The Scoop

Win Movie Tickets Valentines Day Contest

Have you made plans for Valentine’s Day yet?

Clear your calendars, because Care.com wants to send you on an extra-special date night… one that could take you on the date of a lifetime to Los Angeles!

We’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day by showing love for our care providers and giving you a chance to see the hot new movie, Valentine’s Day. Even better—one lucky winner will win a package trip for two to L.A.

Want to let us take you out for Valentine’s Day? Here’s what you need to do to win…

Visit the Care.com Facebook Page and share your most romantic or funniest Valentine’s Day memory (let’s keep it PG, okay?). We’ll pick the best stories and give the winners tickets to see the new movie Valentine’s Day along with a 1-month Care.com membership.

If we pick your story as the grand prize winner, you’ll win a weekend trip to L.A. including plane tickets, hotel stay at SLS Hotel, dinner at the hip new restaurant The Bazaar, and a trip to the Warner Bros. movie lot with a private tour of the studios where Valentine’s Day was filmed!

What are you waiting for? Tell us your Valentine’s Day story now!

After you’ve entered the contest, check out the trailer for to movie Valentine’s Day – it opens February 12th. You know we’ll be watching… and you could be, too!

Click here to watch the trailer for the movie Valentine's Day!

Relief Efforts for Haiti

A message from Sheila, Founder and CEO of Care.com,

No doubt you and your family have been shocked and saddened to see the devastation caused by the earthquake which struck Haiti yesterday afternoon. All of us at Care.com have been deeply moved by the images and news stories that are slowly emerging from our neighboring country. We join with you in sending our thoughts, prayers, and condolences to the Haitian people in their home country, here in America, and around the world.

As you may know, thousands of Haitian immigrants and their descendants live in the U.S. today. Many of them are members of the Care.com community and care providers who list their services on our site. I’m writing today out of concern for their safety and well-being. In trying times like these, we must come together to support each other.

If you, friends, or caregivers you know have relatives living in Haiti, you can help them in their search for information about their relatives and loved ones. We join with the President in encouraging you to contact the U.S. State Department at 888-407-4747. The State Department is helping Americans locate relatives in Haiti, particularly in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, which is just 10 miles from the epicenter of the quake.

If a friend, employer, or care provider you know has been personally affected by this tragedy, our thoughts go out to you. We ask that you join with us in showing support and love for all those affected by the earthquake.

While we don’t yet know the quake’s full impact, the one positive we’ve seen thus far has been the overwhelming response of the aid effort. Right now, countries across the globe are sending teams of people for search and rescue or disaster aid to Haiti. Organizations have mobilized their fundraising efforts and are already sending in much-needed food, water, and medical supplies.

If you’d like to get involved, you can make a donation in a matter of seconds by texting the world HAITI to the American Red Cross at 90999 ($10) or texting YELE to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund at 501501 ($5).

For those seeking to offer goods and services, the Center for International Disaster Information has info on how to get started. You can also see other lists of relief organizations taking contributions at the New York Times and CNN.

It is with a heavy heart that we’re sending our support and sympathies to all those affected by this tragedy, and we wish healing for the nation of Haiti and Haitians everywhere.

New Year, New Job -- The Best Ways to Find a New Job in 2010

You already know we’re all about making it easy for you to find great jobs. For 2010, we’re giving you new ways to make that search even easier! With these tools, you can quadruple your online job-finding power in less than five minutes.

We’ll show you how to take your Care.com profile with you when you’re on Facebook, 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. Here's how it works...

(Click on the links below to get started, log in to your Care.com account, and take it from there)

Step one: Create a customized url
Think of it as building your own website on Care.com. We’ll let you create your own unique, easy-to-remember, easy-to-find web address that links straight to your Care.com profile. Share it with family and friends to show off your skills. All you have to do is tell us what you want your address to be!

But that’s just the start… Once you’ve picked your own url, there are several other ways to find new jobs:
   
Step two: Share your profile on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter
Share your Care.com profile link on your Facebook and MySpace pages or on your Twitter profile 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 on a daily basis? 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 Outlook, Apple, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and more! Get people to check out your profile on Care.com.

