How to write a babysitting résumé that will get you the job [with résumé template]

The goal of your babysitter résumé is, of course, to make it easier for parents to hire you. No matter how many babysitting gigs you’ve had in the past, your résumé is often the first thing that prospective employers see when deciding whether to hire you for their babysitting job. This is your opportunity to highlight the great work experience you’ve had, as well as any relevant skills you’ve developed that would tell a prospective family why you’re the right candidate for their needs.

Here’s what to include on a babysitting résumé, what to leave off, and how to format it, along with a sample résumé template and a list of common résumé mistakes to avoid.

What should I include on my babysitting résumé?

One of the best ways to determine what information you should showcase on your résumé is by looking at the competition. It helps to know what you’re up against, but more importantly, if you have similar skills or experience, you’ll want to make sure to highlight them. There are a few ways that you can do this:

Talk to babysitter friends to see what they put on their résumés.
Search online for sample babysitting résumés.
If you’re applying to jobs on websites, review other babysitter profiles in your area to see what information and skills they’re choosing to showcase.

As a rule, you should always include your professional experience, education, and any certifications or qualifications—the items that best show off your babysitting abilities—all on one page so that prospective employers can quickly review and evaluate your credentials to determine what makes you the best fit for their needs.

Here are the five main sections, arranged as they should appear from top to bottom on your résumé:

1. Contact information

At the top of your babysitting résumé, clearly display your full name and contact information, as well as a professional email address (think first name and last name—this isn’t the place for your personal email with the oh-so-funny name you came up with at school), mailing address, and the best contact number for you, such as your personal cell phone. If you have a website or online profile that showcases your babysitting experience and includes helpful information like testimonials, be sure to include the web address in this section as well, although it is not necessary. Presenting the best contact information at the top of your babysitter résumé allows families to easily contact you to schedule an interview.

2. About yourself

The top of your résumé is prime real estate. Underneath your contact information, include a two-to-three-sentence summary of your top selling points, using strong adjectives to describe your work ethic, how many years of experience you have and your preferred availability. Getting these three bits of information right is important to winning over prospective employers at first glance.

3. Work experience

You’re applying for a babysitter job, so this is the place to show off all your applicable childcare work experience. Only include experience that is pertinent to the job you’re applying for. Perhaps you’ve volunteered at an after-school or breakfast club with young children, babysat for family friends at weekends, or even helped look after your siblings. Whatever your babysitting know-how includes, be sure to list it in a clear and concise manner. Include an official job title, the dates you held each position, the location of the babysitting job and a short but detailed outline of your job responsibilities using bullet points (about two or three).

4. Skills and qualifications

Any childcare training classes, skills, and services you provide, and qualifications or certificates you hold should be highlighted in your résumé. This includes training in CPR, water safety, and first aid, and any other official designations that help set you apart from other applicants. Other information to include on your résumé includes relevant tutoring skills, cooking abilities, a valid driver’s licence, and potty training or other relevant experience a family may be looking for. These skills, especially those that deal with kids’ safety and health, are valuable assets for a babysitter to have. Our studies have shown that most parents are willing to raise their hourly rates significantly for a babysitter who has extra experience and training.

If you’re lacking in basic childcare training and qualifications, consider taking a babysitting class or two to bulk up your credentials.

5. Education

Putting your education on your résumé helps the family know more about you and your goals. Include the name of the institution, such as a college or university, the degree you earned, and your graduation year. If you’re still in education, list the subjects you’re studying, your most recent grades, and your expected year of graduation. Make note of any relevant courses, such as those in early childhood education, that could further bolster your value to families.

Here’s a sample résumé to help guide you in building your own:

(Click here to download this babysitter résumé template as a pdf.)

Common babysitting résumé mistakes to avoid

Your résumé is likely going to be your first introduction to a prospective employer and will determine your chances of landing that coveted initial interview. It’s also probable that your résumé will be used as a deciding factor between final candidates after interviews, so give your babysitting résumé the same professional treatment as you would for any other job.

When it comes to building the very best résumé, here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Including every job you’ve ever had. Not all work experience needs to be listed on a babysitter résumé. If you’ve held a variety of jobs, list only those relevant to babysitting or working with children. Re-read the babysitting job spec to see what a family is looking for and match whatever work experience you have to the ad. Most résumés include three previous jobs (starting with the most recent), but it’s not uncommon to see two or even five if the work experience is relevant.
Not touting your accomplishments. As you begin to craft your babysitting résumé, it can be easy to focus solely on the job responsibilities. But don’t forget to highlight your on-the-job accomplishments and successes as well. For example, if you have extensive experience potty training toddlers, don’t just write, “Experienced in potty training toddlers.” Instead, write something that couples both your experience and success, like: “Effectively implemented a variety of potty-training methods, catered to the personality of each child, to successfully teach 15 children, ages 2 and 3, proper bathroom skills.” See the difference? Now, you’ve not only listed your job responsibilities, but you’ve coloured them in with your achievements.
Picking a distracting résumé format. Your résumé format should be easy to read. Start by choosing a clean and simple sans serif font, like Calibri or Arial, and opt for black text in size 10 or 12. If you’re emailing your résumé, consider that the person looking to hire might be viewing the document on their phone, so the easier on the eyes, the better.
Not proofreading your résumé. There’s nothing worse than a glaring grammatical or spelling error on a résumé. Once you have a draft of your résumé, read through it several times to catch any errors. Make sure all contact information is correct. Consider asking a trusted friend or family member to proofread your résumé and provide feedback. It never hurts to let a second (or even third) pair of eyes review the document.
Including references. It may sound counter-intuitive, but do not list references directly on your résumé. You can note that references are available upon request, but as a general rule, it’s best to leave them out unless the family looking to hire has specifically requested that you list them on your résumé.

After you’ve written your babysitting résumé

Once you’ve completed your résumé, be sure to keep it updated as you acquire more work experience or relevant training. It’s a good idea to revisit your résumé several times a year and before applying for any new babysitting jobs.

Keep in mind that some families may expect you to provide other documents in addition to your résumé. Although it isn’t usually asked for, you should be prepared to provide parents with a cover letter if necessary. This can be a great extra step to show your interest in the job and to add more personal context for your skills in the context of the specific job for which you’re applying. The letter should be concise (roughly three paragraphs) and include a roundup of your qualifications and skills. It’s a good additional reminder of who you are and what babysitting services you can provide.