header

To search for an answer to your query, press Ctrl-F and type your keyword or consecutive keywords into the search box that appears.
Click Find Next one or more times to find subsequent mentions of that word.

This is a great place to start your enquiry. If you are still looking for answers, try the homefriday village, or contact us directly.
Are there any rules in the village?
Just that you show respect to people. We want everyone to enjoy themselves, so abuse, bad language and any extreme behaviour which makes others feel uncomfortable is uncool. Be considerate. Use common sense. It’s your community – get involved and have fun.

As a householder, how do I register for FREE?
Go to my homefriday or click here. We estimate that the registration process takes around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, and opens the door to the full range of services, where you can interact with any service provider, anonymously if you prefer, add them to your list of favourites, post your own job on the site, use the chat rooms and much, much more. All for FREE! The only thing you will need to pay for are optional SMS credits, should you wish to contact service providers this way.

Can feedback be edited?
Once you have left feedback, it cannot be edited and remains permanently on the recipient’s profile. For this reason, it’s important to carefully consider what you want to say and ensure it is fair, reasonable and sensible. There are some limited situations where feedback can be removed at homefriday’s discretion.

If you want more information, email us at feedbackrules@homefriday.com.au. It is also important to remember that homefriday doesn’t screen or investigate feedback and takes no responsibility for its content, but users need to be aware that they could trigger liability if they say something libelous or defamatory.

Can feedback be withdrawn?
If you think of homefriday as a bustling, vibrant community, then feedback is our currency. Being able to rely on the feedback and comments of others are what makes this system stand out from traditional, static directories. As such, it is vital that people consider their comments and scores carefully before committing them to the site, because in most instances they are there for good. There are some limited situations where feedback can be removed. If you want more information, email us at feedbackrules@homefriday.com.au. It is also important to remember that homefriday doesn’t screen or investigate feedback and takes no responsibility for its content, but users need to be aware that they could trigger liability if they say something libelous or defamatory.

Can I apply for another job?
Absolutely, you can apply for as many jobs as you wish.

Can I call the householder directly?
If a householder has opted to display their contact details, you will be able to call them directly. Alternatively, you are able to ask them questions relating to a job they have posted via the ‘ask a question’ and ‘SMS householder’ buttons, at the bottom of the job profile.

Can I control who is able to contact me?
Yes. When completing your profile, you can choose to either remain anonymous, or display your contact details to service providers in your favourites folder only, or display your contact details to everyone. If you have chosen to remain anonymous, no-one is able to contact you directly until you choose to give a service provider your details. Or such time as you have offered a job, it has been accepted via the system and contact details are then automatically exchanged. You can edit this feature at any time.

Can I display my contact details to my ‘favourites’ only?
Yes. When completing your profile, you can choose to either remain anonymous, or display your contact details to service providers in your favourites folder only, or display your contact details to everyone. If you have chosen to remain anonymous, no-one is able to contact you directly until you choose to give a service provider your details. Or such time as you have offered a job, it has been accepted via the system and contact details are then automatically exchanged. You can edit this feature at any time.

Can I edit my job details?
Yes, you can edit a job at any time prior to the application closing date by going to my homefriday logging on and selecting ‘my job postings’ in the left hand menu. Click on the job you would like to edit and then select ‘edit job’ at the very top of the page. Any service providers who have applied for this position will be notified that a change to the job listing has been made and could, possibly, withdraw their application depending on the change made. We therefore recommend that careful consideration is taken prior to changing a job that has already received one or more applications.

Can I edit my profile at any time?
Yes. Go to your main account page and select ‘view or edit profile’ in the right hand menu. You can go through the details you originally entered and edit it as required. Once you have reviewed your details on the final ‘confirmation’ page, click on the ‘submit’ button and your profile will be immediately updated.

Can I find out more about the person or their availability?
Sure. You can view their ‘complete profile’, including feedback and a whole range of other information. Alternatively, you can contact them directly by phone, email or SMS.

Can I get more information about the job?
Sure. Just click on ‘ask a question’ at the bottom of this page. The householder will receive a notification via email and SMS, if selected, that a question has been asked. The questions and answers will appear publicly on the job profile, so you will also be able to see what others have asked.

Can I keep track of jobs I have applied for?
Yes. By going to my homefriday, logging on and clicking on ‘view your current job activity here’.

Can I print off tax invoices?
Yes, go to your main account page and then select ‘payment history’ in the right-hand menu. Then simply select your payment and print off your tax invoice.

Can I respond to negative feedback?
Yes. You have one right of reply. We would encourage you to communicate via other channels first, to see if there are ways to avoid airing your grievances in public. However, it is also an important part of the homefriday system that our community needs to base decisions on accurate information, without fear or favour.

