Find Help:
Family and friends can be helpful in finding In-Home Care Workers.
Locate potential candidates on the In-Home Care Worker Registry.
Check with the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services West Virginia Aging and Disability Resource Network at
1-877-987-3646.
You may want to advertise to find a Direct Service Worker.
Elements of a Complete Hiring Process
Advertising
Telephone Interview / Initial Contact
In-Person Interview
Checking References
Making the Offer
Follow Up Contacts
Advertising
Run an advertisement in the local newspaper or shopping circular, use community bulletin boards at churches, colleges, senior centers, or grocery stores.
Composing your ad:
- Be creative in your ad and include the number of hours needed, a brief description of duties, a telephone number, and a preferred time to call. For security reasons, do not list your full name or address.
Telephone Interview/Initial Contact
Develop a telephone interview to determine whether applicants meet the minimum requirements of the job before scheduling an in-person interview.
- Be honest about your needs, the requirements of the job, the pay, and the hours.
- Listen to your instincts; determine your level of comfort before meeting the applicant for the first time.
In-Person Interview – It is recommended that you have a family member or a friend with you at the time of an in-person interview.
What are you looking for in a candidate?
- Skills
- Work experience and training
- Attitude
- Personal qualities
It is always best to write down the questions you plan to ask, and ask each applicant the same series of questions. This will help you in your hiring decision, because you can compare the candidates’ responses and qualifications.
Sample Questions:
- Do you have experience as a caregiver?
- Why are you attracted to this job?
- Do you have transportation?
- What kind of training have you had?
- Are you willing to submit to reference and background checks?
Let the applicant do most of the talking, so you can assess his/her qualifications. Take plenty of notes during the interview to help you remember the applicant’s answers. Get a sense of the candidate as an in-home care worker and as a person.
When you have completed each interview, thank the person for meeting with you and let him/her know your next steps, such as when you expect to make a decision and how you will let the people you have interviewed know of your decision.
Checking References
Personal and Employment References
- Always ask for and thoroughly check candidates’ personal and employment references.
- Keep in mind, however, sometimes former employees will say good things about bad people or bad things about good people.
Criminal Background Checks
- Verify criminal background check, training and Abuse Registry Information.
- Do not rely completely on a criminal background check when making a decision. A clean record does not guarantee that a person will be trustworthy.
Making The Offer
After the in-person interview, reference and background checks, you should be ready to offer the job.
- Make calls to offer the position in order of preference for hire.
- If you like more than one applicant, ask candidates who will not be hired if they would be available for emergencies, back-up, or future openings.
Contacting Candidates Who Are Not Offered The Position
Timing and process are both important. Return calls to ALL candidates who applied.
- Thank them for their interest in your position.
- Do not reject candidates you do not plan to hire until after signing a hiring agreement with your newly chosen In-home care worker.