7 ways to find a job faster on Care.com

7 ways to find a job faster on Care.com

Job searching is hard. Sometimes you find a great job immediately and sometimes it can take a while. Plus, you̵7;re busy and it can be difficult to devote all of your time to a job search.

At Care.com, we want to help you find a match as quickly as possible. Here are eight insider tips that we want to share about how to use Care.com to find a job quickly.

Need more advice? Read up on the 14 Ways to Get Families to Respond to You on Care.com. 

1. Apply to fewer jobs

Yes, you read that right. Believe it or not, you may be applying to too many jobs. It̵7;s not always about how many jobs you apply to, but if they̵7;re the right jobs for you. Think quality, not quantity. Pay attention to Care.com̵7;s job alert emails, but take the time to run specific searches to narrow your focus and sort opportunities by categories, such as distance, experience, relevance, name, city and age. Apply only to the jobs that are a good match for your experience. Then use the time you save to craft individualized messages about why you̵7;re a good fit for each job, and follow up if you don̵7;t hear anything back.

2. Write personalized responses

It̵7;s fast to cut and paste a response to a posting, telling the family or company that you̵7;re interested and they should check out your great profile. But these generic applications are often a waste of time and probably won̵7;t get you the job. Take a few minutes to say why you want this position and why you would be the perfect person to care for their child, pet, house, elderly family member, etc. You don̵7;t have to tell a family or company your life story — and you shouldn̵7;t. Write a few brief sentences about why you are excited about this specific job, how it relates to your previous experience and why you̵7;re a good fit. Then suggest they check out your profile.

3. Update your profile

Members with new or updated profiles usually appear at the top of the page when families or companies are searching for candidates. Commit to updating your profile every few days. You̵7;ll jump in the results and get viewed by more families. Add new information to your profile that sets you apart from other candidates. Have you picked up any new hobbies, read any new interesting child care books, learned a great cleaning secret or signed up to run a 5K? Be creative. This additional information will give a family or company a more complete picture of who you really are and why you might be perfect for them.

4. Add the right photos

The photo is one of the most important elements in a profile. If you don̵7;t have one already, ask someone to take a conservative headshot of you. The results will be worth it. Then add up to five additional photos that continue to tell your story and your personality. Families are looking for someone who will fit in with their family̵7;s values, personalities and interests, and a variety of interesting images will help.
Want more advice on what photos to include or having problems uploading photos? Check out this article on Is Your Profile Picture Hurting Your Job Search?

5. Increase your availability

Another important area of your profile is the ̶0;Availability̶1; section. Take a hard look at it. Is it up-to-date? If you really need a job ASAP, can you add more days or hours that you̵7;re free to work? The more open you are, the more jobs you̵7;ll fit and the faster you may get hired. Did you sign up to be a backup care provider? In your profile under the availability section, check the box where you̵7;re asked: ̶0;Can you provide short notice care?̶1; Then when families unexpectedly need last-minute care you will get a notification. A one-time job may lead to a full-time position.

6. Get background checked

Families want someone with a complete background check because it saves them the time and trouble of getting one for a potential employee. 

7. Promote your profile

Now get the word out to your network that you̵7;re ready and willing to work. Share your profile on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. Email it to friends, family, former co-workers, your first-grade teacher, etc. You never know who is looking for care.

The big secret to getting hired fast is being detail-oriented. You need a job now, but don̵7;t rush into applying for everything immediately. Figure out what type of job you̵7;re best suited for, make sure your profile is detailed and up-to-date and take the time to craft individualized applications to the jobs that fit your expertise. Then spend some time each day on Care.com and you̵7;ll find that perfect job.


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