Ten steps to find your babysitting job

Sitly allows parents and babysitters / nannies in the same area to find each other. Your area is full of great babysitting jobs and Sitly is the best way to find the perfect job for you. These are the 10 steps to find your ideal babysitting job. Of course, this is just a guideline, pick the steps with which you feel the most comfortable, and adjust them to your personal situation.

Step 1 Decide what you are looking for in a babysitting job

Who is your ideal family to babysit for? Think about the ages of the kids, how many kids you can babysit at the same time, or the extra chores you’re willing to do. Your search will be much easier when you know for what you’re looking. Decide what babysitting job features are important to you, and on what you’re willing to compromise.

Step 2 Fill in your information and add a good picture

Sign up with Sitly and take a few minutes to set up your profile. The more information you add to your profile, the better we know what families to show you, and the better parents know what you are looking for. There is also a section to add more about yourself. It’s a great idea to add some information about:

  • You and your experience
  • What kind of babysitter or nanny you are
  • What you like to do with kids
  • Any additional tasks you are willing to help out with, e.g. homework or minor household chores
  • How you look forward to their reply

Step 3 Filter and find jobs that match you perfectly

After signing up you can see all of the families in your area straight away. You can use filters like ‘distance’ or ‘how many kids would you like to babysit’. Based on the info in your profile and these filters, Sitly shows you the babysitting jobs that match you best.

Step 4 Send a message to families you like

Check the profiles of a few families: check out their info and their picture. If you find a family that might be a good match, send them a message and introduce yourself! You can tell them about your experience, what you can offer, and why you would be a good match to the family. During your chat, it might be good to ask the following questions:

  • When do you need a babysitter?
  • What do you look for in a babysitter?
  • What extra tasks come with the job?
  • Can we agree on a babysitting rate?

Step 5 Check social profiles

If you ask for the family surname, you can check their social profiles to see who they are and learn more about your potential babysitting family. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are a great way to get to know people and it is a good preparation for your interview as well.

Step 6 Set up an interview

It’s time to meet your babysitting family!

If you like what you see, continue the interview. It’s an opportunity to get to know your new babysitting family better. It doesn’t have to be formal, you can just have a nice chat with some coffee and talk about some different subjects; for example:

  • How long have you been babysitting?
  • What do you like about babysitting?
  • Which ages do you have the most experience with?
  • What do kids like best about you?
  • How do you comfort the kids you babysit?
  • What are your favorite activities with kids while babysitting?
  • Would you mind bringing the kids to their after-school activities?
  • What time are you available until in the evenings?
  • Which domestic chores would you be willing to do?
  • Of course, there’s plenty of room for you to ask questions as well. What would you like to know about the family?

Step 7 Let's meet the kids!

Are you getting along with the parents? Great! But it’s even more important that you and the kids get along. After all, they will spend more time with you than you with their parents. Introduce yourself to the kids, and just go with the flow - some kids like to show you all kinds of things, other kids are a little shy. Of course, you can plan this at same time as the interview; it doesn’t have to be a separate appointment.

Step 8 Set up a grace period

Decide on a grace period to see if it works out. You can think about a set number of times that you will babysit for them. Or start to build up the time that the parents are away to see if everything goes well.

Step 9 Sign a babysitting contract

When you find a great family for whom to babysit, it’s always best to go over the agreements to prevent any misunderstandings. You might even want to record these agreements in a babysitter contract. The contract can be very simple. You can add all the things you find important:

  • Hourly rate
  • Working hours
  • Additional tasks
  • Special reminders about the kids (rituals, medicine use, allergies)

Step 10 Evaluate frequently

Communicate with each other. Make time to evaluate how things are going, preferably without the kids present. That way, there’s plenty of time to tell each what you think, ask questions, or offer advice.