Neither. EYJA is a web platform designed to help personal assistants (PAs) and carers find direct employment with the elderly or disabled, and for individuals to find and employ new professionals without the need of a third party.

EYJA doesn’t intermediate the employment process, it simply provides the tools needed to bring potential employees and employers together.

Registered users – both disabled employers and PAs/carers can create their own profile, look for prospective candidates using advanced search tools, shortlist their favourite users and contact them safely. Membership to EYJA is free, so you can keep all your details securely on the portal ready for when you may need the service in the future. An annual upgraded membership fee of £15 will allow you to contact other members in an easy and safe way. You pay for this premium level of membership only when you need to use the service, and there are no hidden costs.

EYJA doesn’t intermediate the employment process. It means, that EYJA won’t be engaged in finding the employee or employer for you and is not committed to do so. We also don’t provide any legal consulting regarding employment procedures. For your convenience we may add this latest service in the future.

EYJA is created for those who prefer direct employment and don’t want any third party involvement. EYJA provides all tools for you to successfully find your direct employee or employer. We are committed to provide the service best matching our users’ needs and also update our users with helpful tips and other information to make the most of our website.

Users’ activity and their safety on EYJA is their sole responsibility and EYJA takes no responsibility of your employment and safety. Please read our T&C carefully for more information.

EYJA is primarily designed for disabled people who are direct employers (or willing to become one) and are in need of personal assistants or carers. However, the elderly, or those living with a short or long-term health issue can also take advantage of the service EYJA offers.

EYJA is equally designed for those who work as private personal assistants, nurses and carers and prefer being employed directly – that is without the intermediation of an employment or care agency. It also welcomes professional moving into the career sector for the first time.

Both potential employees and employers enjoy the same access and benefits across the portal.

Accounts can only be created using your own name and are solely for personal use. Only one account is allowed per person.

Care agencies are not allowed to use EYJA to recruit employees, but we are happy to discuss advertising opportunities with businesses. If you are a disabled employer and prefer your PA or carer to be employed through a specific agency, you should clearly indicate this in your profile.

Well, in the Icelandic language EYJA means ‘an island’. Find out the full story behind our name here.

Signing up to EYJA is quick and easy – plus it’s free! You’ll need an email address and password to get started, as these are the only way you’ll be able to access your account. Make sure to use a personal email address and one you’re unlikely to change in the near future.

Once you’ve filled out a short registration form, you will be directed to a registration confirmation page. You’ll now be able to enjoy EYJA’s free membership benefits and can complete your profile in your own time. However, if you’re looking for new support or employment, we recommend you complete your profile thoroughly and as soon as possible, so that other people can learn more about you and your needs. A full and regularly updated profile will significantly increase your chances of finding a good match.

Both employers and employees must be over 18 years old to use this service.

If you are in need of care but are under 18 years old, your account must be created and used under the supervision of your legal guardian(s).

If you are an adult and your disability or age related impairments limit your ability to use this service, your account can be created and managed by your representative. In either case the account must be created under your own name, but you must tick the option ‘The account is managed by my representative’ when signing up.

We also recommend you state your situation in your profile.

Representatives take full responsibility of your safe and accurate use of EYJA’s services.

If you are taking care of a person whose disability or age-related impairments limit their ability to use this service, you can create and manage the account on their behalf.

The account should be created under that person’s name and you must tick the option ‘The account is managed by my representative’ when signing up.

We also recommend mentioning this in the account profile and indicating your relationship to the account owner. We strongly recommend that it is a family member or somebody who has a legal permission to act on behalf of that person.  The representative takes full responsibility on safe and accurate use of EYJA’s services.

On rare occasions and in an emergency, a PA or career may try and find a new employee for one of their clients using their own account. However, this is not something we recommend.

If you are contacted in this manner we recommend taking caution and if you receive proposals from such members please do report this immediately if suspicious.

EYJA does not support carers/PAs or employers using their accounts on behalf of other individuals.