Can I save my search results?
As a registered householder you can save profiles to your favourites at any time by clicking on the ‘add to favourites’ button at the bottom of the complete service provider profile. To access your favourites, go to ‘my homefriday’ log on and click on ‘favourites details’.

Can I see if someone has already covered my topic?
Click Ctrl-F to see the ‘Find’ window, then type in the keyword or phrase you are seeking. ‘Find’ will search for the next incidence of the word or phrase on the page. This is a great idea to quickly find if the question has been asked and what people had to say.

Can I send a job I have posted to my ‘favourites’?
Yes. Once you have saved service providers who are of interest to you to your favourites folder you are able to select, when you post a job on to the site, which of your favourites you would like to send the job to directly, by email, SMS or both.

Alternatively, you can send details of a job you have posted on the site to individual service providers by opening the complete service provider profile and then clicking on the ‘send your job details’ button at the bottom of their profile.

Can I send a job out to multiple service providers?
Absolutely. In fact, in some instances we would encourage you to. For example, if you require a babysitter at short notice, you would be wise to send the job details to a few babysitters to increase your chances of finding someone in time.

Can I send the job out to multiple service providers?
Absolutely. In fact, in some instances we would encourage you to. For example, if you require a babysitter at short notice, you would be wise to send the job details to a few babysitters to increase your chances of finding someone in time. If you are in a hurry to find someone, we recommend you opt to send your job details by SMS as well as by email.

Can I start a discussion on any topic?
We would like you to feel free to discuss a wide range of topics, from advice on how to maximise your potential on homefriday, through to general knowledge and recreational discussions. Cyberspace is a pretty freewheeling place, but we ask that you respect other users and contain topics and posts within acceptable standards. We try to let things flow smoothly on most occasions, but conversations which veer away from decent behaviour will result in deletion by the webmaster and possible banning from the site of the person responsible.

Can I upgrade my subscription in the middle of the month?
Yes, you can upgrade your subscription at any time simply by logging on to your main account page via ‘my homefriday’ and then selecting the ‘upgrade here’ button. Your upgrade will become effective at the end of your current subscription period.

Can service providers contact me directly?
When completing your profile, you can choose to either remain anonymous, or display your contact details to service providers in your favourites folder only, or display your contact details to everyone. If you have chosen to remain anonymous, no-one is able to contact you directly until you choose to give a service provider your details. Or such time as you have offered a job, it has been accepted via the system and contact details are then automatically exchanged.

Do I need to be aware of my comments?
This is a public arena and can be viewed by anyone on the web. Just be sensible and take prudent Internet precautions. This is a relatively safe message board because it is well monitored, but you are also in the wider web, so don’t enter personal details of yourself or others, no matter how much you may be wanting to help them.

Does homefriday keep a record of my credit card details?
No, homefriday doesn’t retain any credit card numbers on our system. For service providers, who have selected an automated, rolling subscription, we are required to record the expiry date only of their card. Verisign, our preferred secure payment portal, is responsible for transacting secure payments on our behalf.

Does homefriday retain my credit card details?
No, homefriday doesn’t retain any credit card numbers on our system. For service providers, who have selected an automated, rolling subscription, we are required to record the expiry date only of their card. Verisign, our preferred secure payment portal, is responsible for transacting secure payments on our behalf.

Does homefriday screen people?
homefriday provides an introduction forum which allows householders and service providers to make their own decisions about compatibility. People are encouraged to list as much relevant information as possible. Areas such as prior references, police checks, professional associations, work experience and First Aid qualifications, to name a few. homefriday is not a matchmaker, we do not recommend a particular service provider for a particular job. We do, however, provide householders with much more information than they can currently obtain prior to contacting a service provider directly.

Does homefriday screen people?
homefriday provides an introduction forum which allows householders and service providers to make their own decisions about compatibility. People are encouraged to list as much relevant information as possible. Areas such as prior references, police checks, professional associations, work experience and First Aid qualifications, to name a few. homefriday is not a matchmaker, we do not recommend a particular service provider for a particular job. We do, however, provide householders with much more information than they can currently obtain prior to contacting a service provider directly.

How can I best describe the services I offer?
Use the ‘About you’ section to give a more detailed description of your specific skills and areas of expertise.

How can I buy SMS credits?
Once you have registered, simply go to the SMS section in the ‘my homefriday’ section, or click here.

How can I increase my chances of getting the job?
Once you have registered, you can edit your profile at any time by going to my homefriday (blue button above), logging on and clicking on the ‘view or edit profile’ in the right-hand column. Enter as much information as you can about yourself and your previous experience. The ‘about you’ section is there so you can promote yourself and tell people what makes you so employable.

