Julie Jacobson
Banned
Finding & interviewing a helper
The following may be a bit long winded but hopfully it will help with all your concerns.
Many first time home help employers may choose to use the services of an agency and this can minimize complications if the agency is a reputable one and adequately screens candidates prior to your meeting them. However when hiring someone who you will have to trust with your child or your personal life, you owe it to yourself to interview the candidates thoroughly yourself. If you do not feel you need the services of an agency to find candidates, placing or answering an ad in a local newspaper or doctor?s office notice board, is a good way to start, but you should always ask for references and trust your instincts. Success often comes from asking friend?s who are happy with their helpers, if they know of anyone experienced and reliable who is looking for a job. Some of the most successful home helpers are not always qualified or highly experienced, and if you are prepared and able to offer some training and guidance, it is best to choose someone you feel you can trust over someone you are not sure of but stacks up well on paper. This is one time when the rules are personal and not business.
Plan ahead. Before you begin looking for a helper, take the time to clearly identify yours and your family?s needs, and prioritize them. Make a work plan of daily, weekly, biweekly and monthly tasks that you would like your helper to be responsible for
Make a list of personal qualities you would like to see in your helper; maturity, gentle disposition. Skills such as cooking, first-aid and laundry care are obviously important however without references confirming skills, even years of experience may not necessarily translate into superior performance so be prepared to do a little training to get things done just as you like them..
Create, copy and complete a check-list, for each candidate. Using your work plan and priority list as a base, think of relevant questions with space to make notes of observations. (See example below)
Get personal. Asking personal questions that do not have an incorrect answer will help the candidate to relax. This person is going to be living in your house, primarily responsible for your most personal and precious things and you have a right to know if they are married, have children, have a hobby, are in good health, like movies, church or dancing etc. Avoid being too intrusive, but don?t be bashful either. Asking for three qualities they like about themselves will give you great insight into a candidate?s maturity, confidence, personality and level of independence. To help you recall them and introduce them to other members of the family, you may consider taking a polaroid snap-shot or digital picture of them to attach to your check list. (Remember to ask permission prior).
Give a small but significant practical test. For example, if laundry would be a big part of their job, hand the candidate an item of clothing and ask how they would clean it. If they are able to follow the laundry instructions on the care label you know they are experienced in clothes care. Or give a children?s book and ask them to read a few pages to you. You will immediately find out if the candidate can read English and whether or not they would be capable of helping your child with reading.
Give yourself a time frame in which to make a decision. Allow enough time to interview several candidates, remembering that many will only be available for interviews on weekends. Never make a snap decision, even if one candidate appears to be everything you want. Sleep on it and see several candidates before you offer the position to any one.
Remember the candidate is there to decide if they would like to work for your family too. Be prepared to walk them through the house, show them their living quarters, introduce them to any children or pets they will be responsible for and ask them if they have any questions for you.
If you are prepared to pay over the minimum salary for specific qualities or qualifications, tell them. Take this opportunity after they have answered most of your questions to spell out the personal, ethical and moral qualities you expect from someone living or working in your home. This will let the candidate know you will not tolerate being taken advantage of. Discuss days off, expected work hours and any other expectations or terms of employment such as health insurance and salary. Remember, unless you employ them on a purely contractual basis, you will be responsible for with-holding tax etc. just as you would if you were the owner of a business employing office staff. (More on this subject covered in Chapter 14 ?Home help Handbook?.) As labor laws differ from state to state, it is advisable to check with a lawyer before committing to compensation terms.
If you like the candidate fix a date and time when you will contact them if they have been successful. Remember to ask if they are interviewing with anyone else and if so, ask them to contact you if they are offered another position prior to your confirmation date, this will help to avoid loosing a good candidate to another employer.
CHECK-LIST - (SAMPLE)
Name:??????????????????.?? Age:??? Contact #:????????????????????????.
1. Where are you from?????????????????????..??????
2. Have you brought any references with you? ?????????????????????????
3. Tell me about your last job? ?????????????????????????????..???
4. Why are you looking for a new job? ?????????????????????????????
5. Do you like cooking? ???????What kind of things did you have to cook for your last employer?
6. Have you looked after children before? ???? What ages? ????.
7. Do you like looking after children? What ages best? ?????????????????????.
8. Are you married? ??????????? Do you have children??????????..???????
9. Do you have brothers and sisters? ????????????????????????????.?..
10. And your parents??????.. ???????????????????????????.?????
11. Would you wish to live here with us full time or do you have a home you would like to return to in you time off?
????????????????????????????????????????????????
12. Tell me three things (qualities) you like about yourself. ??????????????????.???..
13. Tell me three things you think you are good at. ?????????????????????????
14. Have you ever been seriously ill? Yes / No With what???????????? When?????....
15. Would you be happy to have us send you to a Doctor for a physical exam before you start? Yes / No
16. What do you like doing in your free time? ?????????????????????.???????
17. Do you have any hobbies? ???????????????????????????????
18. Have you ever done a first aid course? Yes / No ?????????????????????????
19. When would you be available to start? ?????????????????????????????.
SUMMARY
Personal qualities:
Punctuality, Early On time Late
Maturity, Good Fair Poor
Gentle disposition, Good Fair Poor
Independent thinker, Good Fair Poor
Artistic, Good Fair Poor
Grooming Good Fair Poor
Ease with children & pets Good Fair Poor
Self confidence Good Fair Poor
Skills:
English Good Fair Poor
First Aid Training Qualified Some None
Cooking Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Childcare Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Elderly-care Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Laundry Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Practical Test: Confident Unsure Needs training
Comments and observations?????????????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
The following may be a bit long winded but hopfully it will help with all your concerns.