Step four: Are you a blogger? Add the Care.com blog widget!
Check it out, doesn’t it look spiffy? We’ve created two widgets to add to your blog or website. There’s a small widget (like the one below -- except it'll have YOUR picture and YOUR profile information) 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.

Looks nice, right?

Step five: Get other sites to work for you
Sick of re-writing profiles on dozens of websites? It really can be a huge pain. We’ve tried to simplify the process for you by preparing a fill-in-the-blanks form that you can take with you all over the web and cut-and-paste your way to a new job.

Check it out. You can use this form to post ads for your services on Craigslist, backpage.com, kajiji.com, or local classified sites. Here's what the finished product looks like:

We hope 2010 is full of the great new jobs you’re looking for! Let us know if these sharing ideas work for you and if you have any other ideas for successful online job-hunting.

If you want more helpful tips, check out these related posts:
Job Interview Checklist
Interview Tips for Pet Sitters
Marketing Your Child Care Skills

Good luck!

The Baby-Sitter Club Makes a Comeback

Remember the great series, The Baby-Sitter’s Club, by Ann M. Martin? The series first kicked off over 20 years ago with Kirsty’s Great Idea. The club eventually expanded to eight girls, and together they've gone on enough adventures to fill more than 200 books. During the series' 14-year run, the books inspired a generation girls across the country to become babysitters and solve mysteries while learning life lessons about friendship and family along the way, too.

The BSC (as it’s known to fans) hasn’t seen a new book in ten years. But if you've been holding your breathe for the next installment, your long wait is over! Martin’s planning to write a prequel to the series, calling it The Summer Before. And Scholastic, the publisher, says it will release three reissues from the original series later this year, too.

So while you're waiting for the prequel to hit the bookshelves, check out this age-appropriate list of books that Martin's recommended for real-life babysitters like you.

Toddlers:
Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
The Cat in the Hat (or anything) by Dr. Seuss
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

3 to 6-year-olds:
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Babar the King by Jean De Brunhoff
Rikki Tiki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

Age 6 and Up:
Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little by E.B. White
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (or others) by Beverly Cleary
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

For more reading ideas, check out this Care.com article: Books and Movies for Kids.

Now let's hear your book suggestions in the comments!

Holiday Jobs for Care Providers

Here comes Santa Claus… with more jobs?

You bet. The crazy holiday schedules of families across the country mean care providers like you are in high demand. If you have skills to share, then there’s bound to be a way to use your interests and talents to pad your bank account this time of the year. That’ll certainly help you check off all those people on your shopping list!

Check out our list of holiday-themed jobs, figure out what interests you, and then brush up that Care.com profile to make sure you’re ready for the rush this winter.

Pet Sitter Jobs
November and December are peak seasons for family travel. And when families travel, that means their pets need extra care. At Care.com, we see a big jump in the number of jobs our members post looking for pet sitters around this time. There are about 30 percent more pet sitting jobs available now than there were a couple months ago. So if you love animals, now is the time to get out your leash and start offering dog walking services, overnight pet care, or in-home visits as a pet sitter.

Housekeeping Jobs
Housekeepers are in high demand, especially for home and office party cleanup. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty (often literally!) and feel like you have a little elbow grease to offer, list your services as a housekeeper specializing in post-party cleanup. Then arm yourself with spot remover, get ready to make those glasses spotless, and watch the job offers roll in!

Gift Wrapping or Party Planning Jobs
If you have a flair for anything holiday-related, chances are you can take your talents straight to the bank! We all know how busy the holidays are. There are always members out there looking for help from personal shoppers, gift wrappers, and party planners. If you love to cook and bake, try showing off your cookie and bread-making skills (Your customers will pass off your fresh-baked treats as homemade, you’ll earn extra “dough,” and both sides win!).

