Au Pair World is my favorite website to find a job as an Au Pair. In order to find a great family and stick out as a candidate among many, you do need to make a solid effort on your profile. If you are not sure how to fill it out but want to make the best impression, here are some ideas of how to fill out your Au Pair World profile.
Photo Credits: Christin Hume
What to Know
What is Au Pair World?
Au Pair World is a website where host families and Au Pairs can create their own account, make a profile, and connect with each other. It is free for Au Pairs, but host families must pay a fee. There are other websites you can use to find an Au Pair job, but I prefer this one because it is safe and easy to use.
What Assistance Does Au Pair World provide?
Au Pair world does vet their host families and provides helpful information on becoming an Au Pair. However, creating your profile, finding a host family, and completing the necessary tasks to go overseas is completely up to you. You do all of the work on your own.
Why is What You put in Your Profile so Important?
There are thousands of Au Pairs using Au Pair World. Thus, families have a lot of options to choose from. If you want to find the perfect family for you then you need to stick out among these candidates. It's just like submitting a resume for a classic job.
Does My Age Matter?
While they say you need to be between 18-35 to be an an Au Pair there is technically no age limit. However, many working VISAs that enable you to work as an Au Pair, will have age limits. Families also may be looking for an Au Pair of a certain age because they will need you to obtain a drivers license or sign the kids out of school.
Who can See My Profile?
Only Au Pairs and families who are registered on Au Pair World can view your full profile. However, anyone who goes onto the website and searches for Au Pairs can view part of your profile. This means they can see; your first photo, name, age, nationality, location you are looking to work, dates you are available, your last log in date, and the beginning of your "Dear Host Family" section.
When Should I Delete My Profile?
Don't! If you find a family, or have decided that you do not want to be an Au Pair just yet, do not delete your profile. Instead, deactivate it. You can easily activate it again when you decide it is time to find a new family. This way all of your information is saved and you do not need to start over.
General Profile Tips
1. Nothing is Set in Stone. Anything you put on your profile can be edited or changed. So do not stress about making things perfect from the start.
2. Too Much is Better Than Not Enough. This does not mean write a full essay, you can still be concise and to the point. But, families want to know that you are interested in and actually want to do this job. Answer the profile questions to the best of your ability.
3. Be Honest. Be honest with your host family and with yourself. If you do want to take care of pets, do not say that you can handle it. It will put a damper on your experience and frustrate the family.
4. Check Your Spelling and Grammar. Families are reading your profile like a job application... because it is. Edit your profile and write in complete sentences.
5. Not Every Section Needs to be Filled out. Honestly, I recommend filling out every section. However, if you really have nothing to say in a specific section, or what you wrote does not look good, then you can choose not to fill it out. It will not appear in your profile.
6. Write for Your Audience. Remember that you are writing this information for parents to read. With everything you write, they are deciding if you are a good fit to live, work, and spend time with their family.
Setting Up Your Profile
Setting up a profile on Au Pair World is free and easy. Just fill out the information honestly and to the best of your ability. You can get started, here. Your personal contact details (address, city, state, and phone number) will not be posted on your profile. Everything else can be seen by registered families and Au Pairs.
Uploading Photos
Your photo is first thing a family sees when they click on your profile. Be sure to only upload photos that you would be proud to show your mother or your teacher. Your photo does not need to be a professionally done headshot and probably should not be because these photos are meant to show off your personality.
What to Add
What shows off your personality.
You in a happy or positive environment.
Working with kids.
Doing things you love.
Traveling.
What to Avoid
Party photos.
Late night photos.
Anything with alcohol.
Large group photos.
Photos where you can't tell which one is you.
Snap chat filters.
Pro Tip: Families in the USA tend to respect you blurring out other children's faces in your photos. This tells them you will respect their child's privacy as well.
Answering the Profile Questions
Note: The example profile answers used below are just that: examples. They are made to help get your thought process going, not to be used as an exact outline.
Dear Host Family
This is the very first section potential host families will read when they click on your profile. It gives them an overview of you and what you are looking for. It's to help them decide if they should keep reading.
What to Add
A hello or welcome to my profile.
A short, general overview of yourself.
Age, where you're from, education, childcare experience, and travel experience.
Why you want to be an Au Pair.
What you are looking for.
How many children you want to work with, general age range, length of stay, etc...
A thank you for reading or I hope you reach out.
What to Avoid
Adding everything about yourself or lengthy explanations.
You will expand on this in later sections.
Being extremely specific with no leeway on what you are looking for.
If you are only looking to work with 5 year olds, you may miss out on a family that is perfect you but has a 6 year old. Instead, give a general age range such as 4-8.
Example: Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my profile. My name is Sabrina (24) and I am from the USA. I recently graduated from college with a BA in Psychology in hopes of becoming a child psychologist. Before pursuing this path I have decided to take a gap year in order to travel and gain more life experience. I have had the opportunity to travel to several other countries while on vacation, but want to the chance to really live and work as an Au Pair in another country for a minimum of 6 months.