Many first time home help employers may choose to use the services of an agency and this can minimize complications if the agency is a reputable one and adequately screens candidates prior to your meeting them. However when hiring someone who you will have to trust with your child or your personal life, you owe it to yourself to interview the candidates thoroughly yourself. If you do not feel you need the services of an agency to find candidates, placing or answering an ad in a local newspaper or doctor?s office notice board, is a good way to start, but you should always ask for references and trust your instincts. Success often comes from asking friend?s who are happy with their helpers, if they know of anyone experienced and reliable who is looking for a job. Some of the most successful home helpers are not always qualified or highly experienced, and if you are prepared and able to offer some training and guidance, it is best to choose someone you feel you can trust over someone you are not sure of but stacks up well on paper. This is one time when the rules are personal and not business.
Plan ahead. Before you begin looking for a helper, take the time to clearly identify yours and your family?s needs, and prioritize them. Make a work plan of daily, weekly, biweekly and monthly tasks that you would like your helper to be responsible for
Make a list of personal qualities you would like to see in your helper; maturity, gentle disposition. Skills such as cooking, first-aid and laundry care are obviously important however without references confirming skills, even years of experience may not necessarily translate into superior performance so be prepared to do a little training to get things done just as you like them..
Create, copy and complete a check-list, for each candidate. Using your work plan and priority list as a base, think of relevant questions with space to make notes of observations. (See example below)
Get personal. Asking personal questions that do not have an incorrect answer will help the candidate to relax. This person is going to be living in your house, primarily responsible for your most personal and precious things and you have a right to know if they are married, have children, have a hobby, are in good health, like movies, church or dancing etc. Avoid being too intrusive, but don?t be bashful either. Asking for three qualities they like about themselves will give you great insight into a candidate?s maturity, confidence, personality and level of independence. To help you recall them and introduce them to other members of the family, you may consider taking a polaroid snap-shot or digital picture of them to attach to your check list. (Remember to ask permission prior).
Give a small but significant practical test. For example, if laundry would be a big part of their job, hand the candidate an item of clothing and ask how they would clean it. If they are able to follow the laundry instructions on the care label you know they are experienced in clothes care. Or give a children?s book and ask them to read a few pages to you. You will immediately find out if the candidate can read English and whether or not they would be capable of helping your child with reading.
Give yourself a time frame in which to make a decision. Allow enough time to interview several candidates, remembering that many will only be available for interviews on weekends. Never make a snap decision, even if one candidate appears to be everything you want. Sleep on it and see several candidates before you offer the position to any one.
Remember the candidate is there to decide if they would like to work for your family too. Be prepared to walk them through the house, show them their living quarters, introduce them to any children or pets they will be responsible for and ask them if they have any questions for you.
If you are prepared to pay over the minimum salary for specific qualities or qualifications, tell them. Take this opportunity after they have answered most of your questions to spell out the personal, ethical and moral qualities you expect from someone living or working in your home. This will let the candidate know you will not tolerate being taken advantage of. Discuss days off, expected work hours and any other expectations or terms of employment such as health insurance and salary. Remember, unless you employ them on a purely contractual basis, you will be responsible for with-holding tax etc. just as you would if you were the owner of a business employing office staff. (More on this subject covered in Chapter 14 ?Home help Handbook?.) As labor laws differ from state to state, it is advisable to check with a lawyer before committing to compensation terms.
If you like the candidate fix a date and time when you will contact them if they have been successful. Remember to ask if they are interviewing with anyone else and if so, ask them to contact you if they are offered another position prior to your confirmation date, this will help to avoid loosing a good candidate to another employer.
CHECK-LIST - (SAMPLE)
Name:??????????????????.?? Age:??? Contact #:????????????????????????.
1. Where are you from?????????????????????..??????
2. Have you brought any references with you? ?????????????????????????
3. Tell me about your last job? ?????????????????????????????..???
4. Why are you looking for a new job? ?????????????????????????????
5. Do you like cooking? ???????What kind of things did you have to cook for your last employer?
6. Have you looked after children before? ???? What ages? ????.
7. Do you like looking after children? What ages best? ?????????????????????.
8. Are you married? ??????????? Do you have children??????????..???????
9. Do you have brothers and sisters? ????????????????????????????.?..
10. And your parents??????.. ???????????????????????????.?????
11. Would you wish to live here with us full time or do you have a home you would like to return to in you time off?
????????????????????????????????????????????????
12. Tell me three things (qualities) you like about yourself. ??????????????????.???..
13. Tell me three things you think you are good at. ?????????????????????????
14. Have you ever been seriously ill? Yes / No With what???????????? When?????....
15. Would you be happy to have us send you to a Doctor for a physical exam before you start? Yes / No
16. What do you like doing in your free time? ?????????????????????.???????
17. Do you have any hobbies? ???????????????????????????????
18. Have you ever done a first aid course? Yes / No ?????????????????????????
19. When would you be available to start? ?????????????????????????????.
SUMMARY
Personal qualities:
Punctuality, Early On time Late
Maturity, Good Fair Poor
Gentle disposition, Good Fair Poor
Independent thinker, Good Fair Poor
Artistic, Good Fair Poor
Grooming Good Fair Poor
Ease with children & pets Good Fair Poor
Self confidence Good Fair Poor
Skills:
English Good Fair Poor
First Aid Training Qualified Some None
Cooking Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Childcare Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Elderly-care Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Laundry Confident Unsure Inexperienced
Practical Test: Confident Unsure Needs training
Comments and observations?????????????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
