The New Year is a great opportunity to start afresh with a brand new job. With lots of families looking to organise their care arrangements as January comes around, there are plenty of new job postings on Care.com.
Whether you are looking for childcare jobs, pet sitting jobs, special needs care jobs, home help jobs or cleaning jobs, there are lots of ways you can boost your chances of getting a new job in the New Year. And we want to help you get there too! That’s why we’ve put together our 31 Days to a New Job. We have 31 tips – one for each day in December – so when January rolls around, you’ll be ready to land your dream job. And remember, these tips don’t have to be for throughout December – they are great for the whole year!
Follow our suggestions, and you’ll be ready for all the new jobs that are posted in 2014. And check in with us on Facebook and Twitter for a month-long campaign of how-to-get-a-job tips.
Are there any other tips you would add to this list? Share them in the comments section below.
Day 1: Set Your Dates
 Update your availability with your schedule for January – no one will be able to hire you if they don’t know when you’re free.
Day 2: Pick Professional Attire 
Go through your wardrobe to make sure you have neat and professional interview outfits – stay away from jeans and trainers and go for smart, but comfortable, trousers and flats.
Day 3: Hit The Sales
If you can’t find anything to wear, head to the shops or shop online for interview clothes and take advantage of the December and January sales! Have a look at our Pinterest board for inspiration.
Day 4: Sort Out Your Paperwork
When it comes to a new job it’s important that you are paid professionally, with taxes and more taken in to consideration. Read our article, 4 Ways to Get Your Employer to Pay You Professionally, to find out more. Make sure you have the right forms filled out and all the right documents at the ready, so things can be put in place quickly when you start a new job.
Day 5: Review Past Applications
 Read over any old applications that you’ve submitted to jobs. How could they have been better?
Day 6: Be Social Media Savvy
 Friday is a popular time for kicking-back and spending time online. Use that time wisely to clean up your social media profiles, so they’re professional for when a potential employer looks at them. Remove old posts that a family might find offensive.
Day 7: Take a Profile Picture It’s the weekend, so have a little fun! Familiarise yourself with Care.com’s photo guidelines and then arrange a mini photo shoot today with a friend, so you have new and polished-looking photos to feature on your profile.
Day 8: Add Your Photos
 Now add some of those new photos to your profile.
Day 9: Ask for References
 Make sure you have at least three potential referees – but the more, the better. If you’re going to see any friends, family, colleagues or previous employers during the holidays, ask them if they would be willing to provide a reference.
Day 10: Check Your Voicemail
 Listen to your voicemail message on your ‘phone. Record a new one if it doesn’t sound professional.
Day 11: Organise a Check
 Arrange for a DBS/PVG check on yourself That way you can update your Care.com profile to show potential employers that you have had the necessary safety checks.
Day 12: Prepare a Contract
 Create a sample contract just in case your future employer doesn’t have one. This should include space for the start date, hours of work, starting salary (which should specify gross or net), holiday entitlement etc. The contract should also include a detailed description of your duties, the family’s house rules and disciplinary procedures and any other benefits, which may come with the job.
Day 13: Share Your Profile 
Share your profile across your social media networks today and help potential employers find you faster. Maybe someone you know will be hiring and Friday 13th will be a lucky day for you. Just avoid any black cats!
Day 14: Choose Your Payment Preferences Research how you can be paid as a care provider and your options with your employer setting up a PAYE account. You can require regular payslips specifying your gross wage, tax and National Insurance deductions. So make sure you know your options, so you can specify your preference to any new employer.
Day 15: De-Stress 
It’s mid-month, are you feeling any Christmas holiday stress yet? Writing holiday cards, shopping for presents, cooking for family, managing your current job or finding a new one. Multi-tasking isn’t easy. Use these tips to help you stay calm.
Day 16: Triple Check Your Profile 
Could it apply to anyone? Set yourself apart from other candidates by making your profile and application personal and specific. Instead of simply saying “I babysat for five years,” add detailed fun things you did with the children.
Day 17: Practice Your Answers
 Research interview questions that employers may ask you and brainstorm answers.
Day 18: Look for Errors
 Check your profile, cover letter and CV for common spelling and grammar mistakes.
Day 19: Have Safety Awareness Sign up for First Aid training or a refresher class – care providers with this qualification are 2.5 times more likely to be contacted by potential employers.
Day 20: Be Ready to Ask Questions 
You made it to another Friday — congratulations, you’re almost there! Put on your thinking cap today and write down questions to ask potential employers during interviews.
Day 21: Know Your Pay Rate
 Find out the going pay rate for care providers in your area, to make sure what you’re asking is not too low (costing yourself money) or too high (costing yourself jobs).
Day 22: Look at Competitors Search for and check the profiles of other care providers in your area – they’re your competition, so you want to make sure you stand out. If you were a prospective employer, which person would you hire?
Day 23: Join the Community 
Sign up for groups for people in your industry — like the
British Association of Professional Nannies
— to connect with fellow care providers and pick up valuable advice.
Day 24: Get Learning 
Sign up for a new class or qualificationthat will help you become a better care provider and appeal to more employers.
Day 25: Celebrate with Family Merry Christmas! Sit back, relax and make the most of Christmas Day! If you have family over for Christmas lunch, take the opportunity to think of new games you can play with the children, ways to engage with the elderly or places you can take the dog for a walk. Then add these new activities to your Care.com profile!
Day 26: Perfect Your Cover Letter
 As you’re recovering from your Christmas Day feast, create a letter you can use when you message employers about new jobs. You’ll need to personalise it for each application, but give yourself a strong starting point. Ask other people to read it.
Day 27: Explore Different Options 
Could you be a part-time nanny, instead of babysitter? Part-time nannies can work more regular hours and engage more with the children’s development. Could you be a dog sitter but offer dog walking duties too?
Day 28: Create a Job Specific Email Account 
You don’t want to be contacting an employer from an email like xoxohottie@yahoo.com. That might give the wrong message. Stick to a combination of your first and last name.
Day 29: Write a Thank You Note
 Head to some post-Christmas sales and buy thank you cards, so you’ll be ready to send them out to people you interviewed with in order to follow up.
Day 30: Lots of Interview Practice
 While people are on holiday this week arrange a mock interview with a friend to get some practice.
Day 31: Happy New Year’s Eve! While you’re enjoying the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one, reminisce about all of the great things that happened in the past twelve months. And think about all of the wonderful things you’re going to accomplish with your new job in 2014.
Congratulations on making it through the entire month! Post a comment below and let us know which tip was your favourite. And the best of luck finding your perfect new job.