Care agencies are not allowed to create profiles on EYJA and any accounts that try will be blocked. If you are a care agency interested in recruiting, please contact EYJA directly to discuss advertising opportunities.

However, if you are a care agency with an established client relationship you may consider creating an EYJA profile on their behalf ( See - Care is needed for someone unable to create a profile on their own. Can I create a profile on their behalf? ).Your clients must give their consent to this.

Such accounts must be created individually for each client and in their own name. Upon signing up you must tick the box ‘Account is managed by my representative’. You must also clearly state in your client’s profile that this employment is managed through a care agency.

You cannot upload pictures with agency’s name, logo or contact details and you cannot include any information about your agency or that is not directly related to your client’s needs. You should delete such profiles immediately after your contract with a particular client has ended.

Yes, although the service is primarily designed for those living in the UK and willing to work there.

If you are a British citizen looking for an employee and you live in another country, it is your responsibility to know what documents and procedures will be required to directly employ your assistant in that country. You must also make this clear in your profile.

If you are of a different nationality and would like to use our services you are also welcome to sign up. All the important information regarding legal employment in your country should be clearly stated on your profile.

Our search engine allows you to choose the preferred nationalities of your assistants/carers and you may be lucky in finding somebody right where you currently live. However, you won’t be able to use some of the profile or search parameters, such as the distance calculator, because they are set up specifically for those living in the UK.

If you are a personal assistant/carer living in another country and would like to start working in the UK, you have definitely come to the right place!

There are a lot of live-in Pas/carers who come to the UK just for their working shifts and go back to their countries after their work is complete. Also there are employers who are looking for a PA for a short period of time, such as holidays, over Christmas, or during recovery from an operation.

Be aware, however, that most employers will look for someone who already has the right to work in the UK, a National Insurance number and British bank account etc. You’re likely to be more successful if you have already worked in the UK but don’t be completely discouraged. There is always a chance that your employer will be happy to help you getting a National insurance number when you start working with them, especially if you have outstanding qualifications or can offer competitive salary rates.

Please note that EYJA does not tolerate illegal employment. Any reported attempts to do so could lead to your account being blocked and in severe cases, relevant information passed on to the authorities.

EYJA also advises employment seekers to take safety measures when responding to proposals from countries other than the UK or your home country. Although it could be a genuine proposal, there is an increased risk you could become the victim of a scam.

Yes. EYJA gives you the perfect opportunity to browse using preferred search parameters, find a wide variety of candidates and then make contact with those you feel are most suitable.

A lot of employers love the freedom and independence that comes from having full control over the recruitment of their PA or carer.

Please be aware, however, that EYJA currently does not provide any support on legal issues relating to direct employment procedures.

If you value the freedom of choosing your own PA, but don’t want to be a direct employer, there is also an opportunity to work closely with an agency. If you wish to do this, it must be clearly stated on your profile that the assistant will be employed through an agency. Please note that agency details, such as name or contact details cannot be displayed on your profile.

To make the most of using our service check our Safety tips and How it works section.

Check our blog to be updated with the most recent information. Also make sure you have carefully read our Terms and Conditions.

You have a very good chance, yes! Although some employers prefer their PAs to be experienced and have specific skills, others are completely fine to provide training or guidance. They may also have certain preferences for the person they hire, such as being a safe driver, an animal lover or an exceptional cook!

Make sure you give a broad and accurate description of your personality, skills and experiences in your profile as this will significantly increase your chances to find an employment.

Because of the specifics of the job, the majority of employers will expect their PA to be fluent or at least very good at speaking English. Some may only even consider native English speakers.

If you are fluent in another language, there may be a prospect for employment with a bilingual family or by somebody who lives or frequently goes on holiday to that specific country.

If you are serious about starting work as a PA/carer in the UK, you may want to consider taking an intensive English language course to increase your chances of employment. You can also find many free English classes for adults in the UK if you want to continue progressing.

