with their representatives. They are all astonishingly uninformative, and each person has a different opinion on what I need. I’d like to hear from an American who actually obtained a Work Visa, or someone who works with visas and knows what’s really going on.

2

Work visas for EC countries are very difficult to get unless you can demonstrate that you have specialized skills, education, or knowledge that nobody else in that country has and nobody in any other EC country has. Or unless you hold an EC passport. I am not sure if nannies perhaps have their own special system aside from au pair visas. Did someone tell you you’d be able to get a work visa fairly easily or quickly?