Last but certainly not least – our final tip in our Top Tips Series!

This month we want to focus on your safety. Whether you’re looking for a job or interviewing, we're here to help you make safer decisions – every step of the way. Here are a few precautions that you can take on your own to help make sure that you, your bank account and your identity aren't vulnerable.

1. Don't accept money from or send money to anyone you haven't worked for or met in person
   
   
2. Take advantage of Care.com's monitored messaging system
   
   
3. Don’t provide your social security number, credit card, bank account, or other personal information (such as your home address) unless you are positive it's a secure transaction
   
   
4. Ask to conduct a phone interview first
   
   
5. Interview with potential employers in a public place
   
   
6. Perform online & third-party checks
   
   
7. Ask detailed questions of the family during your interview
   
   
8. Always trust your instincts!

And don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns, or with reports of suspicious activity within the Care.com community.

For more on how to keep yourself safe, check out our Safety Center where you’ll find articles, tips and guides to help you make safer decisions throughout your job search. Happy job searching!

At Care.com, we want to do everything we can to make it easy for you to find great jobs, and that includes listening to your feedback! In last month’s blog, we heard that some of you need help getting to the interview phase. So this month we’re bringing you tools to promote your services and get more people to see your profile.

We’ll show you how to take your Care.com profile with you when you’re sharing on Facebook or Twitter, emailing potential clients, or even posting flyers around town. We’ve set up simple ways for you to enhance your profile and put it front and center for families to find you.

Sound good? It gets even better: Every time someone new joins Care.com as a Premium Member from your unique referral link, you get a gift card for $25! More jobs AND more cash. We even make it easy for you to track your rewards, and there’s no limit to how many new Premium Members you can refer.

Learn more about earning rewards.

Ready to start sharing your profile? Here’s how it works…

Step one: Share your unique referral link

Think of it as your own website on Care.com. Share it with family and friends to show off your profile and start earning rewards. But that’s just the start… We’ve also made it easy for you to share your profile where you’re already most active.

Step two: Share your profile on Facebook and Twitter

Share your Care.com profile link on Facebook, or tweet it to let friends know what kinds of jobs you’re looking for. Some of the best job leads come from the people you already know, so don’t be shy about having them help!

Step three: Add a customized email signature

How many emails do you send each day? Make your messages work for you by customizing your email signature—it’s another easy way to share your Care.com profile. We’ve included a how-to for popular email services like Apple, Yahoo!, and Gmail.

Step four: Put your profile on craigslist and other sites

It's easy for you to share your profile on other job sites - all you have to do is copy and paste. Follow our simple instructions to get your services listed on classified sites like craigslist. The more exposure you get, the more families who can sign up and the more gift cards you can earn!

Step five: Are you a blogger? Add the Care.com blog widget

We’ve created two widgets to add to your blog or website. There’s a small widget that you can fit perfectly in the sidebar of your blog or a larger one that you can insert into an actual blog post. It’s a great way to add a permanent link to your Care.com profile.


Now start sharing your profile! Remember, sharing is caring.

You followed our tips: you have an up-to-date profile, you’ve built up your online reputation and your hard work has paid off with an interview. Congrats! So now what?

Never fear, the Scoop is here with our list of top interview tips to help you wow families the second you walk in the door:

Put your best (dressed) foot forward
First impressions go a long way. You may not have to wear a suit to your job interview as a caregiver, but you should still make the effort to look professional and put together when you meet the family. Aim for "business casual" - dressed up, but not over the top.

Come prepared
Arrive at the interview with everything that a family might want to look at when making a hiring decision. Bring a professional looking resume and your references. Does your profile say that you have any certifications? Bring the paperwork to back it up. Show the family that you're organized and thoughtful. They'll want to see you bring those qualities to the job that you're interviewing for.

Ask questions
In an interview it can be easy to let the family ask all the questions, but you can show that you're invested in the job and in the family by asking some questions of your own. Ask about the role, about what the family is looking for in a caregiver, and about any special requests the family might have. They’ll be impressed that you took the time to really think about the job and what it requires.

You can read more interview questions here.