We are delighted to say that membership is always free on EYJA. You can create your profile absolutely free of charge, update it as much as you like and keep it as long as you wish. You will also have the ability to check out other members’ profiles, shortlist preferred candidates and read received messages.

However, if you want to reply to or send messages to other members you must become a subscribed member. For more information please check our help section Billing and Subscription (coming soon...).

In order to send messages to other members, or reply to received messages on EYJA, you will need to upgrade to subscribed membership.

EYJA membership is free, you just need to subscribe as and when you wish to use our premium service. The cost of annual subscription is only £15 for all members and there is no obligation to renew. For more information please check our help section Billing and Subscription (coming soon...).

We equip our customers with important legal and practical safety information to ensure that you are well prepared to use our online service. We also give very clear rules and directions on what is acceptable behaviour.

We undertake regular checks on suspicious profiles and take immediate action following any member complaint. It is definitely a much safer option than using a general advertising website.

Unfortunately we can’t ensure that all the information on a member’s profiles is correct. Currently we don’t have the ability to verify members’ identities, but we may introduce this feature in the future.

While taking all measures to ensure your maximum safety using our services, we want to underline that engagement with other EYJA members is strictly your responsibility. We do not take any responsibility for the consequences of any communication.

If you are a disabled or elderly employer who is unsure or inexperienced with direct recruitment we recommend you ask your family, an advisor or social worker to help you. If you are a PA, please make sure you know your rights and be cautious if you are contacted by someone who is referring you to a ‘friend’ or comes up with any other unusual proposal.

If you come from abroad, make sure that your family has your employer’s contact details and that you know where to seek help and advice if things don’t go as planned.  

Please read carefully our Privacy policy section for legal information on using EYJA, and our Safety tips for practical information and advice.

EYJA’s service and mission is different from that of care agencies and provides a good alternative for those who prefer more freedom and independence when it comes to employment.

EYJA does not participate in the employment process. It is you who decides what working styles and patterns suit you best and you can choose from many candidates until you find the suitable one.

If you are a PA/carer you might like the idea that nothing will be deducted from your salary since there is no intermediation between you and your client. However it is absolutely normal if you see more advantages in staying with an agency. The bigger the choice, the better.

We are also open to potential collaboration with care agencies, as we believe this will give an even bigger and better set of options to our users.  

Although not controlling your employment, EYJA is strictly against dishonest and manipulative working relationships, including illegal employment, inhumane working conditions and any type of abuse.

Also be aware that it is a legal requirement for all employers to follow standard regulations including work contracts, adequate salary, employee’s holiday and free time.

Please inform us immediately if you experience anything untoward.

EYJA member profiles are designed so that you can easily complete your profile by choosing from a selection of pre-prepared responses. These cover the main things fellow members will want to know about your personality, skills, employment history, or the kind of position you’re looking to fill. There are also sections within the profile where you can share further information on yourself and the services or job you are offering.

The ‘My message’ section appears on your profile summary and is the first thing potential employers or employees will see alongside your profile picture. In many cases this will be what makes them decide whether to look at your profile in more detail, so make the most of this. Be clear about your needs or the services you offer.

If you are a PA user, take a moment to think about what are your most important requirements. Do you want a driver, non-smoker, someone who lives locally or has a certain amount of experience? Do you need assistance now or are you looking for a new PA to start next month or next year? If you are offering a competitive salary or other bonuses it is also worth mentioning this in your message.

If you are a PA, think about what makes you stand out from the crowd and will catch a potential employer’s eye. Highlight your skills, experience and rates. We also advise that you mention what type of position you are looking for, your preferred work location and your availability.

The ‘Detailed description’ section is the place to go into more detail about your background, personality, experience and expectations. As PA work is so much about matching the right personalities, this section is what will ‘bring you to life’. Employers should explain their needs and important aspects/specifics of the job. Job seekers should describe their experience, qualifications and work expectations. You can also talk more about yourself, describing what type of person you are, including the hobbies you enjoy and the things you care about the most.