In-home Elder Care Jobs
For many families, the holidays represent a time where families can come together to visit relatives and uphold traditions. But that’s not the case for everyone. Often, travel plans mean a family has to leave one set of grandparents behind when they visit another. And even if they’re not affected by their relatives’ travel, many seniors need extra care during the holidays. Seasonal help like snow removal (in cold areas), meal preparation, errand-running, or even help writing holiday cards is in high demand.

Babysitting Jobs
Never fear babysitters and nannies—parents need you, too! As you probably know, the winter holidays can be a hot season for child care providers. Holiday parties mean parents need late-night sitters. And don’t forget the biggest babysitter night of the year—New Year’s Eve—is just around the corner. On that night alone, the number of parents demanding babysitters shoots up 400 percent versus an average weekend night!

How are you finding extra care gigs this winter? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Happy Holidays!

PS – if you’re looking to do some money-saving shopping, check out Care Club. You get access to exclusive online discounts and can even earn cash back.

Thank You!

Caregivers! We just wanted to take a second and say, “Thank you!” for everything you do. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate the countless hours you’ve given to caring for others, for showing love and devotion to the people you care for, and for taking the time to educate yourself and learn how to be a better care provider,

November is National Family Caregiver Month. It’s a time to recognize people like you who work as in-home senior caregivers, child care providers, babysitters, nannies, special needs caregivers, tutors, teachers, and more. You’re helping others live better lives by giving of your time and energy. Thank you for all that you do!

In celebration of National Family Caregiver Month, we’re holding our second annual Care Hero search. We’re asking families to nominate their Care Heroes—the men and women who help make their lives a little bit easier—as part of this contest. The overall winner (who could be a caregiver like YOU!) will receive a $500 Care Package and be named the 2009 Care.com Care Hero. We’ll also select weekly winners, each of whom will receive a $100 restaurant gift certificate.

Do you know another care provider who should be called a Care Hero? Visit the Care.com Facebook Page and nominate them by submitting a photo and few sentences about why you’ve chosen them! If we pick the person you nominated as a weekly or overall winner, you’ll win prizes, too!

And while you’re at it, why not ask the families you work for to nominate you as their Care Hero? You’re worth it.

Thanks again for the generosity and kindness you show on a daily basis while caring for others. You are all our heroes!

Healthy Eating

A new study from the U.K.reports children of working moms watch more TV, eat more unhealthy foods, and are more sedentary than kids with stay-at-home moms!

The study surveyed more than 12,000 moms of five-year-olds. Children whose moms worked either full or part-time spent over two hours a day watching TV or at the computer on average, ate more unhealthy snacks (like chips), and were more likely to drink sugary beverages between meals. If the children had a stay-at-home mom, they watched less television and, on the whole, ate less unhealthy foods. 

As caregivers, we need to help parents keep children healthy! If you have a second, take this short survey on healthy eating -- it'll help us figure out ways to make sure children eat better and stay active.

What are some of your ideas for keeping the kids you care for stay healthy?

Getting the Flu (Shot)

Getting the flu is never the start to a good day. The fever, the chills, the stuffed-up head… blech! It’s enough to make you sick!

Okay, enough with the puns… caregivers do need to give serious thought to the flu, especially as we head into flu season. Our jobs put us at a bigger risk for catching colds than most. Babysitters and nannies practically live in a germ battleground, with tissues and Purel as their first line of defense. And senior care providers have to make sure to not only fight germs themselves, but also help keep their seniors healthy.

Every year, there’s a big debate on whether or not you should get a flu shot. Some are for it, swearing that it helps keep them healthy. Others wouldn’t touch a flu shot with a ten-foot pole, arguing that it has made them sick or, worse, that the vaccine’s long-term effects haven’t been tested thoroughly.

The first batch of H1N1 vaccine has shipped as part of the biggest vaccination campaign in U.S. history (the government is planning to purchase 250 million doses of the shot). And the seasonal flu shot is also now available at local pharmacies and doctors’ clinics in preparation for the time of year when people start coming down with the sniffles.

So now that both shots are available, are you thinking about getting either the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine or the regular flu shot? We wanted to get your feedback as well as give you a heads up with what the Center for Disease Control says about the vaccinations.

