Interviewing Guide
The job interview is your opportunity to share your experience, express your enthusiasm, and to get to know the family you’d be working with. Your goal should be to make a great first impression and to leave the interview with a solid understanding of what your life would look like if you were to move forward. Below, we’ve outlined some best practices for interviews and interview preparation.
Interview Preparation Tips.
Before leaving your home, be sure to spend some time preparing for the interview. Review the job requirements, hours and schedule and be prepared to speak to your prior experience and why you want the job. Before leaving for the interview, also remember that employers often do some casual background checks of their own. To ensure you appear professional, privatize your Facebook profile and any other online profiles you utilize. Additionally, always check to make sure your documentation is up to date (license, CPR/First Aid certifications, car insurance, etc.). This will give you a leg up against other candidates and shows you’re prepared.
On the day of, dress in professional attire, makeup and jewelry. Stray away from strong scents.
Interview Tips and Tricks.
Upon arrival, introduce yourself with a good handshake and solid eye contact. Balance being warm and engaging with being professional and discreet. Even if the Principal appears to be overly casual, maintain professionalism and always remain positive, upbeat and accommodating.
Do’s and Don’ts of Information Sharing In An Interview.
DO |
DON’T |
| Longevity: Use statements such as “I’m looking for a long term match” or a “I’m looking for a stable position” when discussing job length. | Longevity: Do not use statements such as “I can commit to at least one year” when discussing length. |
| Personal Information: Keep financial information and family information positive and high level. All answers should be relevant and self-directed. | Personal Information: Do not reveal too much information about your financial situation, your significant other or details of your personal life. |
| Job Offer: You can answer the Principals questions, but stay high level and express flexibility. If they probe, it’s okay to let them know that you’d prefer the Agency discuss that information. | Job Offer: Don’t bring up salary, benefits, vacation, sick time, etc. at the interview. If they bring it up, you can answer, but do so in a flexible manner. |
| Background Check: Tell the truth about anything that may come up in a background check. They are going to find out either way, so it’s better to hear it from you with accurate context. | Background Check: Do NOT lie about something that may come up on a background check. |
Sample Interview Questions To Prepare For:
- What are your long term goals?
- How and when did you originally come to work in private homes?
- What do you like about this type of work?
- Tell me about your experience working in this field.
- What education/professional training do you have related to this line of work?
- What were your responsibilities in your last position? What did you like / not like about them?
- Tell me about your relationship with your last employer.
- Have you ever been confronted with an emergency situation at work? If so, how did you respond?
- In previous roles, how often did you work with other staff? In what capacity?
- Have you hired, trained or on boarded household staff?
- Would you be comfortable running errands for the client?
- Discuss the specific job description you have in mind.