I love working with kids. My favorite job has always been working as a camp counselor, which is how I usually spend my summers. I am generally an outdoor person and love spending time hiking and canoeing. I am looking to be an Au Pair for children ages 4-7 who love to explore, be outside, go on adventures, and have big imaginations. While I love watching movies now and then, I would really love to find a family who likes to get up and go, and spend more time outside rather than have a large amount of screen time.
Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you!
My Personality
Your personality will give families an idea of the type of person that will be taking care of their kids. They want to know how you will act around their children and if your personality meshes with their family dynamic.
What to Add
Adjectives and buzzwords that showoff your personality.
Outgoing, active, positive, organized, friendly, etc...
Examples of how you act/why you are the way you are.
If you use the word active, back it up with examples. Ex:"I am very active and love to run 5ks with my friends."
Values and morals.
What to Avoid
Overselling yourself.
You are probably awesome, but too much hype can come off as fake.
Getting into too much detail about what you do in your free time.
Shutting down other's ways of thinking.
If you don't see the world in sunshine and rainbows, that is okay! But you do not need to spell out how you think other people can be too positive.
Writing what you think they want to hear.
If you say you are an activate person and you are not, you may end up with a host family that expects you to join in on family running events.
Example: I am a very active person, and I love the outdoors. I enjoy going on runs every morning and you can usually find me hiking or skiing in my free time. I am also extremely organized and enjoy schedules and routine, I keep a daily planner to keep my days in order. I have always been a very independent and outgoing person. I have traveled solo to multiple countries and I enjoy striking up conversations with the people I meet on these adventures. I love helping others when I can and have a love for volunteering. Twice a month I volunteer at the animal shelter in my hometown.
My Family and Friends
This is for families to understand how you were brought up and how you interact with your friends and family. This gives an idea of how you may fit into their family dynamic, get along with their children, and interact with their neighbors.
What to Add
Overview of your family makeup.
Values surrounding your family and friends.
How you interact with and spend time with friends and family.
What to Avoid
Getting into family drama.
Giving too much information on negative family/friend interactions.
Who you do not get along with in your family/who you are not close with.
Lying about connections with family.
Describing the types of people you do not get along with.
Example: I grew up as the oldest child in a single parent household where my Mom raised my brother and I. We spent a lot of time playing outside and going on family camping trips when I was younger. Once I went away to college I staid in touch with my family as much as I could through letters and phone calls. I have a few really close friends that I met while in college who I love spending time with. We love finding new hiking trails on the weekends or completing jigsaw puzzles together. I also enjoy catching up with old high school friends at the coffee shop when I go home for a visit.
My Education
Your education provides insight to your life experience and allows families to see what you have been trained in. It can also help explain your short-term and long-term goals.
What to Add
Your general education.
High school grad, college degree, MBA, etc...
Your future education plans.
Gap year before college, enrolling in the spring, etc...
Study abroad experience.
Any certifications/licenses.
TEFL certificate, babysitting certification, teaching license, etc...
First aid training.
Fist Aid/CPR, lifeguard certified, etc...
What to Avoid
Lying about your education.
Saying you are certified in something you are not.
Example: I recently graduated from a 4-year college and have a degree in Psychology. My goal is to become a child psychologist so that I can help children be able to cope with and overcome difficult situations. While in college I studied abroad in Ireland for several months, which sparked my love for other cultures and inspired me to take a gap year. I have also completed multiple babysitting safety courses and am currently certified in CPR and First Aid.
What I Do in My Free Time
Knowing your hobbies helps host families understand what you have in common with them. Will you enjoy taking the kids out to play basketball or be excited to participate in a family board game night? This will help them picture you in their daily lives.
What to Add
Hobbies/activities that parents can picture you doing with their kids.
Things you genuinely like to do in your free time.
Even if it's not fun for the kids to do, like visiting coffee shops, parents are looking for commonalities they can share with you too.
Routine events or social gatherings you participate in.
Volunteering, church, family game nights, club sports, etc...
What to Avoid
Anything you would not tell your parent or teacher.
Hobbies that make people think of drinking, smoking, or partying.
Ex: music festivals. Music festivals are awesome, but unfortunately they do not always bring to mind the best ideas, especially for parents.
Writing what you think they want to hear.
If you say you are a hiker any you are not, you may end up with a host family that expects you to join in on weekend hiking trips.
Example: In my free time I love to be outdoors. I enjoy hiking and canoeing and am a camper at heart. I love long road trips and making stops along the way to explore new locations, especially stopping to try out different coffee shops. I enjoy playing all types of sports, my favorites being volleyball and field hockey, and I was on the volleyball team all four years in high school. When I am not outside I like to watch movies and am a big Marvel fan. I enjoy crafting (especially painting), completing puzzles, or baking simple treats (like cupcakes). I am also a big fan of playing card games with friends and we usually have a game night twice a month.