How can I maximise the chances of receiving applications?
Here are some suggestions:
– Send the job directly to service providers of interest to you.
– Use SMS to get your job details to them faster.
– Set your rates to be fair – search for equivalent jobs to get a sense of what others are charging.
– Build your own feedback rating. If you are a good employer, you may find you have a greater choice of applicants for your job.

How do I access my job watch list?
Go to my homefriday, log on and click on ‘view your current job activity here’.

How do I access my list of favourites?
Go to your my homefriday log on and click on ‘favourites details’.

How do I advertise on homefriday?
It’s easy. Go to my homefriday and follow the prompts to join up as a service provider. We estimate this will take you around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, and only needs to be done once.

Service providers have two advertising options, starting with an innovative Pay-Per-Click entry point of only $10, through to a range of cost-effective subscriptions. This includes a detailed profile, featuring any special offers, specifying exact criteria to appear in search-and-match results, a list of all contact details and the ability to earn feedback ratings. Click here to see our rates schedule.

How do I apply for a job?
As a registered homefriday service provider, simply click on the ‘apply’ button at the bottom of a job profile, adjust any negotiable items as necessary and submit your job application. The householder who has listed the job will receive your application by email and also by optional SMS if you want to get your application through faster.

How do I buy homefriday SMS credits?
Once you have registered, simply go to the SMS section in ‘my homefriday’ or click here.

How do I buy SMS credits?
You have the opportunity to buy SMS credits on the subscription page during the registration process. Alternatively, once you have registered, simply go to the SMS section in the ‘my homefriday’ section, or click here.

How do I find a job?
Insert keywords in the ‘quick search’ in the left column. Or if you prefer, fill out your specific criteria in the more advanced section on the main body of the page. Hit the ‘search’ button and our search engine will bring up the jobs which most closely resemble your needs, with the best matches first.

How do I find a service provider?
Insert keywords in the quick search or, if you prefer, fill out your specific criteria in the more advanced section on the main body of the page. Hit the ‘search’ button and our search engine will find and prioritise the service providers who most closely match your needs.

How do I increase my chances of finding the ideal person?
The more information you enter about what you require, the better. It will help to match you as clearly as possible with the person you are seeking.

How do I just browse?
If you are just browsing, click on a forum and you will see all the questions or ‘topics’ people have posted. Choose one of those, and you will be able to see the original question and all responses. If you haven’t used a message board before you will be surprised the direction some topics take – they can be extremely informative and entertaining.

How do I know which subscription is right for me?
There will be a natural place for you and your business depending on its size, the amount of work you need, whether frequency of jobs is more important than scale and duration. If you are in doubt or have any questions, contact us for suggestions on help@homefriday.com.au.

How do I know which subscription option is right for me?
Have a look at what each option offers. There will be a natural place for you and your business depending on its size, the amount of work you need, the detail you need to advertise about yourself, whether frequency of jobs is more important than scale and duration. If you are in doubt or have any questions, contact us for suggestions on help@homefriday.com.au

How do I retrieve my draft?
Go tomy homefriday log on and click on ‘view your current job activity here’.

How do I see the comments people have left?
Just click on any topic below which interests you. Then you can see all the comments that have been made in logical order, like a normal conversation. Think of it as chatting with a group of mates.

How do we rate against alternative advertising methods?
homefriday is cheaper than the most common alternatives and offers more functionality. More multi-dimensional, flexible and cheaper than a directory; longer ad run, far more information and cost-effective than newspaper classifieds; and more bang for your buck than other internet options. Subscriptions start with an innovative Pay-Per-Click entry point of only $10 – less than one hour’s work and great value in anyone’s book!

How do you find your carers?
Our marketing and promotional campaigns are targeting childcare graduates, professionals and experienced carers. We believe parents are best suited to choose a carer for their particular situation. For instance, a person who is going to be nearby may be happy with a less experienced babysitter at a lower rate than someone who is leaving the carer with multiple children and greater responsibility. By asking our carers to pay a nominal amount to register their profile, we aim to attract a more committed person. Additional features such as feedback, references and police checks gives you the information you need to make an informed decision.

How does homefriday offer so much more than a directory?
Directories, classified ads, job boards and other online services are essentially hit-and-miss. You see very little information and know next to nothing about the person’s background.

Our service providers offer a wide range of information about themselves and many are rated by other householders. You can’t get more objective than that – powerful word of mouth, online.

How does homefriday offer so much more than a directory?
Directories, classified ads, job boards and other online services are essentially hit-and-miss. You see very little information and know next to nothing about the person’s background. Our service providers offer a wide range of information about themselves and many are rated by other householders. You can’t get more objective than that – powerful word of mouth, online.

