oldmentor

younggayboy - Your questions and concerns can be easily turned the other way by possible employers. I have also read the forum posts and looked through lots of profiles. It is very easy for an employer to come up with the exact same concern as you - AFRAID to trust in someone!!! There are three types of houseboys and employers with profiles on this site. - Those who are legitimate - Those who are scammers - Those in the research phase trying to figure out if this might be something that could work for them. The big problem is sorting out the scammers. The very nature of the front page advertising on this site points towards a sexual aspect to the arrangement. Most profiles indicate a likely sexual aspect to an arrangement. Does it have to be this way? Maybe not. But keep in mind that you, as a houseboy, are competing for a limited number of positions with a limited number of legitimate employers. You have to sell yourself. The way you do that is your profile. That's how you will get that initial inquiry from an employer. If you don't want to sex to be the primary factor in a arrangement - then say so. Sure, that may eliminate some potential employers. But it's unlikely your arrangement would have worked out anyway. Let's say you get a potential employer to inquire to you. Do you have a plan for responding? For instance: Do you have a separate email set up just for houseboy related communications? This would be an email that you could just throw away if it gets overwhelmed with spam - without compromising your normal email. Remember - you are responding to a possible job position. Do you have a resume (curriculum vitae in some countries) prepared that you can email out? Something that goes into more detail (without repeating) what's on your profile. How are you going to put this prospective employer's mind at ease that you are not a scammer or, worse, an outright thief trying to gain access to his property. After an initial contact I would say the first step to success is a significant electronic exchange of information - by both parties. More detail on what you are willing to give and what you expect in return. Everyone who has a profile on this site knows how to use a computer. So use it. I also think a truly successful arrangement will need to have a face to face meeting. I would also highly suggest a written agreement. A couple of comments about you: I am unable to pull up your full profile - I get an error message. That's something you might want to correct. I do see your age (27), a picture and a location of Portugal. I compliment you on your English. For any houseboy reading this - if you are multilingual put that in your profile (list the languages)! That could be quite important to a potential employer.

The "Front Page" to this website states that a question to resolve is whether to "do an in person interview so you know if there is chemistry or not?" I would think the answer should be yes. Advice: In-Person Meeting (This applies to both houseboys and employers). OK. You've made the initial cut and an in-person meeting has been set up to meet each other. Dress appropriately. This is a job interview. First impressions count. Meet in a safe place. Neutral territory. Maybe a shopping mall, airport or similar populated public location. Safety comes first! Have a safety person who knows where you are. Have check-in times set up with your safety person. Both of you will likely be nervous. But I suspect the houseboy will be much more so than the employer. The employer should try to reduce the nervous tension. Prepare. Don't trust your memory. Write down questions which have not been resolved prior to this meeting. It's OK to refer to notes. It's OK to take handwritten notes. But be careful about using electronic devices as they may be considered to threaten privacy. Up to this point some "artistic license" may be acceptable in your representations to each other. But, when it gets to the actual position offer and acceptance, there needs to be honesty. You should both be willing to fully identify yourself with a government issued ID card to the other. Be prepared to walk (even run) away if things don't seem right. Any other suggestions for an in-person interview to consider or share?

This is a business arrangement between employee (houseboy) and employer. Much like the hiring process in a typical business. The employer has a job opening. The houseboy posts a resume (profile). The employer looks for a resume that matches his requirements. The employer initiates contact expressing interest. The houseboy checks the employer's profile and decides whether to return contact. There is some back and forth communication. If the initial cut passes there will likely be a job interview. Which, if successful, will lead to a job offer. It seems that a critical factor in receiving a successful job offer is having a good resume (profile) posted. So, if you are a legitimate houseboy I would suggest: Act like you're applying for a job. Your "resume" (profile) is what will make the initial cut with prospective employers. So keep it up to date. It is amazing how many profiles here have not been updated (edited) in over a year - and you're serious about seeking a house boy position?! REALLY!

First forum post. Been looking through the forum threads and profiles for awhile. It seems there's a recurring issue with "scammers" on both sides of the "arrangement". There is some helpful info on the "click to enter" page. But it appears that scammers are a very, very real problem. It would be great to see some general feedback posted (without identifying personal information) from both employers and houseboys who have had a successful arrangement. - How extensive were pre-hire communications? - Was an in-person interview held as part of the hire process? - Was there a written agreement? Also, There seems to be an inordinate number of houseboy profiles that display a "Last Edited" date of "Nov 30, -1". Why is that? Is it a code for something?