How to Start a Caretaking Career

What does a caretaker do? There are a number of different types of caretaker jobs, but the basic gist of it is that you supervise a property while the owners or residents are away for a period of time. Some of these jobs simply require you to live nearby and check in on the property daily or weekly, but in this article we are going to focus on live-in caretaking jobs, where you inhabit the property for a period of weeks or months at a time. These are not to be confused with "caregiver" jobs, where you live with an elderly or disabled person and take care of them - that's another line of employment entirely, and not covered here.

If you're interested in becoming a caretaker, the first thing to do is know what kind of jobs are out there, and what to expect. The most simple form of caretaking is the house-sit, where you basically live in someone's house for a period of time, usually keeping the place clean and secure, and often taking care of pets. Larger properties may require grounds upkeep, such as extensive lawn mowing or pool cleaning. Apartment buildings and hotels often hire live-in managers and maintenance as well, who get a room or an apartment on the property. Many businesses also seek caretakers. In a recent trade journal from this year, I found listings from fishing camps in Alaska, a brothel in Arizona, ranches all over the place, a farm in Hawaii, an RV camp in Nevada and a group home in Washington state. And if you don't mind a service career and the owners actually being in the house while you're there, there's still a demand amongst the upper classes for the traditional butler - search out the "domestics industry" for more information on that.

Once you have an idea what type of job you want to aim for, you should take stock of your skills and abilities, and see if there are new ones you can learn that would be useful and desirable to someone seeking a caretaker. Being a basic jack-of-all-trades handyman is great, but the more you know about construction, plumbing and electrical trades the better - not only can you handle minor repairs that crop up during your stay yourself, which saves the owners time and trouble, but you can even contract to do bigger repairs and restorations as part of your stay. General lawn care and landscaping is also good relevant experience, and gardening may be a major plus at residential jobs. Another possible skill that you can offer is home redecoration and remodeling, which is now quite doable given the widespread use of digital cameras and the internet to keep in touch with the property owners remotely as you work. Repair skills for common household items are also valuable. In a residence, you can add the value of being able to repair electronics, appliances or clothes that the owners may have had sitting for some time. Also, in an apartment or residential hotel setting, you could run a pretty tidy side business in stitching or computer and electronics repair.

The next issue is that of references, or putting the owners at ease about your character and competence. Your initial references will probably have to come from doing a house-sit for someone you know personally. Work experience in a relevant industry such as property management or at a hotel is helpful as well. You may be able to find someone who will be more receptive to your first experience in house-sitting if you do it without pay (in exchange only for the use of the property and maybe food), sort of like an unpaid internship. You can get bonded for the work just about anywhere, and being able to offer insurance is a great peace of mind to the property owner. There may also be some form of licensing or certification available in the area where you live. Check with your local housing authority and/or employment offices. If you already have references, be sure to contact them all to make sure you have updated contact info and let them know that you're in the market and they can expect some calls - unlike with a normal job, these references may just be individual homeowners who could have changed their personal phone number and not told you about it since you last spoke to them! If you apply to work at a more "upscale" property, be ready to also have your credit checked and possibly a background check as well.

Job placement agencies don't usually deal in caretaking jobs. They are usually either filled through word-of-mouth, listed directly by the owners in newspapers and on sites like Craig's List, or listed in the lone major trade publication, the Caretaker's Gazette. The Gazette is subscription-only and costs $30 per year for online access, more if you want a print copy sent to you bi-monthly, but it is the primary central nexus where property owners and professional caretakers meet to arrange jobs.

If you have a spouse, good news - you're at a major advantage! Married couples, especially older ones, are seen as more stable and less likely to abuse or trash the place. There's also a lot of overlap between caretaking jobs and the RV world, and you'll see advertisements quite often for caretaking jobs that offer some sort of RV hookups at ranches and farms.