Related Pages: Subscribing as a Nanny or Sitter ... About the Childcare Listing ... High School & College Students
- How to find a household service job on BPN
- How do I post a message?
- How often can I post?
- How do I update or delete my post?
- Where can parents see my post?
- Can I post for friends and family who are also household service providers?
- How many Household. Service Providers subscribe to BPN?
How to find a household service job on BPN
Parents who are looking for a household service post to a listing on our website "Household Services Listing", which displays posts from the past 30 days. The listing includes posts from individuals seeking or providing services in the home such as: housekeeping, house sitters, pet sitters, dog walkers, gardeners, odd jobs, cooks, household assistants and mother's helpers, and recommendations of these categories from parents. Every week on Sunday the Childcare & Household Services newsletter is mailed which includes new posts received during the past 7 days.
1. Read the Childcare & Household Services newsletter on Sundays
The weekly newsletter is mailed on Sunday and it contains new posts from the past week from parents who are looking household services and childcare. It also contains posts from household service providers and nannies who are available, so be sure you submit a post every 30 days so it can be included in a newsletter. See the next section.
2. Post a new message every 30 days as long as you are available
Posting a message is the best way to let parents know you are available. See How do I post a message? for instructions. Your post will be published on the website for 30 days and then you can post again if you still have availability.
The title is the most important part of your post. Only the title appears in the newsletter, not your full post. Parents must click your title to read your full message. If they don't understand your title, or it is too vague, they might not read your message.
- Don't use a title that is only 1 or 2 words, such as "gardener available". This doesn't have enough information. See examples of good titles below.
- Don't misspell any words in the title - check it twice! If parents don't understand your title, they won't read your post.
- It's OK to post in Spanish if you are only looking for Spanish-speaking families.
- Include any information in your title that will tell parents what you're looking for, such as languages you speak, whether you are available full time or part time, the area you are interested in, or something about you.
Examples of GOOD titles:
- "Spanish-speaking gardener available for yard maintenance in Berkeley/Oakland"
- "Handyman for all your small projects with expertise in carpentry"
- "Home Cook available afternoons in Lamorinda"
- "Experienced mother's helper great with infants available mornings"
- "Part-time household assistant available Tuesday & Thursday"
- "College student offering home organization this summer"
- "Albany High student is available on weekends for dog walking"
Your message should give details about you, your background and experience, and what type of job you're looking for..
- Experience: Say how many years you have been providing this service, and what types of experience. If you are just starting out, mention any experience you have, such as caring for your own children or your siblings, or working at a daycare, church nursery, or summer camp.
- Where do you want to work? If you are only interested in a particular area, mention that. If you need to work near public transit, be sure to mention this. Most of our subscribers live in the East Bay, but there are parents looking for childcare in other areas too, such as San Francisco, Lamorinda, and the South Bay, so if you are willing to travel outside the East Bay, include that in your message.
- Hours: If you only want full time work, or can only work certain hours, mention this in your post, such as "I am looking for at least 35 hours a week" or "I am only available on Tuesdays & Thursdays." If you have a flexible schedule, be sure to say this in your post, too, since many parents are working at home now and are flexible. If you are available early in the morning, or can stay later, or you can provide assistance on short notice, you should mention this also.
- Do you drive? If you do not have a driver's license, or you don't have your own car, be sure to mention this in your post. If you will bicycle or use public transportation to get to work, also mention that.
- Pets: Do you like dogs and cats? Do you have a pet at home? Are you allergic to animals? Mention this in your post because many parents looking for a help may have pets.
- Certifications: Include any relevant certifications in your post.
- High School and College Students: Say where you go to school, what year you are, and what you are studying. Write about yourself, such as your hobbies, interests, or talents.
- References: Please do NOT include any names, phone numbers or email addresses of former employers in your post. Instead, say "I can provide references of other families I have worked for".
3. Check for new posts from parents every few days
- Read posts from parents who are looking for childcare here: "Parents Seeking Household Providers"
- Send them a message by clicking the contact link at the end of their post. This will send an email directly to their email inbox.
- Your message:
- The Subject should be clear, specific, and informative, such as: "I'm available for Yard Cleanup in March"
- Give details about yourself, your background and experience. See above for examples. Many providers have prepared text ready that they can include in each new message.
- Personalize each message you send. Mention any requirements the parent listed in their post, such as availability times/days, etc.
- Save a copy. There is a box you can check on the message form that says "Send yourself a copy".
4. Ask parents to post a recommendation of you
Many parents who are seeking household services prefer a recommendation from another parent rather than a post from the provider. Ask the parents you have worked for to recommend you on BPN. If they are BPN subscribers, they can post under "Household Services" choosing the category "Recommending."
How do I post a message?
Once you are a subscriber, login to the BPN website. click 'Post a message' in the main menu or on your account page click the Post button. Then click 'Household Services'.
- Title: The title is very important since parents will see only your title in the newsletter. See below for suggestions for a good title.
- Post Type: Are you looking for part time or full time?
- City: Which cities are you interested in? Scroll to the end of the list to choose larger regions such as "East Bay"
- Start Date: How soon can you start?
- Languages: Choose any languages you speak.
- Message: Type in information about yourself, what you are like as a caregiver, and what you're looking for in a job. See below for suggestions for your message.
How often can I post?
Your post will be published for 30 days on the BPN website, and then you can post again. Please do not post more than once in a 30 day period.
How do I update or delete my post?
Unpublish your post (instructions here) and then you can post a new one if you like.
Where can parents see my post?
- In the main menu: Childcare & Preschools > Childcare Providers Available
- In the main menu: Current Posts > Childcare Available
- Newsletter: The weekly Childcare newsletter contains all new nanny postings received during the previous week. It is mailed on Sunday, so post before Sunday to be included in this week's newsletter. See About Childcare Postings for more info about the newsletter.
Is it OK to post messages for friends and family members who are also household service providers?
No. Your BPN account is for your posts alone. It is not fair to the other nannies who have purchased subscriptions for your friends to post for free. They need to instead purchase their own subscription on BPN. Subscribers who violate this rule may lose their posting privileges.