How to Get Babysitting Jobs

Unfortunately, thanks to all of the perverts, the scammers and the predators out there, posting an ad on the internet—even offering yourself up as a babysitter—is kind of a dangerous thing to do.  Of course, so is posting an ad for yourself in the paper, on a community center bulletin board… when did the world get so dangerous?  The simple truth is that you can still post ads for babysitting jobs online and offer up your babysitting services through bulletin boards and web portals and job hunting sites.  The trick is to be careful—especially if you are under age.  Always have a parent go with you to meet your potential babysitter job clients before the actual job is to take place.  Your clients will be impressed that you are thorough and, if the situation is scary or not what you thought it would be, you have a parent there to protect you.  Another good idea is to arrange to have more than one meeting with the client before accepting the job: one to meet the parents and one to meet the kids.  This gives you and the family more time to get to know each other in a friendly and safe environment so that the parents will not feel as if they are being forced to leave their children in the hands of a stranger.Of course, there are other ways to get babysitting jobs than simply posting ads for yourself and hoping that a babysitter job is the result.  Be pro active!Try to find a job that lets you work with kids on a regular basis: volunteer in the children's room at the library or at a community center.  Community funded child care programs are always looking for help and they do thorough background checks—which will put parents' minds at ease when they see the centers on your resume.  You might also volunteer at an after school or before school program.  These can help you get in touch with parents who have evening babysitting jobs to offer.  Another good resource is to make contact with the teachers at your local elementary schools and colleges.  Talk to the teachers and ask if they might mind recommending you for a potential babysitter job or two to help you get your name out there and among the parents.  Finally—as much as you might not want to—you might try letting your parents spread the word that you are looking for babysitting jobs.  Perhaps they have a friend or coworker who needs a babysitter!Finding a babysitter job for yourself takes time and effort and, frankly, can be a little scary.  There is more to it than simply announcing that you have decided to become a babysitter and hoping that people will call you.  In today's society even babysitters need to market themselves, especially if they want to get any babysitting jobs!