The ‘My motto’ section is where you can give a deeper insight into your personality. Here you can enter an inspirational quote or your own thoughts on life, work or what motivates you. Here’s where you can set free your humour or spirituality, for example. It’s up to you to decide what personality traits you’d like to highlight!

Please note that the above-mentioned tips are just our recommendations and your profile is yours to fill however you see fit. Just remember that all the fields are important in helping you make a match, so shouldn’t be left empty!

Only EYJA members are able see your profile in full. All other visitors will only be able to see your profile summary. To protect our members’ privacy, non-registered visitors aren’t allowed to use our advanced search option or access any further information about you.

When members create a new account on EJYA, for a short period of time their profile summary appears on the ‘Latest Members’ section. This highlights the latest 20 or so members to join the service, so as new people join, the older profiles drop off.

To edit your EYJA profile, start by logging into your account. Press the ‘Account’ button and a drop-down menu will appear with a list of options. Select ‘Edit profile’ and then change whichever profile fields you wish. Make sure to save these changes before leaving the page.

To preview your EYJA profile, start by logging into your account. Press the ‘Account’ button and a drop-down menu will appear with a list of options. Select ‘View profile’. If something looks wrong then you can edit your profile until you are happy with the preview.

Please note that some information on your profile preview, including ‘Profile views, ‘Added to preferred’ and ‘Membership status’ are just for you, and won’t be publically visible to other members.

Placing your contact details on your profile goes against EYJA’s Terms and Conditions. Only subscribed members can contact each other, using EYJAs internal messaging system, and share their contact details in private messages as and when they decide they want to. This is to ensure our members’ safety and security.

In addition, having a subscribed membership ensures that we will be able to continue providing a quality service to our members including providing new features and quality customer support. Our system will automatically detect any unauthorised information and such profiles will be suspended.

EYJA members can edit all their details but some changes will need to be approved by our administrators. These include your name, gender, date of birth and email address.

This is for security reasons and in some cases our administrators may refuse to approve the changes or may require additional information to prove the legitimacy of such changes.

This doesn’t include minor changes like a misspelling or typo. However please make sure you fill out those fields carefully and correctly when you sign up.

You can update your email as many times as you wish, but these changes will need to be approved by an EYJA administrator. Please use your old email address for logging in until the approval has been confirmed. You can check this status within the ‘My Changes’ section of your profile.

To reset your EYJA password, simply click on the ‘Login’ button and choose ‘Password reset’. A link will then be sent to you via email, which you can click on to change your password.

Please make sure you remember the email address you used to sign up to EYJA, as the link will be sent to this address.

To change your EYJA profile status, start by logging into your account. Press the ‘Account’ button and a drop-down menu will appear with a list of options. Chose ‘Profile status’ and then click the ‘Inactive’ option and update your account.

The coloured marker on your profile summary will turn grey – this informs other members that you are not actively searching at the moment. Similarly, you can choose the ‘Active’ option at any time when you need to start looking for new employment or a new PA.

Currently there is no availability to completely hide your profile, but there is an option to hide your profile summary from all non-registered visitors. To do so, tick the box ‘Don’t show my profile publicly’ in the ‘Edit profile’ section.

However, we do not recommend this if you are actively searching for an employee or employment, as this limits the amount of people who will see your profile.

You can leave your EYJA profile inactive as long as you wish. If you haven’t logged into your EYJA account for five years, we will then send you an email requesting confirmation that you would like to keep your account.

If you do, we simply ask you log into your EYJA account once, so that we know you still have access and wish to keep your profile with us – you do not need to change your status in any way.

If we have not had a response within two weeks of sending the email we will assume the account is no longer in use and permanently delete it. This procedure helps us to ensure that EYJA is an efficient job and assistance finding platform and that our active members don’t waste their time visiting profiles which are not anymore used.

To delete your EYJA account, press the ‘Account’ button and select ‘Edit profile’. At the top of the edit page you will see a ‘Delete account’ button. Once you click this you will be asked to confirm that you wish to delete your EYJA account. Once confirmed, the account will be permanently deleted. For security reasons we will store your account data for one further year, when it will then be completely removed from our system.

