Out with the old and in with new. During this back-to-school season, many families are posting after-school babysitter jobs, or full-time child caregiver jobs, or housekeeping jobs. So for you, an up-to-date profile is the best calling card. Having a profile with certain qualities and interests pointed out may help when opportunities crop up.
It’s time to dust-off your profile! Here are some ideas to get you started.
Highlight Your Certifications and Education
During this time of year, everyone has back-to-school on the brain. If you’re certified or have a degree in education, let families know. They’ll be happy to hear that you specialized in education and can help teach their kids. And pets owners can go back to school too (especially if the kids cared for the animals over the summer)! Have you taken any classes on how to train a dog or be a better pet sitter? Show them off in your profile.
Update Your Availability
Is your “Availability” up-to-date for the new school year? And are you just looking for a full-time job or are you open to part-time as well? Nannies and babysitters with a flexible schedule can let families know that they’re also available after school, before school and for back-up care. To change your availability, go to the “My Availability” section of your account page.
Discuss Previous Experience
If you’ve had experience with tutoring or teaching, mention them. Talk about specific instances where you helped a family during the back-to-school season or worked with a child to improve school grades. If you’re a housekeeper, this is a great time of year to highlight your organizational skills. Can you help a family get sorted for back-to-school season or do a deep clean to get rid of summer debris? Write about how you’ve performed these tasks for other families and how it helped them.
Be Driven
Once school starts up again, so do after-school activities. Kids’ schedules get very chaotic and parents often need a hand chauffeuring them around. If you have a great driving record or just passed a defensive drive class, mention it.
Target the Homework Issue
When school starts up, families are looking for caregivers who can lend a hand with their children’s homework. Even if you don’t have a degree in education, families will like to know if nannies or sitters are strong in certain subjects, such as math, English or Spanish. Your strengths are an asset, as any help is better than none when it comes to a family full of children swamped with homework. Talk about what subjects you’re particularly strong in and an interesting tip you’ve learned about helping kids with homework.
Focus on Extracurricular
Parents are looking for a well-rounded caregiver — someone who can not only help their children with their studies, but also can expose them to other activities and help them grow in other ways. List these experiences as strengths. For example, if you worked at a summer camp over the summer, add a sentence about how you were in charge of the tennis activities and how you can’t wait to play with your new charges.
Talk About Healthy Food
Do you know lots of great recipes for kids’ school lunches, quick breakfasts or healthy after-school snacks? Talk about your favourite. Parents looking for a sitter will snap up someone who cares about nutrition and can help out with meal prep.
Ask For Reviews
When prospective employers see that your profile is full of positive reviews, you instantly move to the top of their list of nannies to meet. With back-to-school season approaching, ask any previous employers to review you and, specifically, your education and tutoring expertise, if it applies.
Give Your Profile a Back-to-school Update