How does it work?
Service providers pay a nominal advertising fee to list a detailed profile and then either wait for the phone to ring, for job offers via the system or they can proactively search our jobs board and apply for them online. Householders can use the site as a directory, post jobs for all of their household needs and wait for applicants, or send their jobs directly to the ideal service provider for their consideration. Both parties are able to earn feedback from other homefriday users, a form of online reference providing more information for everyone concerned.

How does the feedback rating system work?
All service providers can earn feedback once they have completed a job which was offered and accepted via the homefriday system. They can also give feedback to householders.

Householders who use the site as a directory are also able to leave feedback, though there won’t be a specific job created, so no link to more details.

Feedback provides a thorough online reference and endorsement to service providers which, in turn, gives a more complete picture to potential employers – helping to get the right people together and the job done well.

How important are police checks and references?
They are a great way to get started on homefriday because they give parents confidence in you. Ensure that your references are genuine and that referees are happy to be called. Expect parents to call you before you start or want to meet you in person. The more jobs you complete with homefriday, the more your feedback will speak for itself.

How is feeback calculated?
When leaving feedback, householders select a rating range between 0 and 5 to assess a service provider’s performance. The figure represents positive, neutral or negative. Ratings are averaged across the number of feedbacks received, giving the person their overall feedback percentage.

How long does it take to join as a new member?
We estimate that the registration process will take around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, and you will only ever have to do it once. After that you can come and go, subscribe and unsubscribe, have a year overseas, go into remission during your busy times and you won’t have to go back to the start when you return. Just fire up your profile and away you go again.

How long until I get a response?
Response times differ, depending on the job, urgency and particular situations. You can let service providers of your choice know about your job by sending your job details to them directly. Simply click on the ‘send your job details’ button at the bottom of any complete service provider profile, and follow the prompts.

How long until I hear back?
Response times differ, depending on the job, urgency and particular situation, but you know that using homefriday email, it has gone straight to their inbox. With SMS it is even swifter, going directly to the householder’s mobile phone. Once the job is offered and accepted, any other applicants will be notified via email. The longest this can be is seven days after the application closing date, but it is usually much sooner.

How long until my password is emailed?
It will be sent automatically to your nominated email address as soon as homefriday receives your request. Depending on your ISP, it should only take a few minutes.

How long will it really take to join up?
This is probably the longest page. It’s important you take the time to add as much information as you can about yourself. Once you have registered your profile, you can edit it at any time via the ‘my homefriday’ tab and then by clicking on ‘view or edit profile’ in the right-hand column.

How long will it take to join up?
We estimate that the registration process will take around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, and you will only ever have to do it once. The guide above takes you through the process. Some steps require filling in a number of fields, while others require a simple yes or no answer.

How much do the alternatives cost?
Childcare agencies have a raft of additional charges, which often include booking fees, top-loaded hourly rates, travel costs, penalty rates and cancellation fees. Online services vary widely in price and many are simply offline agencies that happen to have a website. With nanny services, you can be up for hundreds of dollars or into the thousands, simply as a placement fee. Searching ‘au pair complaints’ in Google will show you that there’s no guarantees there either.

How much information do I need to put in?
As little or much as you want. You can quick search below on a single word, such as ‘plumber’, but you will get the best results by filling out the main search form. The more info you provide, the more ideal the jobs you find will be.

How much information should I enter?
Enter as much or as little as you like. The more information you give, the better the site will work for you. However, our mandatory fields will collect the minimum amount of detail to get you started.

How will I know when my question has been answered?
You will be notified by email and SMS, if this has been selected by the householder, once your question has been answered.

I know my category, but what title do I give myself?
Be honest in describing yourself, but make it sound appealing. ‘Domestic plumber, 10 yrs experience in SE Melbourne’ has more kick than ‘plumber, Richmond’. If you are chosing to work under multiple categories, a babysitter and a cleaner for example, be careful to select a more generic description for yourself that will successfully cover both when they come up in search results. ‘Part time student, Richmond area, flexible hours’, for example.

I want to post a “help wanted” ad, can I do that now?
Yes, when you confirm that the details you have provided here are correct, you will be given the option of either posting a “help wanted” ad or going straight to your main account page.

I’ve found a job I like, what next?
You need to be registered as a service provider in order to be able to apply for a job. It takes around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, to complete the registration process. Once registered, you can apply online for that job and any others which suit you.

I’ve found a service provider I like, what next?
You have a few options available to you – you can use the site as a directory and pick up the phone, email or SMS the service provider directly or, as a registered householder, you can submit details of the job you need done on to the site for free and send these directly to the service provider by email and SMS. If you do not wish to contact the service provider immediately you can save their details to you favourites folder so that this information can be easily found when you do wish to make contact down the track.

