Reply to Ugh, families skipping way ahead on care/sittercity

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[quote=Anonymous]I can't remember which of these sites does this, but on at least one of them, when I get an email informing me that someone has applied for the job, I immediately get a second email from the site operator transmitting a link to the candidate's background check.  Is it possible that the parents are just clicking through the background check email and you are getting an automated notice of that fact from the site?

Beyond that, as an MB, I would not be at all put off if you emailed back and said politely that, out of respect for your references or concern for your personal information, you'd prefer to learn a little more about the position before making that information available.  Offer to make yourself available for a quick phone call or provide additional work history by email.

In the meantime, be mindful of the fact that most parents who post on the nanny sites get overwhelmed with responses.  The parents who are immediately requesting your background info may have felt that they couldn't really get a sense of who you are from your profile, and they simply don't have time to engage in a lot of dialogue to fill in those gaps.

To improve the odds of getting a personal response, include a clean-cut looking photo and a well-written cover letter (even if you use almost the same form over and over).  Instead of just saying that you have ten years of experience and that you love children, list your childcare experience in reverse chronological order, providing dates, city of work, the number of children, job duties, hours, etc.  It helps parents quickly differentiate between the people who truly have quality experience and those who are claiming years of experience based on having helped with a nephew on occasional Saturdays during high school.

As far as references go, you might want to ask some of yours to write up letters singing your praises.  My current nanny got the job in large part because immediately after I contacted her, she emailed me a formal resume and a packet of glowing reference letters.  Between the content of the reference letters and her professional approach to the process, it became clear very quickly that she is a find.  We did eventually ask for phone numbers so we could verify the references, but based on the quality of her application, we felt comfortable investing time in getting to know her before doing that.[/quote]

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