Well done, you’ve posted your first babysitting job and got some sitters who have applied! Now for the hard part—deciding who matches best with your little ones. So long as you remember to trust your instincts and follow some of these helpful tips, finding the right sitter will be a piece of cake:
1. Message a parent that has used the sitter before
This is such a great way to learn more about a sitter from the perspective of another parent. Doing this is simple. Head to your top sitter candidate’s profile, scroll down to their reviews and tap on the profile picture of the parents next to ask away.
2. Check out their reviews
Most parents, after they’ve done a quick review of a sitter’s profile, tend to scroll down and look at what other parents say about the sitter. Having that reassurance can be so helpful and if you’ve got any questions you can always reach out to someone from Bubble in the app’s live chat.
3. Talk to the sitters
Many sitters have been using Bubble for years and accumulated 100s of reviews. On the flip side, you might match with sitters who are quite new to the platform. You can always message your babysitter candidates to find out more about their approach to childcare and ask them about their experience with other families. It’s so easy to arrange a call or even a hot cuppa to have a more detailed chat.
4. Look at all the details on their profile
Sitter profiles are full of good information – lots even have a video, too. The section called ‘verifications’ shows what checks Bubble has done on the sitter and if they have a DBS (see our guide to DBS checks here). All our sitters have identity checks and background checks; many have reference checks and have been interviewed by our team.
5. Think about your specific needs
We have loads of brilliant skilled sitters and nannies but it really comes down to what is best for your family. If you have a new baby you will want someone with newborn experience. For a daytime sit you’ll want someone who’s more energetic and entertaining. If planning an evening sit, then a sitter with a wicked storytelling ability might be your perfect match. Think about what you need for each occasion and make sure you include this in your ‘sit notes’.If you’re ever stuck and not sure what to do next, always feel free to live chat with one of our team by tapping the headset icon on the top right of the app. We have so many brilliant sitters and nannies on Bubble and we know you can find the perfect fit for your family.