Send a Thank-You
Following up with a thank you note after an interview is a nice touch that helps you stand out from the competition. Thank the family for taking the time to meet with you and let them know how excited you are to be considered for the position.

The best advice we have is to stay confident! You’re a great person, with a love for others, and you’ll do great. Good luck on that interview!

Where would we be without reviews? From picking restaurants to movies, we rely on reputation and reviews to help make our decisions. Now Care.com has tools to help you get reviews and build your own reputation as a caregiver. After all, the best way to grow your business is to have happy customers tell their friends about you!

Last month we showed you how to update your profile to make a great first impression – this month we're going to walk you through how to add connections and get jobs faster.

What are Care Connections?
Care Connections: Your newest way to build your reputation and stand out on Care.com. Showcase your experience, add reviews and pull ahead of the competition by connecting with former employers, co-workers, or family and friends.

What happens when you connect?
When you invite former employers, friends and family to connect, they'll receive a message asking to connect with you on Care.com. As an added bonus, if your former employers are Care.com families, you can ask them to leave a review too. Once you have connections and reviews on your Care.com account, families searching for care in your area will be able to see how many connections and reviews you have next to your profile picture. The more connections and reviews, the better!

Who should I connect to?
The more relevant your connections, the more influential they'll be to families who are thinking about hiring you. Start by connecting to people who can best speak to your experience as a caregiver, such as former employers and coworkers. You can also add close friends or family members who can act as character references. They don’t have to be a member on Care.com to connect and start helping you land that great new job.

How do connections help me get a job?
Building your connections on Care.com is a great way to stand out from the crowd. By having more connections than other job applicants, you'll pull ahead of the competition and highlight the trust you've gained in your community. The more connections you have, the higher the chances to land a job!

How do I start connecting?
We make it easy! Click here to start sending requests via email or Facebook.

Get connecting!

The Care.com Team

New year, new you, new job! Was your resolution to find a new job or more work? Good news – families are also making resolutions to find their ideal caregiver in 2012! Now is the perfect time of year to freshen up your profile and renew your job search. Start the year off right with our top tips to help you land more jobs in 2012. Check back each month for more on how to grab your dream job. But first, our #1 tip is….

Update your profile to make a great first impression:
Think of your profile as your resume – it's your first impression on a family looking for care. By making sure your availability, interests and skills are completely filled out and up to date, you're letting families know that you're active on the site and that you're just as eager to find them as they are to find you. And the more complete your profile is, the higher you appear in search results.

What to include:
Let families know why you love doing what you do and why you're amazing at it. Be sure to include your qualifications as a caregiver, and any certifications you might have. Do you know First Aid? Add it! Show them why you make such a stellar caregiver with details about your previous care experiences and daily responsibilities at previous (or current) jobs. Why not write about a caregiving obstacle you've overcome or about how your help made a difference in a family's life?

You should also include some details about yourself – give a brief summary of your hobbies and interests so that families can match them with their own. Love to paint? Include it in your profile and maybe you'll match with a family of budding Picassos!

What not to include:
Try to keep your profile on positive note. Write about why you want to work as a caregiver, instead of about why you need a job in general, (for example, avoid "I want to work because I need money…") We also suggest keeping controversial topics and long discussions about your desired salary out of your profile and approaching them in your face to face interviews.

Get started:
To update your profile, login to Care.com and head to your profile and settings page. From there, scroll down to "My Services" where you can choose to edit your profile for each of the services you provide.

It's a good idea to check back every few months to make sure your information is accurate and to add/remove things that have changed. Remember to check your spelling and grammar – a polished profile shows families that you put in the extra effort to be professional!

Good luck!


More tools to strengthen your profile:
Add/update your photo

Update your availability

Add connections

Add references

Add a background check

Holiday shopping, holiday get-togethers, holiday hassle? We're well into the time of year where to-do lists have a mind of their own and mall traffic gets more and more stressful.

Now add family into the mix.

The holidays are particularly stressful for many Care.com families. They're looking for babysitters to watch their kids while they do their holiday shopping and they're looking for housekeepers to help get everything in order before the relatives come by.