Not all profile fields are mandatory. You will be asked to complete those that are upon registration. You can then choose which of the other profile fields you’d like to fill in, depending on what’s relevant to your search. Please note however, that if you choose ‘other’ when completing any profile fields, you will be asked to provide further information.

A carefully completed profile will help to show your motivation, professionalism and respect towards other EYJA users and is likely to increase your chances of finding the right match.

All accounts on EYJA should be used strictly for the personal needs of the account holder. This means that one PA cannot use their account on behalf of another PA, and the same applies for PA users. If you know somebody in need of assistance or a PA job, we recommend that you advise them to create an EYJA account of their own.

However, you can help other members by giving them a fast reference on their profile. This is a function we offer where PA users can leave a reference on the profile of any EYJA member that have employed. Other PA users can then contact you, the past employer, to ask about working with this individual. Only PA users can give references to PAs.

For their own safety, we advise our PA members not to accept proposals from any third parties – such as a ‘friend’ of a PA user. We recommend that you only consider discussing a potential opportunity if you can speak to the PA user (or their official representative) directly.

There is only one exception when you can help others via your own EYJA account. This is when a PA user is in urgent need of a carer and they are, for whatever reason, unable to access their own account. In this case their PA can use their own account to efficiently find an emergency or substitute PA or carer. This should only be used in cases of emergency when the wellbeing of an individual would otherwise be put at risk.

Please be advised that creating an account on the EYJA platform for commercial purposes – such as recruitment or advertising other services – is strictly prohibited and such accounts will be immediately closed. We will not work with any companies or individuals that violate our Terms and Conditions on any future collaboration or advertising opportunities.

It might be difficult to find somebody currently available within you vicinity. If you are struggling to find someone within the area you originally specified, we recommend you expand the ‘Distance calculator’.

If you are an employer looking for a live-in personal assistant it might also be worth considering candidates who live further away from your location. Some personal assistants are even successfully traveling to work directly from other countries and this seems to work for lots of employers.

If your search didn’t produce any results, we recommend you try again using fewer search filters to widen the pool of suitable candidates.

Also if you’re using the ‘Distance calculator’ to find someone local, it may be that you need to expand the area wider in order to find suitable candidates.  

Our team is working hard to grow the membership of EYJA so that our users are able to make the best connections.

The search results display the latest logged in members at the top. This ensures you always see the most active members’ profiles first.

If you wish you can sort the search results by the newest signups to see the newest members. Use the ‘Order by’ function and choose ‘Newest members’.

Roughly 20 of our newest members’ profile summaries are displayed at the bottom of the EYJA homepage.

In search results, members are listed according to their last login date, with those who’ve used EYJA most recently appearing at the top of the results. You can use the ‘Order by’ option in the advaned search box to change the value to ‘Newest members’. This way search results will be listed by registration date, with the newest members at the top.

If you have specific requirements we recommend you take the time to spell out your needs within the ‘Detailed description’ section.

Also highlight your top priority needs in the ‘My message’ section, as this will appear on your profile summary and let other members know about them immediately. In addition, if they match your requirements, try the ‘Advanced search’ filters when looking for candidates.

We recommend you keep your profile fully updated with all the necessary information and that it is clear and straightforward. If this is a very demanding position, you may want to think about some extra rewards for your employees to make this vacancy more attractive.

If you are in urgent need of finding a PA or employer there are several things you can do to help. Firstly, update your ‘My message’ explaining your current situation/need. Try to be clear as to what is needed and the urgency of the situation. This information is seen on your profile summary, so more users will see it.

Try to find all potential candidates by using the EYJA search system. To do this simply highlight ‘active members’ in the ‘Profile status’ filter but try to keep as many of the other search parameters clear.

Start by contacting the candidates who have logged into their accounts most recently, and have a positive response rate. If you are looking for assistance, experienced PAs will likely pick the things more quickly than a complete beginner. Go for them, if possible.