Seasonal Flu Shot
For the “normal” flu vaccine, the CDC suggests that people from 6 months old through 19 years of age should be vaccinated, along with adults 50 years and up. They also recommend health care workers and people who come into regular contact with those who’re at high risk of contracting the flu (which includes child care providers and elder care workers) get vaccinated, as well. 

H1N1 Vaccine
For the new swine flu vaccination, the CDC says that all people from “6 months to 24 years of age” should receive the shot, since this group has the highest risk of contracting the strongest forms of the virus. They do also say that older adults in the 50-64 age range should get the shot, too.

Staying Flu-Free
If you’re looking for the best way to stay healthy this flu season, the best advice we can give are the old tried and true methods: wash your hands thoroughly and get lots of fluids and rest! If you’re looking for ways to keep your work or home germ-free, there’s a handy guide here.

We wish you nothing but health this season! Share your tips for staying healthy and flu-free in the comments below.

National Pet Wellness Month

October is National Pet Wellness Month—a month devoted to raise awareness about disease prevention and the importance of twice-yearly wellness exams for household pets.

As you probably know, dog years move a lot faster than human ones! Pets age about seven times faster than people do, on average. By age two, most dogs and cats have already reached adulthood. By the time they’re four, most are “middle aged” (mid-life crisis anyone?). And when they’re seven, most dogs are senior citizens in the canine world. 

Because pets age so quickly, they need regular health evaluations to make sure they’re doing okay. The same way you schedule yourself an annual physical, you should do the same for your pets (and encourage the owners you work for to do so, as well). Major health changes in animals can occur over a relatively short period of time, so regular check-ups are a key part of keeping pets healthy. 

The point of National Pet Wellness Month is to encourage pet lovers to schedule wellness exams “twice a year for life!” This allows your pets’ vets to detect, treat, or prevent problems before they become life-threatening. 

If pet safety and health is important to you, make sure you have twice-a-year exams scheduled for your four-legged friends. If you're a pet sitter, encourage the families you work for to do the same! They’ll appreciate the thought, and so will their pets.

Online Safety for Care Providers

Hi, I’m Donna L. – VP of Member Care and Safety for Care.com. I head up the Care Team, which is responsible for making Care.com easy and safe to use. When I’m not working, I love spending time with my family and watching the Red Sox (as you can see here)!

We’ve recently added several new features to make sure all of our members have the safest and most secure job search possible—whether they’re a care provider like you looking for a great job or a family looking for care. 

We’re doing our very best to spot safety issues before they cause problems for you. So I wanted to take a second to warn you about one scam that’s going around the web and, unfortunately, has impacted more than a few families. 

Here’s the way it works…a stranger emails you, either to your own email address or through a website you both use, claiming he wants to hire you or asking you to buy a product like a TV or a video game console for him. These strangers say they’re overseas and can’t buy the products on their own. If you agree to help them out, they’ll send you a money order to cover the price of the product. But when the money order arrives, the dollar amount on it is wrong—it’s way, way more than the price of whatever they want you to buy. If you ask them what happened, they’ll claim they got two checks confused, and ask you to deposit the money order, keep what you need to make the purchase, then send them the leftover amount.

What you don’t know is that the first money order is fake. If you cash it and send the money back, your bank will hold you responsible for the amount of the fake money order. It’s a check cashing scheme, and you could lose hundreds or thousands of dollars if you fall prey to it.

I’m writing today to warn you to be careful! If anyone asks to pay you before you meet in-person or send a check from another country, please use caution! If you think something’s fishy, please let us know by contacting the Care Team. You can also use a new safety feature by checking the “Flag As Inappropriate” option on an email or a job post—that will bring the issue to our attention quickly and we’ll be able to help you out. And if someone does send you a check or money order, you should take it to local authorities before trying to cash it. 

As you know, Care.com is a great place to find a job. We’re doing our very best to keep the whole community safe and secure. If there’s ever anything we can do to make your experience using Care.com better, just let us know.

Good luck finding a great, new job!

Cheers,

Donna