How to Find a Job on GreatAupair

1. Register for free
   Create your au pair profile so that families can find you and notify you of their interest in you. Simply register for free as an AuPair or Nanny by clicking AuPair & Nanny registration
   
   
2. Sign in
   GreatAupair will send you your password to the email address you specify in registration. You will use your email address and password to sign in each time you visit GreatAupair. You can change your password or your email address at any time under the "My Account" menu at the top of every page.
   
   
3. Find Families
   Once you are signed in, scroll down to the bottom of the Manage Account page to review the "FastMatch & Hot List Preference" questions. After setting your preferences, roll your mouse over the "My Account" link at the top of any page and select "My FastMatch" from the drop down menu that appears. FastMatch provides you with a list of all of the families who meet 90 percent or more of your preferences.
   
   
4. Research Your Visa Options
   If you intend to travel outside of your country, we highly recommend that you review our visa section to familiarize yourself with your preferred country's visa requirements and aupair program. You can review the visa information for the most popular aupair destinations here: http://www.greataupair.com/visas.cfm
   
   
5. Notify Families of your interest
   You can notify a family that you are interested in them by adding them to your Hot List and the family will receive an email with your profile details. The Add to My Hot List button, found below every family summary that shows up in your search or FastMatch results.
   
   If you have any family profile open, there is a link in the Action Items section on the left-hand column that says, "Add to Hot List". When you click on either the "add" button or the text link, the family will be notified of your interest in them by receipt of an email with your profile summary.
   
   
6. Use your Hot List
   Your Hot List is a powerful tool that allows you to manage your list of favorite families and communicate with them via auto-responses and group email functions. Your Hot List also allows you to see which families have added you to their Hot Lists.
   
   
7. Become a Member
   When you find families that you are interested in, it would be to your advantage to pay to become a Member in order to obtain the contact information for all 2769 families on the site. Being a Member allows you to quickly and easily take control of finding the right family for you. The membership fee for 90 days is US$120 and the membership fee for 30 days is US$60. The 90-day membership is actually more economical in the long run as it works out to be only $40 per month.

   Note: If you cannot afford to pay for a membership, then you can continue to notify families that you are interested in them by adding them to your Hot List. Interested families will respond and Member families will be able to contact you directly. You are not required to pay to be part of the site.
   
   

8. Select your Family
   Once you've made contact with several families, determined your visa requirements, checked their references and decided on the family you wish to work for, be clear about your expectations, salary, timing, etc. and come to an agreement with your chosen family.

Being an aupair can be a rewarding adventure and learning experience. Being an aupair requires a commitment to helping others, integrity and the ability to be flexible. Finding the right family requires thoughtful evaluation of the type of situation that best suits you. To assist you in forming a successful relationship with your chosen family, we have provided some general guidelines to give you an idea of what to expect when working as an aupair for the first time.

• Click for in-depth information on Au Pair and Nanny Salaries. The aupair’s average weekly salary for 40 to 45 hours of childcare in the USA is US$140 and may be less in other countries.
  
  
• An aupair should be provided with a private bedroom. Many families will have extra amenities in the room such as TV, stereo, phone, and computer, however this is not required and will be different with each family.
  
  
• An aupair’s living expenses, which include room and board, are covered by the family, unless the aupair requires unique dietary items or health supplements for which she/he should be responsible. Also the aupair is responsible for all personal items such as toiletries, hair care items, etc.
  
  
• The aupair should pay for her/his long distance phone calls.
  
  
• If the aupair is required to drive for the family, the family should pay for the gas for all required driving. However, typically the aupair pays for gas when using the car for personal use.
  
  
• The aupair is generally responsible for her/his medical insurance/expenses unless the aupair arrives through an agency, in which case insurance is included in the fees paid to the agency by both the family and aupair.
  
  
• Airfare for the aupair is usually negotiable. If the aupair does not come through an agency, families and aupairs often split the cost of a roundtrip ticket. If the aupair doesn’t have the money to pay for her/his half of the ticket up front, families can cover the cost and deduct the balance from wages. If the aupair comes to the U.S. through an agency, only the cost of airfare to New York is typically included in the placement fee paid to the agency by the family. The family would then have to get you from New York to their home.

Tips for a successful relationship with your host family

• Make sure that you are clear about your schedule and responsibilities and are in agreement with the family’s expectations.
  
  
• Remember that attitude is everything to a potential family. A family can train for skill, but it is difficult to train for attitude.
  
  
• If your are uncomfortable with something, be sure to approach your host family openly, and communicate your feelings respectfully. Most families will appreciate this and respect you more for responsibly confronting the situation.
  
  
• This job is all about making a difference, spreading joy and delight, allowing others into your heart and lending a helping hand. In the process you will experience many new people and places; learn and grow on many levels. It's what you bring to the experience that counts.
  
  
• Being appreciative and doing things without having to be asked are two simple qualities that make a great aupair.