I’ve never used a message board. Is it confusing?
It’s actually quite easy, when you get the hang of it. Just go in and have a cruise around to see what comments other people are making. When you feel like it, leave your own comment. Or start your own topic for discussion. It’s a great way to get information about homefriday, your chosen field, finding jobs or general chit-chat – swap recipes if you want!!

If a mistake slips through, how do I fix it?
You can edit your profile at any time via my homefriday. Just login and choose ‘view or edit profile’ in the right-hand column.

If I apply for a job, what does the householder receive?
Your application contains your complete profile, including contact details, as well as any negotiable items that you have adjusted to better suit your needs.

If I ask a question, what happens next?
The householder will receive a notification via email and SMS, if selected, that a question has been asked. The questions and answers will appear publicly on the job profile for the benefit of all users, so you will also be able to see what others have asked.

If my account is inactive, how can I reactivate it?
This will depend on the circumstances, but in most cases it will simply be a case of resubscribing and submitting your payment details, or checking your current payment details are correct.

Under 18’ers require parental or guardian consent prior to their profiles being activated, and steps explaining what is required to complete this process are sent out upon submitting their original profile to homefriday. If you have any questions relating to your account status, please contact accounts@homefriday.com.au.

Is my password reset after three incorrect login attempts?
No. If you are struggling (and we all know the hassle of remembering multiple passwords) just enter your email address here and homefriday will send it straight to you.

Is there any other way to get help?
Why don’t you go to our message boards on ‘homefriday village’ and post your question for the community to answer? This is often a quick and efficient way to lead you directly to the best way to get things done. Alternatively, you can use the ‘contact’ tab on the bottom left of each page, which provides email addresses and a 1300 number to contact the homefriday call centre.

Oops. How do I change something?
Either click on the ‘Edit’ button at the bottom of the page, or click the ‘Back’ tab in your browser.

Should I consider adding a ‘special’ offer on my profile?
Everyone loves to think they are getting a good deal. Whether this is a 20% discount on the first hour of work completed, a free initial consultation, or a complimentary gift if the customer mentions they found your on homefriday, a ‘special’ offer is certainly worth considering.

What’s more, ‘specials’ are automatically displayed in their own section on Village which means that all visitors to the site can click on a special and be taken straight to your individual profile. And you don’t have to sell yourself short – add something extra.

What if I forget my username or password?
Once registered, you can retrieve your username and password from my homefriday. It will be sent automatically to your nominated email address as soon as homefriday receives your request. Depending on your ISP, it should only take a few minutes.

What are ‘topics’?
Topics are questions people have asked or areas of interest. They are generally listed so that other people can comment. This is to find out the answer to a question, see what people think about an issue, or just for entertainment. Browse around, comment on a question or start your own.

What are common questions?
The common questions are the same as FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), which appear on many websites. homefriday’s common questions appear on most of our pages and are related to exactly what is happening on that page. They are very helpful in learning how to use the site smoothly. The ‘help!’ section is a compilation of all of these questions from throughout the site.

What are job alerts?
A job alert is when the homefriday system recognises that a householder has added a job on to the site which matches the criteria you are looking for. You will be notified of this match by email. As a registered service provider, you can request to receive job alerts at any time.

What are profile alerts?
A profile alert is when the homefriday system recognises that a service provider who matches your job criteria has added their profile to the site.You will be notified of this match by email. As a registered householder, you can request to receive profile alerts at any time .

What are the advantages at a glance?
As a registered service provider you can:
– Earn online feedback from your employers. Be rewarded for your performance and use it as a calling card for future work.
– Purchase homefriday SMS credits for speedy communication.
-Provactively search for work in your service category and location, then apply directly online.
– List an enormous amount of detailed information about yourself or your business – choose a payment option that suits you.
– Edit your advertisement at any time at no extra cost.
– List under multiple categories at no extra cost.
– List under multiple suburbs at no extra cost.
– Offer ‘specials’, which you can edit at any time at no extra cost.
– Opt to trigger job alerts, so you know when a job you will like is listed on homefriday.
– Leave an out-of-office message, keeping your customers informed.

What are the advantages for a service provider?
As a registered service provider you can:
– Earn online feedback from your employers. Be rewarded for your performance and use it as a calling card for future work.
– Purchase homefriday SMS credits for speedy communication.
– Provactively search for work in your service category and location, then apply directly online.
– List an enormous amount of detailed information about yourself or your business – choose a payment option that suits you.
– Edit your advertisement at any time at no extra cost.
– List under multiple categories at no extra cost.
– List under multiple suburbs at no extra cost.
– Offer ‘specials’, which you can edit at any time at no extra cost.
– Opt to trigger job alerts, so you know when a job you will like is listed on homefriday.
– Leave an out-of-office message, keeping your customers informed.

