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au pair without previous experience?
chaka007
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Hi everyone, I’m glad to be a apart of this forum..I’ve been looking for something like this for a while.

I plan to apply through Bunac for a work permit in England..around September.

Anyone know how likely it is to get hired as an au pair even without any previous experience with children? thanks

Sophsicle
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hey chaka007,
I was in exactly the same position as you are now only 5 or 6 months ago. I went to greataupair.com and put my profile on there. It’s a really good site. Membership is free to post your profile, but of course if you want to gain access to other family’s contact details, you need to pay something like $50. I never paid the money and ended up being contacted by families who had paid the fee. so it’s up to you whether you think it’s worth the money or not. The good thing about the site is you can look at families based on location, age group, languages spoken, etc. I recommend that you attach a photo to your profile. Make sure you choose a good photo. the families that are looking at your profile want to see someone who looks responsible, pleasant and friendly – they don’t want a model shot of someone who looks like they love to party. And above all else, make sure that when you fill out the profile form, you write something good in the comment section. don’t just put something like:

I love to travel and be around my friends,
blah blah blah
And I love kids.

If you don’t have the experience, say things about your personality. Say that you’re responsible, talk about your background, where you come from and what kind of family you have. your values etc. These are the kind of things that will score you points because everyone knows that a person is a product of their environment.
Another important thing is, once you’re contacted by a family, talk to them on the phone and see if you get a good feeling. If you can’t visit them in person before you get the job, then it’s even more important to talk to them over the phone. Make sure you settle on things like pay, accommodation and how much cleaning you’ll have to do (if any). Ask them exactly what will be expected of you. There’s nothing worse than commiting to such a full on job and not being happy with your arrangement.
I hope this helps you, and that you find the right family.
good luck!
Soph

chaka007
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Thank you!

I checked out the site you listed..I’m going to set up a profile soon, thanks again!