Securing a position as an au pair can be daunting due to limited professional experience to feature on your CV. Our guide provides tailored advice on accentuating your unique skills and cross-cultural competencies, giving your application the personal touch employers seek.
- Create an attention-grabbing header that integrates keywords and includes all vital information;
- Add strong action verbs and skills in your experience section, and get inspired by real-world professionals;
- List your education and relevant certification to fill in the gaps in your career history;
- Integrate both hard and soft skills all through your CV.
Discover more industry-specific guides to help you apply for any role in the links below:
Formatting your au pair CV to meet the role expectations
Staring at the blank page for hours on end, you still have no idea how you should start your professional au pair CV. Should you include more colours, two columns, and which sections? What you should remember about your CV format is this - ensure it's minimalistic and doesn't go over the top with fancy fonts and many colours. Instead, focus on writing consistent content that actually answers the job requirements. But, how about the design itself :- Use the reverse chronological order to showcase your experience, starting with your most recent role;
- Include your contact details (email address, phone number, and location) - and potentially your professional photo - in the header;
- Must-have CV sections include summary or objective, experience, education, and skills: curate the ones that fit your profile;
- Your professional au pair CV should be between one-to-two pages long: select the longer format if you have more experience.
A little bit more about your actual CV design, ensure you're using:
- plenty of serif or sans serif font (e.g. Montserrat, Exo 2, Volkhov) as they are Applicant Tracker System (ATS) compliant. Avoid the likes of Arial and Times New Roman because most candidates' CVs are in this typography.
When submitting your CV, are you still not sure what format it should be? Despite the myth that has been circling around, most modern ATS systems are perfectly capable of reading PDFs. This format is an excellent choice as it keeps all of your information intact.
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Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a au pair CV
- Personal Statement: To present a snapshot of your personality and passion for childcare.
- Childcare Experience: To outline previous roles and responsibilities with children.
- Educational Background: To highlight relevant training and qualifications in childcare education.
- Language Skills: To showcase your ability to communicate with the host family and children.
- References: To provide credible testimonials of your character and work ethic from previous employers.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your child care experience by detailing previous roles and responsibilities that showcase your skills in nurturing and supporting children to demonstrate to families your capability in providing a safe and engaging environment.
- Showcase your cultural adaptability and language skills as these are crucial for au pairs who live with host families, demonstrating that you can easily integrate and contribute positively to their household.
- Include any relevant certifications or training, such as first aid or early childhood education, to underline your commitment to child safety and development, which is paramount for the au pair role.
- Emphasise interpersonal skills such as patience, communication, and problem-solving, to show that you can handle the unpredictability of child care and maintain a harmonious relationship with the host family.
- Provide references or testimonials from previous families you've worked with to establish trust and provide prospective employers with a sense of your work ethic and the level of care you provided in past au pair positions.
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Making a good first impression with your au pair CV header
Your typical CV header consists of Your typical CV header consists of contact details and a headline. Make sure to list your professional phone number, email address, and a link to your professional portfolio (or, alternatively, your LinkedIn profile). When writing your CV headline , ensure it's:
- tailored to the job you're applying for;
- highlights your unique value as a professional;
- concise, yet matches relevant job ad keywords.
You can, for examples, list your current job title or a particular skill as part of your headline. Now, if you decide on including your photo in your CV header, ensure it's a professional one, rather than one from your graduation or night out. You may happen to have plenty more questions on how to make best the use of your CV headline. We'll help you with some real-world examples, below.