What are the benefits of joining homefriday?
homefriday is the ‘can-do’ website. As a registered service provider you can:
– Earn online feedback from your employers. Be rewarded for your performance and use it as a calling card for future work.
– Purchase homefriday SMS credits for speedy communication.
– Pro-actively search for work in your service category and location, then apply directly online.
– List an enormous amount of detailed information about yourself or your business – choose a payment option that suits you.
– Edit your advertisement at any time at no extra cost.
– List under multiple categories at no extra cost.
– List under multiple suburbs at no extra cost.
– Offer ‘specials’, which you can edit at any time at no extra cost.
– Opt to trigger job alerts, so you know when a job you will like is listed on homefriday.
– Leave an out-of-office message, keep your customers informed.
– Village forums

What are the benefits of leaving an ‘out-of-office’ message?
If you are going away for a couple of weeks well-earned holidays, and don’t really want to take your business with you, the ‘Away’ feature allows you to keep your place amongst your competitors, as well as your customers informed.

The yellow ‘Away’ button will be displayed on the preliminary search results with your optional message underneath. You can opt to leave contact details if you wish, or an alternate point of contact in your absence.

What are the benefits of making an offer via the system?
When a job is offered and accepted via the system it triggers the ability to leave feedback with a link back to the original job profile. With this feedback, which includes a star rating and comment about the person’s actual performance, a householder can make a reasoned decision about employing them. This, in turn, keeps the standard of service providers on the site high. Directories are more ‘hit-and-miss’, but with homefriday feedback ratings, you get a lot more information about a service provider before you contact them.

What are the benefits of SMS credits?
You know that your message goes direct to a mobile phone, which most people are carrying or check regularly.

What are the benefits of using SMS?
You know that your application goes direct to a mobile phone, which most people are carrying or check regularly. Faster communciation, straight to the decision-maker.

What can I see as a non-member?
You can conduct a search and see all information relating to the service provider’s profile, including their contact details and feedback, which will help you identify one or several contenders. If you choose, you can also send a service provider’s profile to a friend. To post a free ‘help wanted’ ad, simply register for FREE.

What do I do now?
Use the buttons below to either find a job on the site, or go directly to your main account page via my homefriday. Or you can use any of the tabs at the top of the page to have a look around.

What do you do with my details?
We take your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. homefriday never uses your information for any other reason than the smooth operation of the site.

What do you mean by ‘associations’?
Any professional or community group you are involved with. If you feel that mentioning them could help a potential employer to get to know you better or be more likely to employ you, this is the place to put that information.

What good will reporting someone do?
This is your online community and everyone deserves to be treated with respect. By and large, we try and take a hands-off approach; we do not get involved in disputes between parties, for example. However, if we see clear evidence that the system is being abused in some form, we will issue warnings and reserve the right to cancel a user’s subscription without reason or recourse.

What happens if I forget my username or password?
Once registered, you can retrieve your username and password from my homefriday. They will be sent automatically to your nominated email address as soon as homefriday receives your request. Depending on your ISP, it should only take a few minutes.

What happens if my credit card is about to expire or is cancelled?
You will be sent a reminder prior to the expiration date, or a notification if your payment does not proceed for any other reason.

What happens now?
The householder who has listed the job will receive your application by email and also by optional SMS, if you have sent it this way. Once a job has been offered and accepted, all other applicants are notified automatically by email. A householder has seven days after the job application closing date to offer someone a position. If this time lapses without anyone being offered the job, all applicants will be notified after seven days.

What if I forget my password?
Go to my homefriday and click on the ‘forgotten your username or password?’ link to have it emailed straight to you.

What if I haven’t got a driver’s licence?
Householders can make a licence a ‘negotiable’ option when they post a “help wanted” ad. If you are the best candidate, you could still get the job without one. Especially if it is a babysitting position in the home where you wouldn’t be required to drive the children around.

What if I occasionally have access to a car?
You are better to say ‘no’, then you could explain your situation in the ‘About you’ section. Better than saying ‘yes’, then disappointing people when the car is unavailable.

What if I think someone’s comments are out of line?
You can report a user’s comments by sending a mail to the webmaster at villagecop@homefriday.com.au. Try and be reasonable in your judgements and understand that the written word doesn’t always translate as smoothly as when you can see a person and interpret the context better. On the other hand, we take overstepping the mark very seriously and will take firm action, including banning a person from the site, if necessary.

What if I want to ask a question about a job?
At the bottom of a job profile, you are able to submit a question for the householder. Questions and answers are displayed publicly on the job profile for the benefit of all users. You can submit a question at any time, even after you have applied for a job.

