Plain and simple matching sucks.

Every year I start the process reminds me of how much I want to be out of the program....then I get a candidate that I am excited about and have a 6 - 8 month sigh of relief.

Then month 4 or 5 post arrival sets in, and they slack off - and I deal with it and then enter the matching process again...so the pay off is really only a few months in this program; IMO.

Those 4 or 5 months of "bliss" do make it worth while!

Anonymous wrote:The agencies also encourage the AP to lie on their application about their babysitting experience, which was revealed to me by more than one of my APs.

Just as they did 20 years ago.
I had AP friends who had neighbor's write them a reference for babysitting their children "all summer long" when they barely even knew the kids. I had AP friends who had daycare centers write them a reference for multiple week internships because their mom('s best friend) worked there. And that was back in the day when private tutoring didn't fall under the childcare-experience umbrealla (costing me hundreds of hours of childcare experience).
I had to ask one of my references to put 200 hrs of under-2 experience in my reference because babysitting my half-siblings (who are 16 and 18 years younger than me) didn't count as infant experience as we were related (not even living in the same city though, still babysat them every other Saturday for hours on end), same problem with my cousins (the youngest one is 15 years younger than I am). I had approximately 180 hrs of under-2 experience in that family just not 200+, while I really had approximately 1000 hours of infant experience (with real infants, not 18+ months olds).

If you’re wondering why your first choice candidates aren’t responding to your interview requests, or aren’t interested in matching, it’s because there are other families who aggressively advertise their perks.

During the matching period, I have similar feelings. It is exhausting and I find the let down of a bad skype with a good candidate on paper so disheartening. But I still find my self obsessing a bit.

Will they be able to accept connecitons now?

who has been posted on the site that's new (because everyone else is not desirable)?

I have not gotten close to matching with anyone but I also agree with a PP, no one has asked about perks. But I am also only focusing on Europeans. Perhaps Latin American girls are more focused on it ?

Anonymous wrote:There are fewer qualified AP to choose from, and those who arrive are entitled and woefully unprepared. The agencies also encourage the AP to lie on their application about their babysitting experience, which was revealed to me by more than one of my APs. As long as the agency can sign-up and match an AP with a HF, their costs are covered, regardless of how many rematches take place afterwards. With the new guidelines, and HFs who are throwing cash and additional "perks" at unqualified candidates, the end is near for the au pair program.

I will say that of the first APs who have emailed me back, none of them have asked about perks or for more money.

There are fewer qualified AP to choose from, and those who arrive are entitled and woefully unprepared. The agencies also encourage the AP to lie on their application about their babysitting experience, which was revealed to me by more than one of my APs. As long as the agency can sign-up and match an AP with a HF, their costs are covered, regardless of how many rematches take place afterwards. With the new guidelines, and HFs who are throwing cash and additional "perks" at unqualified candidates, the end is near for the au pair program.

Anonymous wrote:I hate going through the matching (really with any agency - but we use CCAP and APIA).
But does anyone else have OMD (obsessive matching disorder)?
like I spiral into checking acceptance status or if they have viewed our profile or whatever hourly...even for candidates that are not my top tier.

I feel like every year I start the matching process I obsess about it more and more - or the agencies change the process so it is like click bait that I want go check back all the time.

I think I have OMD.

I'm the same. I keep checking the website because they don't email you when an AP turns down your connection so it's hard to know what's going on. I also find APs are taking longer to respond to introductory emails this year. I keep reminding myself it only takes one good AP and that we have plenty of time. But it does feel more onerous this year.

No- I don't have time for that. The whole process has become incredibly onerous for a working parent.

I feel like it has been redesigned to serve the Au Pairs, and not at all for the host families, which is a big miss since the host families are paying the bills and are way smaller in numbers than the prospective AuPairs.

In my town, I know 3 families that have dropped the program in the last year and soon, we are doing the same. It's become more hassle than it's worth.

I hate going through the matching (really with any agency - but we use CCAP and APIA).
But does anyone else have OMD (obsessive matching disorder)?
like I spiral into checking acceptance status or if they have viewed our profile or whatever hourly...even for candidates that are not my top tier.

I feel like every year I start the matching process I obsess about it more and more - or the agencies change the process so it is like click bait that I want go check back all the time.

I think I have OMD.