Finally we suggest you purchase the ‘Urgent’ feature for your profile (coming soon…). This highlights your profile, bringing your profile summary to the very top of all search results and attracting much more attention. This feature lasts for three days upon purchase.

The EYJA distance calculator calculates the distance between two locations according to the indicated UK postcodes. If you didn’t indicate your UK postcode on your profile, the calculator won’t be able to find your location. In these cases, your profile won’t be displayed in the search results even if your actual location is within the sought distance, so it is important to include this in your profile (your postcode will not be viewed by any EYJA users).

To clear the search filters currently you need to individually undo any checked boxes and clear any of the dropdown sections you had filled. In the near future we aim to add the ability to clear all filters via one button.  

Currently this feature is unavailable but we are planning to add this in the near future.

The only mandatory search parameter is the ‘Looking for’ field. You have to choose which user category you are interested in: a PA user or a PA. All other fields are optional. You can leave all the search fields and the checkboxes empty or choose just the filters that are important to you.

The ‘Advanced search’ feature enables EYJA users to search for other EYJA members using additional filters. This is a useful feature to take advantage of if you have specific needs or requirements. However, often the basic search function will give you the leads you need.

Finding somebody who meets your requirements is very important, as this enables you to live and manage your life in the way you want. If you have some very specific requirements it may be that currently there are no active suitable members on the EYJA platform.

As the EYJA platform grows and new members join, someone suitable may become available at a later date, so do regularly check.

If you have an urgent need, in some cases it can be worth rethinking your preferences; as somebody outside of your preferred age range or preferred nationality may still be able to take excellent care of you.

On the EYJA platform there are two different membership types – personal assistants (PAs) and PA users (employers). We use colour markers to differentiate between the two. Blue indicates a personal assistant and orange indicates a PA user. A grey marker means that this member is not currently looking for assistance or a job.

At EYJA we encourage our members to always reply to any messages they receive. You can always see a member’s response rate in their profile. If it is very low, it might be that they are not very responsive or have simply stopped using the service.

However, there are a number of other reasons you may not get a reply. Firstly if you are a job seeker, be sure you put together a well-written introductory message that is polite and professional. Many employers directly relate the effort you make in writing this to the effort you’ll put into the job itself.

If you feel a lack of responses could be down to the quality of your EYJA profile, then we recommend you read the above chapter ‘Why is nobody contacting me?’for further advice.

Also remember that there may not be any problem with your profile or messages – it may simply be that they’ve forgotten to reply, or are just looking for someone different. Don’t give up or let this affect your confidence. The right connection is out there for you to find!

An active member is someone who is currently looking for an assistant (carer) or for employment, depending on his or her type of the membership. A blue or orange marker on a member’s profile summary means they are actively searching. A grey marker means that member is not currently looking for an employee or employment.

Please note that inactive members may still have information on their profile regarding their last search parameters, so it’s important to always check whether they are currently active.

Members are unable to see who specifically viewed their profiles; they are only able to see the total number of unique registered users who have visited. This is shown in their profile statistics.

To see your search history, simply log in to your account, press the ‘Account’ button and choose the ‘Search history’ option. Your search results will be listed chronologically, starting from the latest searches at the top.

Currently there is no ability to clear your search history manually. The EYJA system displays your 100 latest search results. All other results are automatically removed from the system.

To save your preferred candidates start by visiting each member’s profile. On their profile photo there is an empty heart icon. If you click on it, this member will be saved to your ‘Preferred' list, which you will find in your account’s menu list. You will be able to save up to 100 members and find them easily later.

Members are not able to see who has added them to a ‘Preferred’ list, only the number of users who have done so. This figure is shown in their profile statistics.

To remove members from your ‘Preferred’ list, go to your account menu and choose the ‘Preferred members’ option. Under each member’s profile summary there is a ‘Remove from preferred’ function. Press it and the member will be removed from your list.