What if I want to change something later?
Just login via my homefriday. Choose ‘view or edit profile’ from the right-hand column and make any changes, any time. This is the beauty of homefriday’s flexibility – we realise that things change over time and need to be updated – instantly.

What if I want to make a comment?
You need to be a registered user in order to be able to make a comment on homefriday village. The registration process takes around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, and you only ever need to do it once. Once you have registered, choose a topic and click on ‘reply’. Then throw in your two cent’s worth!! And simply click ‘new topic’ to start your own thread.

What if my credit card is about to expire or is cancelled?
You will be sent a reminder prior to the expiration date, or a notification if your payment does not proceed for any other reason.

What if my search doesn’t turn up a result?
As a registered householder, you can request to receive profile alerts at any time. When a profile that matches your criteria is submitted, you will be notified by email. To activate your profile alerts, go to your ‘my homefriday’ account page and click on ‘view or edit profile’ in the right-hand column.

What if the category I am looking for isn’t there?
If the service provider category you are looking for isn’t available, please send it through to suggestions@homefriday.com.au for consideration. Otherwise, use the top level category which best fits the service you require. Keywords in ‘quick search’ in the left hand column may also help you to identify the right person.

What if the job I have needs quoting?
Service providers have a range of options available to them when they are filling out their profile. They can submit an hourly rate, a day rate, a job rate or nominate that they quote jobs. Or a combination of these methods – so you are bound to find what you require.

What is ‘my homefriday’?
This is the hub of your account. It’s where you go to sign up for the first time, then where you return to as a welcome member of our online community. You can edit your profile, purchase additional SMS credits, check on the status of your feedback, job offers, applications, questions and answers.

What is a ‘dual user’?
A dual user is a person who is registered as both a householder as well as a service provider.

A perfect example is the tradesman who uses homefriday to source work during the day and, having seen how effectively the system works, uses it to find a babysitter for the children in the evening.

You will have the same user name for both profiles, information can be duplicated for both accounts and any SMS credits you have purchased can be used across both profiles.

What is a ‘dual user’?
A dual user is a person who is registered as both a householder as well as a service provider. A perfect example is the tradesman who uses homefriday to source work during the day and, having seen how effectively the system works, uses it to find a babysitter for the children in the evening. You will have the same user name for both profiles, information can be duplicated for both accounts and any SMS credits you have purchased can be used across both profiles.

What is a valid reason for reporting someone?
homefriday is designed as a positive and proactive community of people who are all striving for a great result. Getting jobs done efficiently, to the best ability of our talented service providers, at moderate cost. The site has been painstakingly constructed with the best interests of all of our users in mind. We don’t condone any anti-social behaviour which is sexist, racist or in any way demeaning to others, either in feedback, homefriday village or anywhere else on the site. See our Terms and Conditions, at the bottom of this page, for more explanation.

What is homefriday village?
The village is our community area where you can interact with other people in a safe environment. It is a series of online message boards where you can cruise around and check out other homefridayers’ comments, or you can start a dialogue of your own. You might choose to start your own topic, or ‘thread’, and then follow other people’s comments on the issue. It’s a fantastic resource for information, easy to use and is a lot of fun as well.

What is homefriday’s privacy policy?
See our Privacy link at the bottom of the page or click here.

What is homefriday’s privacy policy?
See our Privacy link at the bottom of the page or click here.

What is the difference between Text and HTML email?
HTML email allows things like logos, pictures and signature files to come through – most people receive email this way. However, some companies, ISPs and filtering software deletes these (have you seen a box with a little red cross where a picture should be?). If that is the case with you at work or home, opt for Text emails.

What is the difference between this and chat rooms?
Chat rooms are actually quite different to message boards, which you will also see called discussion boards, help boards, forums, bulletin boards, web forums and discussion groups on other websites. Boards are usually more specific to the site on which they appear, although they don’t have to be. They are also more moderated than chat rooms, which is the case with homefriday. Chat rooms involve people having real-time conversations and allow users to peel off into private ‘rooms’ of as little as two contributors. The downside of this is that some conversations can get pretty out-of-hand very quickly and are often difficult to comprehend if you are not a cyber-geek. Message boards tend to be more measured and informative.

What sort of ‘special offers’ can I provide?
People always love a special offer. Look at it one of two ways, either a discount of a certain percentage (10% off my hourly rate for this month only!), or a value-adding idea, such as two for the price of one, or maybe the first hour of your time is free. Once the offer has finished, you can remove it from your profile via the ‘my homefriday’ tab and then by clicking ‘view or edit profile’ in the right-hand column, or you can replace it with a new one! What sets your business apart? Specials are listed in the Village section of homefriday, with links through to the profiles that list them. This is an additional means for you to promote your business, at no extra cost.

