How do I find sitters?

On UrbanSitter, parents can find and book sitters to fulfill their childcare needs easily through our Sitter Search and Job Post tools. You can find your perfect sitter by browsing sitters in your area or by posting a job to the sitter Job Board. Once you find a sitter you'd like to work with, you can then reach out to them with an Interview or Booking request. It's that simple to secure your family's future nanny, or one-time childcare for your next night out! 

Sitter Search

You can use the Sitter Search tool to browse sitters in your area who are background checked, available for a certain time, close to your neighborhood, and those with specific experiences and qualifications. If you see a sitter who looks like a good fit for your family while searching, you can click their profile picture to see their full profile, availability calendar, and reviews - or send them an Interview request, Booking request, or message. Click the 'Favorites' tab to display your favorite sitters that meet your search results.

This parent is searching for a sitter who is available part-time, lives less than 10 miles away, available in the mornings and afternoons T-Th, and has experience with Autism. Don't see a match just yet? Post a job to the Sitter Community, or save your search and get notified of new matches!

A. Select Your Search Type

Need a sitter for an evening out, an after school sitter, or full-time nanny?  Filter by 'Type' in the top left corner. Options include: All sitters and nannies, occasional sitters, full-time sitters/nannies and part-time sitters/nannies. Need a sitter who is available for a certain date and time? When searching by type: all sitters and nannies and occasional sitters, click the 'Select a date' field and choose which date you need a sitter, then toggle the start and end times. Clicking 'Apply' will display sitters who are available on that date and time. 

B. Refine Your Search with Filters 

If you're looking for a full-time or part-time sitter, you'll be able to filter by sitters' general availabilities. In the 'Generally Available' section, click the 'Edit' button to select general times during the day that you need a sitter for. Clicking 'Apply' will filter your search results by sitters who are generally available for those times. 

The 'More Filters' section is featured on all search types. There you will find the majority of search filters you can apply to your search results to find the perfect sitter.  

Location: update your search location when traveling Distance: filter by sitters who live a certain distance from you Rates per child: sitters' rates per number of children Max. rate: maximum rate per hour Works with: infants, toddlers, and school age Languages: over twenty languages such as Spanish, Hindi, and ASL Experience: twenty types of special experience like ADHD, food allergies, and physical challenges Badges: 'willing to drive' or 'has a car' on all search types, 'respond quickly' and 'background checked' on all sitters & nannies search and occasional search Name: filter by sitter name. Learn how here! Sort: by best match, lowest rate, most reviews, connected to you by your friends and colleagues, or closest distance

C & D. View Sitter Credentials and Get In Touch! 

While browsing your search results, each sitter will have a snapshot of their profile and sitter history including their general availability, average review rating, common social groups, and any previous bookings or messages you've exchanged. If you see a sitter who looks like a good fit for your family,

• click their profile picture or name to view their full profile, availability calendar, and reviews
• click the heart button to save them to 'Your Favorites'
• send them an Interview request or Booking request by clicking the grey and green buttons
• send them a message by clicking the 'Message' button

Posting a Job 

Finding a nanny for your two kids or a sitter for your date-night is easy when you Post a Job to the sitter Job Board. In your Job Post you can detail the dates, times, hourly rate, children's ages, job tasks, perks & more for the one-time or recurring job you need childcare for. Sitters who are available and suited for the opportunity will express interest in the job, and you'll be able to reach out to one or many of those sitters. It’s a great way to provide detailed information about what you’re looking for in a sitter, and sitters will express interest knowing the full details of your childcare need.

You can either post a one-time job for a specific date and time or a recurring job on a regular basis. Here's a look into a one-time job post:

Posting for recurring care is simple too - you can describe your schedule and detail if your need is part or full time, and what days and times the job will occur. 

Regardless of your type of Job Post, you're also welcome to add optional screening questions to your post for sitters to answer to get a better idea of sitters' personalities and babysitting philosophies. Once you've completed all the steps, click 'Post Job!'

Once your job is posted, sitters who are available will express interest in your job and we'll notify you via email. You can go back to your posted job and click 'View Interested Sitters' to review these sitters, and from there you'll be able to send sitters an Interview request, Booking request, or message by clicking the grey and green buttons to the right of your screen. 

At UrbanSitter, we believe finding a trustworthy, reliable sitter shouldn't be a hassle. That's why we've built these helpful tools to make finding sitters a breeze!

Looking to book multiple sitters for the same job? Check out our How Do I Book Multiple Sitters For The Same Job? FAQ.