The start of a brand new year is always a perfect time to get your profile refreshed and in order. Even if you’ve been in the same position for several years, your perspective, skills and experiences are always evolving. Another good reason? The new year typically means busy families need help and start posting new job openings for their child care, senior care, pet care and home care needs. In fact, at Care, we see one of our biggest spikes in both child care job and senior care job openings in January.
So whether you’ve been looking for a new job for months or you’re just beginning your search in January, check out these five tips for refreshing your profile and making yourself hire-friendly before the rush.
1. Upload a professional photo
First things first, create a strong first impression for potential employers by uploading a clear, high-quality headshot photo (good lighting, no sunglasses, no filters … ) to your online profile. Make sure your photo is friendly, inviting and polished in order to project a professional vibe.
2. Talk yourself up in your online profile
Your online profile is the primary place to highlight your experience, special skills and education, so don’t hold back here. If you have professional certifications or a degree or know a second language, let parents and families know.
Other key details not to miss in your online profile:
- Confirm your contact information. Check that all your contact information is accurate and up to date. You don’t want amazing job offers going to an old email, phone number or app you no longer have on your phone.
- Update your availability. Be clear and specific on what date you’re looking to start a new job. If you know you’re committed to another position until a certain time or will be away on vacation, include those details in your online profile.
3. Ask for and share reviews and references
You’re more likely to get noticed if you have positive reviews or references from former employers. Families want to know that you’re dependable, trustworthy and compatible, so make sure to ask for reviews and references that can speak to these assets and then share them prominently.
4. Proofread your profile
Show employers you’re just as serious about your profile as you are about getting a job by spending the extra time to review (and re-review) what you’ve written. Reach out to a trusted friend or a career professional and ask them to check for misspellings, grammatical mistakes or even odd phrasing. If you’ll be the one to edit your profile, save it in a document and wait a day before revisiting what you’ve written. It can be hard to see mistakes if you’ve been staring at the computer screen all day.
5. Gear up to respond quickly
And finally, once you refresh your profile, be ready to respond. You never know when an employer will find your profile via search and reach out to you. Gear up in advance by drafting a sample message that you can personalize for each potential employer.
If you’re communicating with families on a platform like Care, respond to job requests promptly with a quick “Yes” to confirm you’re available (or ask for a quick call if you have questions). By the same token, if a job isn’t for you, let families know right away, so they can continue their search.
A final note on updating your job profile
While the new year may be a busy time for hiring, new jobs open up throughout the year. Keep all of these tips in mind whenever you’re searching for a new job and try to keep your profile updated as you go. The less you have to change or add to your profile before you start a new job search, the quicker you can jump right into applying.