Examples of good CV headlines for au pair:
- Multilingual Au Pair | Child Development Enthusiast | CPR Certified | 2 Years' Experience
- Caring Au Pair | Early Childhood Education Graduate | Passion for Arts & Crafts | 5 Years' Experience
- Enthusiastic Junior Au Pair | Basic First Aid Trained | Newborn & Toddler Specialist | 1 Year Experience
- Professional Senior Au Pair | Fluent in Spanish & English | Education Through Play Advocate | 8 Years' Experience
- Dedicated Au Pair | Child Psychology Background | Bilingual French/English | Safe Driving Record | 4 Years' Experience
- Experienced Au Pair and Nanny | STEM-focused Activities | Ofsted Registered | 6 Years’ Expertise
Opting between a au pair CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your au pair CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a au pair job:
Narrating the details of your au pair CV experience section
Perhaps you've heard it time and time again, but, how you present your experience is what matters the most. Your CV experience section - that details your work history alongside your accomplishments - is the space to spotlight your unqiue expertise and talents. So, avoid solely listing your responsibilities, but instead:
- adverts' keywords and integrate those in your experience section;
- Use your CV to detail how you've been promoted in the past by including experience in the reverse chronological order.
Before you start writing your au pair CV experience section, dive into some industry-leading examples on how to structure your bullets.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Detail your childcare experience, including the ages of children you’ve cared for and the duration of each assignment. Highlight any long-term relationships with families, showing consistency and commitment.
- Include any educational activities or tutoring you provided, emphasising your role in supporting children's cognitive development and academic progress.
- Explain your responsibilities in child-related household tasks such as meal prep, cleaning, and laundry, showcasing your ability to manage time and maintain organisation.
- Discuss your experience with planning and coordinating children’s activities and schedules, demonstrating your proactive approach and creativity.
- Mention any specific skills you have, such as speaking multiple languages, which can be beneficial for the children's linguistic development and cultural exposure.
- Describe your experience with overnight care, travel, or holiday duties if applicable, to illustrate your adaptability and reliability in different situations.
- List certifications relevant to childcare, such as first aid or lifeguard training, to reassure employers of your capability in ensuring the children's safety.
- Highlight your ability to communicate effectively with both children and parents, stressing your understanding of the importance of partnership in childcare.
- If you have experience dealing with special needs children or handling challenging behaviours, discuss your approach and techniques, showing your patience and skill in managing these situations.
- Provided comprehensive language tutoring to a 7-year-old, enhancing their English proficiency significantly over a 6-month period.
- Implemented a structured daily routine for two children aged 5 and 8, improving their time-management skills and homework completion rates by 40%.
- Coordinated and executed a variety of educational outings on a fortnightly basis, broadening the children's cultural awareness and social skills.
- Successfully navigated a cultural adaptation plan for a family with diverse backgrounds, enhancing the children's appreciation for their heritage.
- Orchestrated a safe and nurturing environment for a toddler and two preteens, decreasing instances of behavioral issues by 35%.
- Designed and led a summer project focusing on outdoor activities, which increased the children's physical activity levels by 50% and social interactions.
- Managed the daily activities and academic schedule for a set of twins, promoting a consistency that saw their school performance rise by one grade level.
- Facilitated a bilingual learning environment that resulted in the children becoming conversationally fluent in French within a year.
- Collaborated on a home renovation project, ensuring minimal disruption to the children's routines and safeguarding their safety amidst the work.
- Supervised the transition from primary to secondary education for an adolescent, providing mentoring and support which contributed to their academic resilience.
- Initiated a technology-aided learning program that utilized apps and online resources to complement traditional schooling, observed in a 25% increase in maths and science scores.
- Led a family effort to adopt healthier eating practices, resulting in a collective weight loss of 10kg and better overall nutrition for the children.
- Masterminded a transition strategy for a pre-teen with ADHD, which included coordination with therapists and the school to maintain a stable support system.
- Pioneered a creative arts program tailored to the child's interests, fostering a 60% increase in their engagement and self-expression.
- Implemented a digital reward system to track chores and tasks, which instilled a sense of responsibility and saw a sustained weekly completion rate of over 90%.
- Launched a personal development plan for three siblings that focused on their individual talents, resulting in each child winning accolades in their respective fields.
- Coordinated international travel arrangements for the family's holidays, ensuring cultural exposure and language practice integrated with leisure.
