Creating a Babysitting Resume and Accepting Your First Job

You’ve completed a babysitting preparation course such as Safe Sitter®, your parents have determined that you are ready for the responsibility of babysitting, and now you’re ready to accept your first babysitting job.

Advertising your babysitting services in a safe manner needs to be your first priority. Here are 3 things you can do to find new employers and start babysitting.

1. Create a resume.

When people are looking for jobs, they are often asked to submit a resume. A resume is a summary of your education, qualifications, and accomplishments.

You can create a babysitting resume easily with our resume tool. The resume tool allows you to upload a picture and include information about your education and experience.

To get started, download the resume template and follow the directions on the template. You will need to use a computer to upload a picture to the resume and save it for future use. Fields with a red box are required. After completing the resume, you can save it to your computer and print paper copies.

Adobe PDF Reader is required to use the template and it is a free program. If you do not have it on your computer, ask your parent to help you download it by visiting https://get.adobe.com/reader/.

If you have completed a Safe Sitter® course, download the Babysitting Resume for Safe Sitter® Graduates and Babysitting Resume Directions.

If you have completed another babysitting program or a CPR class, download the Babysitting Resume for Other Programs and Babysitting Resume Directions.

If you haven’t take a babysitting safety course, register for a Safe Sitter® class and learn the safety, child care, first aid, and business skills you need to be a successful babysitter.

2. Distribute your resume (safely).

It may be tempting to create your resume, print it, and hand it out to everyone you see or have your parent share it on social media. STOP! DO NOT DO THIS!

Your resume contains personal information such as your name, phone number, and where you attend school. It is important that you only distribute that information to people you or your family knows personally.

Here are things you can do with your resume:

• Print copies to distribute to neighbors that you or your parents know. This is a great opportunity to formally introduce yourself to neighbors with young children, but don’t leave out the neighbors without children. They may have nieces, nephews, or grandchildren that need a babysitter. If your parents give you permission, let your neighbors know they can share your resume with people they personally know.
• Ask your parent to email a copy of the resume to their network of friends, co-workers, and family. In the email, your parent can ask the recipients to share your resume with their immediate network of friends and family. If you or your parent aren’t comfortable with this, specify that in the email.
• Distribute copies of your resume to your teacher and other staff members at school. They often know of families in the community that need a babysitter and will share your information with those families. Plus, your teacher will be really impressed that you have a resume! Did someone say extra credit?

3. Screen each job.
When you are offered a babysitting job, you need to screen each job. You need to get specific information from the employer about the job and ask yourself some questions to help you decide if you will accept the job.

Information you need from the employer when they contact you to babysit include:

• Contact information including name, address, and phone number.
• Details of the job such as date, start and end times.
• Ages of the children, extra responsibilities, and transportation details.
• Verify that they are willing to pay your hourly rate.
• If you do not know the employer, you need to know how they heard about you.
• Set a time to let the employer know if you can accept the job.

Questions for you and your parent to decide if you will accept the job:

• Availability: Is the family calendar free at the date and time? Is it a busy week that would make adding babysitting job too much for you? Do you have other plans with friends at that time?
• Safety: Do you have a safe way to get to and from the job? Are you comfortable with the employer and the kids? Is the home in a safe neighborhood?
• Ability: Can you handle the number of children for the babysitting job? Do the kids have any special concerns that make babysitting more challenging? Are there extra responsibilities such as feeding pets?
• Permission: Do you have your parent’s permission to accept the job?

Once you decide if you can take the job, contact the employer and let them know. If you cannot accept the job but would like an opportunity to babysit for the family in the future, be sure to let them know.

For more information about babysitting, check out Babysitter Boss.