As a Care.com caregiver, it's prime time for you to stand out by becoming a Premium Member!

As a Premium Member, you can show families just how serious you are about finding a job through Care.com. And you get the following additional benefits:

• Contact families directly (even before they post a job)
• Get a FREE annual background check
• Enjoy "Featured" caregiver status on the site 
• Show up sooner in search results
• Get priority notification of new jobs

Premium Members get up to 4x more attention from families. Choose a Premium Membership now and help de-stress for a happy holiday season!

Meet the Parents: How to interview for child care jobs

Whether you're a professional child care provider or a teenage babysitter, parents will have a lot of questions for you. And you should have a lot of questions for them.

Before you accept a job, you need to know what parents want their children to be doing, eating, wearing, and watching. If you ask the right questions in the beginning, you'll have a better idea of what's expected of you down the line, and you'll likely forge stronger relationships with parents and children alike.

Ask questions about your role

• Can you walk me through a typical day? (Or night or week, depending on the job.) What are your family' routines, and who are the people involved?
• What do you expect of me? Will I cook meals? Do housework? Wash clothes? Provide homework help?
• What are your rules for talking on the telephone? Watching television? Using the Internet?
• How do you expect me to discipline your child?
• What resources and contacts do you have if there is an emergency?

Ask questions about the child

• Is your child on any medications? Does he have any special medical needs, such as allergies or asthma?
• What are his chores and responsibilities?
• What are his favorite toys, books, and things to do?
• What do you and your child do in your spare time?
• Does he have any nicknames? Imaginary friends?
• Is there anything that scares him?
• Does he have unusual habits?
• Does he have any habits you are trying to break? Reinforce?
• Does he need help in specific areas of discipline, such as sharing or playing with other children?
• Is there any sibling rivalry? When does this arise?
• Are there any religious or cultural matters I should be aware of?
• At what point should I contact you if a disciplinary issue arises?

The bottom line

You and your employer will both want what's best for the child. Establish strong lines of communication from the start, and make every effort to keep those lines open as your relationship grows.

Fast fact

In 2004, the National Association for the Education of Young Children found that most parents want the people involved in the care of their children to act as "a social and moral assistant in their child's development."

School's out! Prepare for fun and rewarding summer employment with our 11 key tips for finding a summer job. Follow our tips to help you impress employers and turn them into repeat clients!

Start your search

1.    Edit your profile headline for summer (in the My Care Profiles section)
2.    Promote yourself with our free tools, including personalized classified ads and custom flyers in just one click

Show your fun side

3.    Use fun activities for all ages from Education.com to plan entertaining things for kids (parents will love your initiative and creativity)
4.    Head outdoors, with lawn games, trips to the pool, mini golf and even kid-friendly picnics
5.    Make the most of rainy days with trips to libraries and museums, or at-home fun like board games, movies, arts & crafts or baking
6.    Always remember to check with parents to make sure activities are okay with them beforehand

Focus on safety

7.    Learn how to prevent and treat bee stings, scrapes and sunburns
8.    Take First Aid training and update your caregiver profile so parents can see how committed you are
9.    Learn other safety tips to protect you and kids from the summer heat.
10.    Get CPR certification so parents will feel more comfortable with trips to the pool and other fun activities

Stand out from the crowd
11.  Become a Featured Caregiver to get priority notification of new jobs, a more prominent listing in search results and a free background check!

Summer's rapidly approaching, so here's the second round of tips proven to help caregivers find summer jobs. Enjoy!

Craigslist gets more than 20 billion page views per month.
That's a lot of people who could be checking out your Care.com profile. Use our free online classifieds tool to post eye-catching ads on craigslist.org. A professional, personalized ad is as easy as copying and pasting. Try it for yourself!

93% of adult internet users in the U.S. are on Facebook and/or Twitter.
You can also use our free promotional tools to share your personal Care.com profile on Facebook and Twitter. With 152 million Facebook users in the country and 21 million on Twitter, spreading the word online helps you land care jobs.

Over 90% of families prefer caregivers with a background check.
Build trust in your services by having a background check on file (you always control who gets to see the results). For only $8, you help employers to hire with confidence. Bonus tip: Your background check is free when you're a Featured Caregiver!