- Developed and maintained a network of local parents and au pairs to facilitate playgroups, community building, and emergency support.
- Curated a language immersion program for three multilingual children, resulting in advancements in their proficiency across Spanish, German, and English.
- Structured and delivered a weekly outdoor educational series, which encouraged exploration and curiosity about nature, leading to improved academic inquiry skills.
- Managed the coordination of extra-curricular activities for the children aligning with their academic schedule, culminating in seamless transitions and optimal time utilization.
- Formulated a child-centric educational program for a family with children aged 4, 6 and 9, resulting in measurable improvements in their cognitive and emotional development.
- Instituted a dietary revamp within the household that catered to various food allergies, ensuring a safe and inclusive meal plan with zero allergic reactions recorded during tenure.
- Fostered a technology-aided behavior tracking system that gamified daily tasks, effectively doubling the children’s consistent completion of household chores.
Writing your CV without professional experience for your first job or when switching industries
There comes a day, when applying for a job, you happen to have no relevant experience, whatsoever. Yet, you're keen on putting your name in the hat. What should you do? Candidates who part-time experience , internships, and volunteer work.
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Include examples of how you adapted to new tools, environments, or work cultures, showing your flexibility.
The CV skills' divide: between hard and soft skills
Of course, you may have read the job requirements plenty of times now, but it's key to note that there is a difference between technical and personal skills. Both are equally relevant to your job application. When writing about your skill set, ensure you've copy-pasted the precise skill from the job requirement. This would not only help you ensure you have the correct spelling, but also pass any Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessments.
- Hard skills show your technological capabilities. Or whether you'll be a good technical fit to the organisation. Ensure you've spotlighted your hard skills in various sections of your CV (e.g. skills section, projects, experience) by including the technology and what you've attained;
- Soft skills pinpoint your personality and people or communication skills, hinting at if you'll easily accomodate into the team or organisation. Quantify your soft skills in your CV achievements, strengths, summary/objective, and experience sections. Always support your soft skills with how they've helped you grow as a professional.
Top skills for your au pair CV:
Childcare Experience
First Aid & CPR Certification
Early Childhood Education
Language Skills
Meal Preparation
Housekeeping
Homework Assistance
Child Safety Knowledge
Driving License
Activity Planning
Communication
Patience
Adaptability
Empathy
Responsibility
Creativity
Stress Management
Interpersonal Skills
Problem-Solving
Cultural Sensitivity
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
CV education and certificates: your academic background as proof of your skill set
A common misconception about your au pair CV education is that you only need it, if you have less professional experience. That is completely false. The CV education section serves to back up your technical (and sometimes personal) capabilities, fill in gaps in your work history, and show you have the initial industry background and know-how. When creating your education section:
- List your degrees in the reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent (and relevant) ones first;
- Include your degree and university names, start and graduation dates. It's optional to also denote you received a "First-Class Honours" for diplomas that are more relevant to the role;
- Curate your relevant university coursework, projects, or thesis work if you happen to have less professional expertise and need to integrate more job keywords and skills.
Your professional qualifications don't need to stop at your academic background. It's advisable to also select up to three of your most noteworthy (and relevant) industry certificates and feature them in a dedicated section. Once more, include the certificate name, the institution that issued it out, and the date you obtained it on. You could feature both hard skills and soft skills certificates, as in the examples below:
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If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
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Key takeaways
Write your professional au pair CV by studying and understanding what the role expectations are. You should next:
- Focus on tailoring your content to answer specific requirements by integrating advert keywords through various CV sections;
- Balance your technical know-how with your personal skills to showcase what the unique value would be of working with you;
- Ensure your CV grammar and spelling (especially of your key information and contact details) is correct;
- Write a CV summary, if your experience is relevant, and an objective, if your career ambitions are more impressive;
- Use active language by including strong, action verbs across your experience, summary/objective, achievements sections.