My Experience with Kids
Just like a resume, your employer (i.e. the parents) will want to know the experience you have as it relates to the job (i.e. working with kids).
What to Add
Any paid or unpaid experience you have working with kids.
Babysitting, tutoring, helping with younger family members, etc...
Details of your responsibilities.
Age range/group size you worked with if it matches what you are looking for.
Don't mention that you only have experience with 4 year olds if you are only looking to work with 10 year olds.
Future goals of working with kids.
What to Avoid
Explaining lack of experience.
Comparing kids to other work, especially pets.
Example: I grew up looking after my younger brother and when I was old enough I started babysitting other kids around the neighborhood for several years. While in high school I spent a year tutoring younger students one-on-one in English and Science. I also spent two summers as a camp counselor taking care of a cabin of 6 campers ages 4-8. During this time I taught arts and crafts and facilitated games for large groups of campers of all ages.
Pro Tip: If you have a lot of experience with children, you can always bullet point this section, like a resume, to make it easier for the parents to read.
My Language Skills
Families need to know your language ability and comfort level to see if you can communicate with their children and their family. Some also may have the goal of teaching their children English and need to know you are fluent.
What to Add
The language you grew up speaking.
Other languages you can speak and the level you can speak it.
If you are interested in learning a new language.
Any language courses you have taken.
What to Avoid
Lying about language ability
This will come back to bite you.
Example: I am a native English speaker from the United States. I took basic Spanish in high school, and know enough to be at an elementary level. I am excited to learn more and am hoping that I will be able to learn at a faster pace while living in a Spanish speaking county.
My Motivation
This explains the reason you want to be an Au Pair. Families want to make sure your motivations to take the job will align with what they're expecting and that their kids are as important to you as traveling.
What to Add
Why you want to be an Au Pair.
Why you want to work with kids.
The reason you want to live and work abroad.
Anything that really sparked your interest in this job.
What to Avoid
Putting an emphasis solely on travel.
Forgetting to mention the job as it relates to working with kids.
Example: I want to be an Au Pair because I want to combine two things I love; working with children and experiencing other cultures. I really enjoy being a mentor and having the opportunity to educate children through play. I also like to take every opportunity to gain an understanding of other cultures and people all around the world.
Pro Tip: The example above, while honest, can feel very generic and is a reason why many people want to be an Au Pair. If you can, find a deeper meaning and give an explanation of why this job speaks to you.
My Expectations
You should have expectations regarding the job and lifestyle. Host families certainly have expectations of you. This is the chance to be honest and up front about what you are looking for to see if it aligns with perspective host families.
What to Add
Hard limits you have.
Not working for smokers, not cooking every meal, etc...
Hours/number of days a week you want to work.
What your daily tasks/responsibilities are.
How you want to interact with the children.
Do you want to take them to the park, read stories at bed time, etc...
Mention that you want to discuss further expectations.
What to Avoid
Demanding certain perks.
Ex: must have a car for you to use, must pay for transportation for you, etc...
Saying you are okay with things you are not.
Do not say you are happy deep cleaning the house every Saturday if you hate it. It won't work for you or the family.
Tons of detail with no leeway on anything.
If you only want to work with a family who has 2 kids that are exactly 5 years old and want to be inside crafting everyday, you will be putting yourself in a box.
Example: I am looking to be an Au Pair in Spain or Italy for a family with 2-3 children who are between the ages of 4-8. I would really love to be able take the children on daily outings, such as to the park or for a bike ride. I am hoping to help with cooking but this is not a must. I do not want to work with pets as I am allergic. I am looking for a host family who needs an Au Pair during the work week, and is comfortable with me being away for the weekends. I am also looking for a family who does not smoke. I am expecting to have an open line of communication between me and the parents/caretakers/guardians as to what my role is and what is expected of me, so that we are all on the same page. If you believe we would be a good match, I would love to discuss further expectations.
Other Important Information
If there is any other notable information you have not had the chance to mention, this is the place to do so.
What to Add
Dietary restrictions or allergies.
Any cooking experience.
Other certifications not mentioned in your education section.
Driving ability.
That you have a valid drivers license, can drive a manual, etc..
If you can provide references.
What to Avoid
Repeating things you have expanded upon in other sections.
Example: I do not have allergies, or special dietary needs, but I tend to stay away from fish as a personal preference. While I am not a great cook, I can make the basics (like eggs or pasta). I do enjoy baking and love making different kinds of cakes and cookies. I am happy to provide references upon request.
Conclusion
There you have it! A complete breakdown of what to put in your Au Pair World profile. Of course, this list is not exhaustive and your profile will vary depending on experience but hopefully this will help you build one that helps you get noticed. Good luck finding a family on Au Pair World and hopefully your Au Pair experience is one to remember.