What’s this about visibility?
Choose how much privacy you would like. By allowing only those in your favourites to see your contact details, or keep them totally invisible, you control the level of contact potential service providers can have with you directly. You will get the most immediate results by remaining visible to all, but it is up to you.

When I apply for a job, what does the householder receive?
Your application contains your complete profile, including contact details, as well as any negotiable items that you have adjusted to better suit your needs.

When will I be able to use my account?
As soon as your funds are cleared. Credit card payments are ‘real time’, which means that your account will be active as soon as you have completed the sign-up process. Direct deposit and money order will take a day or so, depending on how long it takes for the necessary paperwork to be received and funds cleared.

Where fields are negotiable, do I need to alter these?
It’s up to you. The householder is saying they are flexible in these areas, so take the opportunity to let them know what best suits you.

Where is the help index?
The help section is set out like FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), that you see on many websites, not strictly as an alphabetical index. If you have a specific question, click Ctrl-F and type a keyword or phrase into the ‘Find’ window which appears. Your browser will search for the next incidence of the word or phrase on the page. This is a great idea to quickly find if the question has been asked and what people had to say.

Which is the easiest way to pay?
If you pay by credit card, you can immediately go on a rolling monthly subscription – this is by far the easiest way to pay, as you are not required to fill out additional forms with each payment and no administration fees apply. With credit card payments you will be notified in advance that payment is about to be deducted and you have the opportunity to cancel your subscription or resubscribe at any time.

Which SMS option should I choose?
If you allow ‘SMS receive’ you will get notifications directly to your mobile, at no cost to you. If you also choose ‘SMS send’ you will first need to purchase a package of SMS credits.

Who can apply for positions that I advertise?
Only service providers who are registered under the same category as the position you are advertising can apply for the position. For example, if you are advertising a cleaning position, you will not receive spam applications from gardeners who are trying to advertise their services to you.

Who can leave feedback?
Both householders and service providers can leave feedback for jobs offered and accepted through the homefriday system. Where a householder uses the site as a directory and bypasses the job posting facility, they are able to leave feedback by clicking on the ‘leave feedback’ button at the bottom of the service provider’s complete profile.

Who can post comments in the village?
All homefriday members are welcome to use the village. We estimate that the registration process takes around ten minutes or so, depending on how much information you choose to provide, and you only ever have to do it once. After that you can search for jobs, or find people to do them in your home, and you also get to interact with others in the village. Click here

Who pays and how much?
The whole range of homefriday services, except for SMS, is FREE for householders. This includes the ability to search our directory for exactly the right service provider, post job ads, receive automatic alerts when the ideal person comes online, and much more.

Service providers have two paid advertising options, starting with an innovative Pay-Per-Click entry point of only $10, through to a range of cost-effective subscriptions. These options enable a detailed profile and full access to all of homefriday’s features. On top of this, we now also offer a free, basic line listing.

For more information on all of these options, click here to see our rates schedule.

Why are questions and answers listed publicly?
homefriday is about providing all users with more information than ever before. A question you ask might be relevant to someone else, just as questions that they ask might be of interest to you.

Why do I have to login?
Having a login name and password ensures that your homefriday account is protected. This will be particularly relevant to people who login using public computers or if a number of people share one computer.

Why do the rates have a minimum and maximum?
This gives you flexibility, however you also have the option of offering a flat rate simply by entering the same amount in both the minimum and maximum boxes. The broader the range, the more search results you will come up in, but be sure to enter a range that is justified.

Why homefriday?
homefriday is the easiest way for householders to find quality service providers online – and they may be right under your nose! We take the guesswork out of finding the right service provider two ways. Firstly, each one lists detailed information including their work history, location, rate and availability and much more. Secondly, the innovative homefriday feedback rating system means you can see at a glance how they have performed for other householders in the past.

Why search for a homefriday service provider?
Quite simply, you are able to see a lot more about a service provider before inviting them into your home. Their previous work history, associations they are involved with, their expected pay rate and any associated call-out fees, any specials they have on offer and, of course, in many cases you will be able to read feedback which has been left by previous employers. All of this information will assist you to make a more informed choice.

Will homefriday keep pestering my referred friend with email?
No, we take your privacy extremely seriously. We do not send unsolicited correspondence.

Will I have to login every time?
Yes. Having a login name and password ensures that your homefriday account is protected. However, if you are using Windows, you can set the password manager to remember your username and password every time you visit the site. This is only advisable for people who are the sole operators of their computer.

Will someone know I have blocked them?
No, for your own privacy, a user will not be notified if you have blocked them.

Will someone know if I have blocked them?
No, for your own privacy, a user will not be notified if you have blocked them.

Will someone know if I have reported them?
No. Reports of misuse of the site are anonymous.

home page image 2