60% of families require references before hiring a candidate.
Add references to your profile to help your future employers learn even more about your stellar work experience. We recommend at least two references. Not sure who to ask? How about past clients or relatives you've helped with babysitting or housework?

Posts for good jobs receive over 20 responses.
It can take employers some time to sort out all the responses to their job posts, so don't get discouraged if you don't hear back. Stay organized by checking your My Applications page to keep track of and check on jobs you've applied to recently.

Try these tips and you'll increase your chances of finding great summer (and year-round) jobs on Care.com! Leave a comment letting us know what you think of these, and share some of your own!

Missed part I? Get 5 more tips to help you find summer jobs.

Congratulations to Lisa H.., our latest Featured Caregiver of the month (she's graduating from Ohio State University soon… so double congrats!). Lisa has over 10 years of nanny experience, so you've found your perfect fit if you're looking for a nanny extraordinaire in Beaver County, PA!

Check out our interview with Lisa:

What do you love about babysitting/nannying? 
I love having the opportunity to teach, excite, and provide a safe environment for children. It's easy to get lost in the grown-up world, but spending quality time with kids brings me back to the important things in life-happiness and growing! 

Do you have a funny or special caregiving moment you'd like to share? 
For about four years I babysat a family with three girls and an eldest boy. The young man was high school age and prided himself on his athleticism. He would pick me up and carry me over his shoulder to get the little girls all worked up and the youngest, about 3 at the time, was the one to convince him to put me down because, "if we hurt her, she won't come play with us anymore." 

What's a fun fact about you? 
I am a huge sports and race car fan. I grew up going to car races with my Dad and family and being a part of my Dad's pit crew. It's probably the only thing that would surprise you though - I'm so open to sharing stories! 

Do you have any hobbies? 
I love doing crafts and Do It Yourself projects at home. I am constantly searching the internet for new ideas and inspirations! Giving small tokens of appreciation that I make myself always makes me feel good. 

What is your favorite book to read with kids? Favorite movie? 
My favorite book is Goodnight Moon - I grew up reading it and always insisted that my Mom and Dad let me point out the little mouse in the dollhouse. My favorite movie to watch with kids is a toss-up between The Little Mermaid and Ratatouille. I grew up adoring Ariel because she was a redhead-like me! And Ratatouille encompasses my love for cooking. 

Who is your favorite celebrity mom and child? 
I recently have found an appreciation for Sandra Bullock and her newly-adopted child. I admire her determination and love for her child and have always admired her personal strength and humor. She is a strong woman despite unfortunate circumstances and I think that that is the best look for any Momma!

You attend college - how has Care.com helped you get through school? 
Care.com has given me a resourceful, safe, and creative way to get my service out to families who need a helping hand. Knowing that it is a trusted source is comforting for both parents/caregivers and the babysitter - and all each of us want is for the child to be in the best hands. 

What is your best advice for other babysitters out there? 
My best advice would be to trust your instincts and ask questions before you need to know the answer. You are a dignified caregiver and your nurturing inclinations should be paid attention to. Combining that instinct with parental knowledge and compassion, you can't go wrong! 

Are you looking for a summer job? Tell us what you're looking to find and where. 
I am looking for a summer job but hope that that connection would lead into a long-term opportunity. I am searching for that chance in the Beaver County, PA area and am forever hopeful! 

What activities do you like to do with children in the summer? 
I enjoy outdoor activities with children in the summer-specifically, pool time, running in the sprinkler, sidewalk coloring chalk creations, and anything that keeps us moving! I also enjoy some cool-down time indoors knowing that the little bodies (and mine!) can't handle long days in the sun. When that is the case, I like making popsicles, coloring, crafts, and reading. 

Anything else you'd like to add? 
I just want to thank you for the opportunity! I am excited to find something through Care.com and I think that it is a great resource for both parties. I hope to hear from you soon. Take care! :)


Upgrade now for your chance to be Featured Caregiver of the month too, just like Lisa. Plus, you'll also stand out more in search results and get priority notification of new jobs.