Bad Review for No Reason?

[Anonymous]

My Fiancé and I moved to a new area a few months ago, and I had started a job that did not work out. I was only there for 2 months (October-December) and was not happy due to the fact that they were regularly over an hour late with no notice, and never made good on their promise to change this habit or pay accordingly. I had to quit finally after they claimed to be unable to pay me 2 weeks in a row. They said a customer had not paid them on time and they were counting on that money to pay me, but honestly I don't make enough for that to be okay. I'm flexible, but that's past my flexibility. I just got their payment on Friday, actually, after I had to threaten to take them to court.

I was searching for another job, but had a hard time as many people are not hiring around the holidays. I took a few weeks off from my search after a significant death in my family, but started searching again last month. I've had a few interviews, but nothing that would be a great match. I am admittedly being a bit picky during the process this time, I really want to find the right family, especially after my last experience.

I interviewed with a woman last week and we hit it off really well. The position was for part-time morning care, so I would have needed a second job, also, which would be fine. After our meeting, she called to ask if I would come to their home over the weekend to meet the kids and her husband. She also said she had forgotten to mention that the hours were fewer than what she had marked down on Care.com. She would need me to be available every morning, M-F, but would only need and pay for 3 of those days. I told her (politely, of course) I would not be able to do that, because it would potentially prevent me from accepting a second position (I had told her in the initial interview that hers would not be my only job, she understood and was fine with it), and if my availability is held for that time, keeping me from making money elsewhere, I need to be compensated. I also told her that I would be happy if she kept my number for back-up care or other babysitting. She was disappointed, but polite.

Fast-forward to this morning, I wake up to a lovely 1-star review from this woman on my previously 5-star profile saying, "No show. No call. Very disappointing."

WHAT???? I don't even know what to do. This year has been so difficult for my family and me this year, and this just feels like icing on the cake. Nobody is going to be interested in hiring a nanny with a negative review (I doubt they would even click on my profile or respond to my messages), and I feel like the last 7 years of me working so hard and building up my experience just got flushed down the drain. I'm so upset and I don't know what to do.

[Anonymous]

Can you call her and ask her? It really sucks that families are allowed to do that but nannies are not. If she won't budge and is determined to ruin your professional chances, switch to sittercity or some other site? I think Care.com also gives you an opportunity to respond to negative feedback, so you can certainly put your side of the story down for people to see?

[Anonymous]

I had a similar situation, and I understand the frustration. Care.com is also not very willing/able (not sure which really) to help. I had to cancel an interview, that was scheduled just that morning, due to a personal emergency. I called in as much time as I was able to do so...woke up the next morning to find a similar "no call, no show" comment. I ended up having to delete my profile, even though I had several great reviews, and making a new one, just to get rid of the one bad review. This might be your best course of action, best of luck!

[Anonymous]

Nannies really should be able to review the other way around. But I think EVERYONE should have to somehow confirm that they even worked with the person they're reviewing. Her post makes it look like I worked for her and just stopped showing up, when in reality I just told her over the phone that I wouldn't be able to do a second interview.

I am also on SitterCity, but I've never found a job through them, only Care. That's where my 5-star reviews were.

I thought about deleting the account, making a new one, and asking my previous employers to put up another review, but neither are still on the site, and I've completely lost contact with one.

[Anonymous]

That's a good idea- Can you delete your profile and make a new one? I am sort of cringing even writing that- since there are probably lots of people that do that for the wrong reasons- but it sounds like you have a legit reason.

[Anonymous]

That sucks. I only have sympathy for you. I had almost the exact same thing happen to me. I had a great afternoon job and a family contacted me about a part time afternoon job. I interviewed with them and it was clear they didn't know exactly what they wanted. They complained my price was too high and told me they had been using the local teenagers. (I can't compete with $5 teens!). Weeks passed, I got an email from them asking for help for a few weeks. I said sure, she said she would be in touch.... I never heard from her until one day she left a terrible review on care.com. She said I was unreliable. I

[Anonymous]

You should send her call her (from a number she won't expect) and ask her why she lied, or inform her that spreading lies on the internet attempting to ruin someone's reputation is illegal and that you won't hesitate to seek legal retribution.

[Anonymous]

care.com has a responsibility to investigate these things if brought to their attention.

[Anonymous]

OP here

12:26, I literally just got off the phone with them and they said they can't do anything about the review. Company policy. The only thing I can do is respond to her review, which I already knew. I'm so mad. I've been paying for their premium membership for years and this is how they treat me. They could even see our messages back and forth. The girl on the phone admitted that it was clear I couldn't have worked for her.

[Anonymous]

Atleast Sittercity lets you provide feedback on the parent. Care has gone downhill a bit imo, especially when they went from keeping your profile private but you still bing able to respond to jobs (like Sittercity), to having to be visible to respond to anything now.

Sorry OP. I would be upset as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here

12:26, I literally just got off the phone with them and they said they can't do anything about the review. Company policy. The only thing I can do is respond to her review, which I already knew. I'm so mad. I've been paying for their premium membership for years and this is how they treat me. They could even see our messages back and forth. The girl on the phone admitted that it was clear I couldn't have worked for her.

Legal definition of libel and slander:http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Libel+and+Slander
They are responsible just as much as she.

[Anonymous]

OP here, again.

Thanks for the support, everyone. It really makes me feel (a little) better. I'm so sad to see this has happened to others, though.

I wrote the woman a message, again on Care.com, so the company will be able to see, basically stating that I'm upset and confused by her review, I believed our conversation had ended amicably, and I'm disappointed that this review will hurt years of hard work towards my career. I also asked that she kindly remove the comment.

I chose not to make any legal threats. I don't really know what my options are, and I detest looking like I don't know what I'm talking about, particularly when it matters. If I don't know, I'd rather keep my mouth shut. I'll wait and see what she does, if anything, and go from there.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure that she didn't make a mistake. Perhaps she meant to update someone else's profile? Its worth sending her an email to confirm this didn't happen.

[Anonymous]

you can leave a comment to her response.

[Anonymous]

OP here- She responded to my message, apologized, and said she contacted care.com to take it down. Yay!