Alternatively, you can visit a preferred member’s profile and undo your preference there by clicking on the heart icon on a member's profile picture.

Yes, you can add inactive members to your ‘Preferred’ list. Whenever this member changes their status to ‘Active’, you will receive a notification email, so you won’t miss the opportunity to contact them quickly.

Both member groups – PA users and PAs – share the same benefits on the EYJA portal, to actively search for the right employee or employment. Therefore anyone can contact the other party first and everyone is encouraged to take an active part in their search.

If you are new to EYJA and still gaining confidence in using the system, it is worth spending some time to familiarise yourself with the website and the tools it offers to help you make the best possible connections.

We also recommend you check out some appealing profiles (of both users types) to get ideas on how you could improve your own profile. Seek professional advice if possible, to help you representing yourself accurately and positively, as well as writing attractive application messages or improving your CV.

In order to contact other members you need to be a subscribed EYJA member.

If you are a subscribed member and have a problem contacting another member, first check to make sure your subscription has not expired. If it is still active but you are experiencing problems please submit an inquiry using the ‘Contact us’ form and we will investigate your case as soon as possible.

Keeping your subscription up to date ensures you can contact other members instantly if an emergency occurs. Otherwise you can subscribe only when you need to contact somebody or you want to reply to messages.

You can send messages to other members safely through our platform. There are no rules as to when it’s the right time to move your communication outside of the platform and share your contact details. Often the right time is after you have shared several messages, feel you have found the right connection and would like to arrange an online interview or phone conversation.

However, we do not recommend disclosing your contact details at the start of a new conversation. Also, if you don’t feel secure with a particular member, continue using our messaging system until you feel confident that you wish to share any personal information. There are no time limits.

We would also like to remind you that you can only share your contact details through our internal messaging system. They are not allowed to be displayed anywhere else on the EYJA portal.  

If you are not receiving any messages via the EYJA portal there are several things you can do to improve the situation.

Firstly check if your profile has been completed in full. Be sure to upload a recent picture and fill out as many of the profile fields as possible, including the ‘My Message’ and ‘Detailed description’ sections, as this makes your profile more appealing to other members.

If you’re still not getting much interest after this, then it may be that you are not presenting yourself to the best of your ability. Ask yourself the following questions. What does your profile picture say about you? Do you look a friendly and happy rather than strict and bossy? Is your picture clear and recent? Are you wearing appropriate clothes?

Also look back at what you’ve written. Do you describe your needs or qualifications clearly? Do you also give a clear idea of who you really are, and your personality? Do you sound polite, professional, yet not overconfident? If your English is not perfect, you should clearly state this in your profile, but we do recommend that you ask someone with a strong grasp of English to help you write the best possible profile.  

Another thing to consider is the balance of your needs and what you can offer. In other words: are your expectations too high for what you are able to offer?

We understand that this is a very sensitive topic when it comes to the reality of assisted living. It might be that you need very complex help, but are unable to offer high rates of pay. In such a case we suggest you think of what ‘extras’ you can offer to make yourself appear a more attractive employer. It is simpler than you may think. Maybe your position requires a lot of physical work, but the working atmosphere is very relaxed? Many employees will value this. Maybe you provide free meals during shifts, or you can work your employee’s breaks around their specific needs – for example attending an English class, picking up their children from school, or going to church etc. Little things like this can make a big difference to an employee, and may help you make more connections.

If you want to work as a personal assistant in the UK and are coming from another country, it may be that you don’t have all the documents to be able to work in the UK legally. Furthermore, a lack of specific experience or insufficient knowledge of English may mean that potential employers overlook you. However, if you are truly motivated to find a job, then perhaps the answer lies in offering more competitive salary rates. In return, some employers may be happy to help you getting the National Insurance number you need, or support you with training.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have much luck at first. Confidence and experience grows with time so keep persevering. Also, don’t forget that with EYJA you have the ability to make contact first, so why not become more proactive in your search and start contacting other members, rather than waiting for them to come to you?