Here in Chicago, the weather still isn’t making us feel like summer has arrived. It’s been cool, windy (of course) and a little damp lately — but, regardless, summer IS here and that means July 4th is just around the corner.

PARENTS: If you’re thinking about booking a sitter for the holiday — to either watch a group of kids at your big neighborhood gathering or to just watch your kids while you celebrate with grown-ups that evening — there are a few quick things you should know.

SITTERS: If you’re looking for a July 4th job, we’ve got a few tips for you as well.

Tips for Booking July 4th Sitters

Post a job now.
Sitters like to make plans too, so if you’re hoping to book one for July 4th, you’ll want to get your job posting in front of them before they start committing to other jobs or parties with friends.

Be thorough in the job description.
“Celebrating July 4th” means different things to different families, so be clear about exactly what the plans are and what the sitter will be expected to do. Will the sitter be watching children from multiple families while the adults are around? Will he/she be caring for your kids only while you head to a friend’s celebration? Let the sitter know how many kids will be around, whether or not any adults will be there, what his/her responsibilities will be and when the job is expected to end.

Pay a little extra.
Since July 4th is a holiday, it’s a good idea to pay the sitter just a little bit extra than you would for a regular sitting job. Anywhere from $1-3/hour would be reasonable, or you could just offer a generous “tip” at the end of the job. (Sittercity’s Rate Calculator)

Plan ahead for transportation.
If your sitter doesn’t drive or doesn’t have a car, make sure you plan ahead for transportation arrangements — especially if you’re planning on having a few drinks to celebrate the holiday.

Tips for Sitters: Landing that July 4th Job

Update your bio.
Even though your availability is updated, it’s a good idea to add a bold line to your bio that says you are available and actively seeking a child care position on July 4th.

Personalize your cover letter.
We ALWAYS recommend you personalize your cover letter. For example, write “Hi Sarah” instead of “Dear Parent,” talk about your experience with toddlers if the parent has a toddler, refer back to things from the job posting, etc. The more personalized and relevant your cover letter is, the more interested parents will be.

Apply to several jobs at once.
There’s no rule that says you have to sit around and wait for a parent response before applying to another position. We all know that parents are busy and don’t typically respond to every application they receive, so don’t take it personally and do apply to all the jobs you feel qualified for.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 at 12:18 pm and is filed under Child Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.