Finding a Caregiver on Care.com

As most of us know, www.care.com can be a huge resource for employers and employees alike. When I first began to pull together my profile, I was super excited; I had lots of fun writing up my biography, choosing profile pictures, and drawing up requests for recommendation letters. When I finally got through the beginning steps, I couldn't wait to get to the job listings and start applying for positions.

...and then I actually saw the job listings.

There were some good listings, but most of them looked like this. 

While there were a few detailed, well-written opportunities, the majority of the listings were poorly written and had a significant lack of detail. When I'm applying for a job, I want to know exactly what is going to be expected of me, what the hours are, and, most importantly, how much I'm going to be paid.

If you're a parent who wants to attract quality caregivers on a website like Care.com, there are a few simple things that can take your listing from mediocre to stellar in no time.

Step 1:

Family avatars are very important.

Actually take the time to fill out your family's profile. I know you want to post the job opportunity as quickly information is key. The best sitters are going to apply for jobs that have the most accurate information about the family. A posting with no picture, no job description, no family description, and a "member since" date from this month looks really sketchy to someone like me. So find a recent family picture (or just one of your kids, or just you), click the family member avatars, and write a quick blurb about how awesome your kids are. It will do wonders for the response quality to your listings.

Step 2:

Don't use the pre-written sentences. Chances are, if you're proficient enough to use the internet, you can write your own paragraph. A good job description includes the type of care needed, dates and times, number and ages of children, general location, and a mention of you and your partner's schedules. Before you write this off as sharing too much information over the internet, let me give you some examples.

"Spring-Cyprus family of four looking for full-time summer care. Duties include playing with our two girls (4 and 6), supervising their swimming in our pool, and fixing lunches and snacks. My husband and I both work full-time, so we need someone who can come to our home at 7:30 each morning during the week and stay until 5:30 each evening. Pay is hourly; 8-12 dollars an hour depending on experience."

"Miami, Florida mom looking for part-time help in the mornings. I would love to be able to run some errands without the kids. Please be able to come to our home 3-4 hours a day three days a week. Times and days are flexible, but I would prefer Mon/Tues/Thurs. I have three kids, two boys (8 and 4) and a baby girl (18 months). Please be certified in CPR and First Aid."

Each of those listings (which I totally just made up so I wouldn't have to share anyone's actual listing) provides potential caregivers with enough information to let them know if it's a job they could handle or is similar to what they're looking for. For example, I'm looking for a part-time summer care position. From these listings, I could cross out the first one and possibly apply to the second one.

Step 3:

Thank you notes are awesome!

Respond quickly. If you were physically accepting applications, it would be okay to wait a few weeks and make sure you had all the applications possible before contacting the applicants. The applicants would know you had received and were reviewing their application and could move on with their lives until you could get back to them. However, in the world of online applications, the sitters have no idea if you've actually received their application. In the few weeks I've been on Care.com, I've submitted a total of 33 applications. In turn, two people have responded. One of the biggest courtesies you can do a potential caregiver is to send them a message back saying something like "Hi Ambrianna, I just got your application and am looking over it now. There are a few other candidates for the position, but I'll get back to you as soon as I can! Thanks!" 

Not only is this just a nice thing to do, it builds rapport between you and your potential nanny. She's going to remember how nice you were if you do end up offering her the job, and probably be more likely to accept it.

Step 4:
Close the job opening when you've filled it. I spend hours combing through listings, and it's incredibly frustrating to find what looks like the perfect job only to realize that it started two months ago. So be nice, and close jobs (or at least update them with more accurate info!) when you no longer have an opening.

So that's it! Hopefully these four steps will help you find the caregiver of your dreams. Remember that the applicants are people too; they need you just as much as you need them. Be accurate, forthcoming, and kind, and you'll have no problem snagging the best sitter for your kids.

*I am not affiliated in any way with Care.com. I am, however, a caregiver listed on their site. Check out my profile here.

The Babysitter's Bag

Ever wondered exactly what you should include in your babysitting bag? Use this checklist to make sure you have everything you might need. The first column is the most important safety wise, but craft supplies are important too! With a kit like this, you'll never be caught off-guard.

What are your favorite things to include in a babysitting kit? Comment below with your list of essentials!

First post! I can't wait to get this blog rolling -  I have so many things I want to share! For now, though, I have to run (literally, I'm going for a run), so I'll post something significant later.