How to Find Work in the Neighborhood
Pick a route., Be selective., Apply for the scouted-out job with the same professionalism you'd use for an advertised job., Interview., Provide yourself with job security.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick a route.
Choosing a direction, neighborhood, or block to search is the first step of the process.
Generally, to save on gas and to locate neighbors who are most likely to recognize and trust you, it's best to search areas closest to your house.
Gradually expand your search radius until opportunities present themselves. -
Step 2: Be selective.
Generally it's best to hit every house, but by paying attention to the state of the yard and looking for things needing doing, you should be able to tell if that person is the type you'd like to work with or not and if there are likely opportunities for work.
Just be aware that people with well tended yards generally already have someone working for them, be it a kid, husband, or another neighbor.
While it's a good idea to check anyway, don't get your hopes up too much.
However, do think laterally – perhaps the yard is tidied regularly but the pool needs cleaning, the dog needs walking or a child inside needs tutoring or babysitting.
Don't endanger yourself.
If something about the place makes you uncomfortable, then you might just want to go to the next house.
That includes intimidating dogs. , Your first meeting with a person is like an application.
It presents the basic information that will either get you work or not.
People look for and respond to certain obvious qualities like friendliness, an outgoing attitude, and work readiness.
To meet these qualifications, present an enthusiastic, firm, and open attitude and carry references with you.
Language is another important factor.
Not everybody can speak English, or they might prefer a bilingual person.
Think about how you might make an approach where you can't get across everything easily in English; perhaps a visual flier explaining your skills, or perhaps a demonstration of what you can do. , Generally the interview comes next and is given just after the "application." While it's likely to be fairly informal compared with a typical job interview, still treat it with the same professionalism.
People check for attitude, schedule, expected pay, and skills.
The more open your schedule is, the more likely you will receive work.
The more willing and ready you seem to work, the more likely you will be hired.
The expected pay is important because not all people can afford to pay a very high salary, especially not in the context of neighborhood jobs; you should be aware of going rates and seek to either undercut or over-deliver to ward off competition.
People also want to know what you can and want to do.
Most people are willing to teach, so present yourself as a learning-ready person that will do anything.
People love that attitude. , It's best to search for more than one person to employ you.
You never know how things will work out with that particular client.
Sometimes, you won't get much work from a person, so having multiple clients will provide you with the option to earn more money than you'll get with one client.
Also, some clients pay more than others.
Whatever the case, it's also an excellent way to build more skills and experience to go on an actual résumé or for work performance.
Stay professional in all that you do and word of mouth will help you to gain more clients within the neighborhood.
Be timely, courteous and respectful of other people's property at all times and they'll grow to ask you back and will be happy to recommend you to others too. (And even it they feel territorial about you, that's good because you can ask for more money!) -
Step 3: Apply for the scouted-out job with the same professionalism you'd use for an advertised job.
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Step 4: Interview.
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Step 5: Provide yourself with job security.
Detailed Guide
Choosing a direction, neighborhood, or block to search is the first step of the process.
Generally, to save on gas and to locate neighbors who are most likely to recognize and trust you, it's best to search areas closest to your house.
Gradually expand your search radius until opportunities present themselves.
Generally it's best to hit every house, but by paying attention to the state of the yard and looking for things needing doing, you should be able to tell if that person is the type you'd like to work with or not and if there are likely opportunities for work.
Just be aware that people with well tended yards generally already have someone working for them, be it a kid, husband, or another neighbor.
While it's a good idea to check anyway, don't get your hopes up too much.
However, do think laterally – perhaps the yard is tidied regularly but the pool needs cleaning, the dog needs walking or a child inside needs tutoring or babysitting.
Don't endanger yourself.
If something about the place makes you uncomfortable, then you might just want to go to the next house.
That includes intimidating dogs. , Your first meeting with a person is like an application.
It presents the basic information that will either get you work or not.
People look for and respond to certain obvious qualities like friendliness, an outgoing attitude, and work readiness.
To meet these qualifications, present an enthusiastic, firm, and open attitude and carry references with you.
Language is another important factor.
Not everybody can speak English, or they might prefer a bilingual person.
Think about how you might make an approach where you can't get across everything easily in English; perhaps a visual flier explaining your skills, or perhaps a demonstration of what you can do. , Generally the interview comes next and is given just after the "application." While it's likely to be fairly informal compared with a typical job interview, still treat it with the same professionalism.
People check for attitude, schedule, expected pay, and skills.
The more open your schedule is, the more likely you will receive work.
The more willing and ready you seem to work, the more likely you will be hired.
The expected pay is important because not all people can afford to pay a very high salary, especially not in the context of neighborhood jobs; you should be aware of going rates and seek to either undercut or over-deliver to ward off competition.
People also want to know what you can and want to do.
Most people are willing to teach, so present yourself as a learning-ready person that will do anything.
People love that attitude. , It's best to search for more than one person to employ you.
You never know how things will work out with that particular client.
Sometimes, you won't get much work from a person, so having multiple clients will provide you with the option to earn more money than you'll get with one client.
Also, some clients pay more than others.
Whatever the case, it's also an excellent way to build more skills and experience to go on an actual résumé or for work performance.
Stay professional in all that you do and word of mouth will help you to gain more clients within the neighborhood.
Be timely, courteous and respectful of other people's property at all times and they'll grow to ask you back and will be happy to recommend you to others too. (And even it they feel territorial about you, that's good because you can ask for more money!)
About the Author
Joyce Diaz
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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