Career Advice for an Au Pair

As an Au Pair, you will provide childcare and light household duties for a host family in exchange for room and board.

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How to Become an Au Pair

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become an Au Pair

Should you wish to work as an Au Pair you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for an Au Pair

  • Experience working with children.
  • Good communication skills.
  • Basic knowledge of English language.

Key Responsibilities for an Au Pair

  • Providing childcare for the host family's children.
  • Assisting with light household duties.
  • Participating in cultural exchange activities with the host family.
  • Maintaining open communication with the host family.
  • Respecting the host family's rules and customs.

What to expect as an Au Pair

As an Au Pair in the UK, you will have the opportunity to work with a host family and gain valuable cultural experience.

You may also have the chance to improve your language skills and travel around the country.

Recommended Au Pair Jobs

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How to get Au Pair Jobs

Our advice on how to get an Au Pair job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete an Au Pair application. If you have not held an Au Pair position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held an Au Pair role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Au Pair CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Au Pair application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become an Au Pair in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become an Au Pair 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be an Au Pair and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Au Pair experience.

How to get Au Pair Experience

What does it take to be an Au Pair? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Au Pair jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Au Pair through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be an Au Pair Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Au Pair part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Au Pair or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Au Pair freelance work

If you have impressive Au Pair qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.