Do you know how to interview domestic staff candidates? If you are looking to hire a new member of staff for your household, then the interview stage is important. You can tell a lot from someone’s CV. But the interview is really the opportunity for you to get to know the candidates. To see if they would be suited for the job. And to make sure their personality matches for you and your family. So find out here how to interview domestic staff candidates, to make sure you get the most out of the interview process!
Get Organised
One of the most important things in how to interview domestic staff candidates, is to get organised. If you schedule the interview process well, you will truly get the most out of it. And have the best chance of finding the candidate you are looking for!
Prepare Each Interview
This might sound time-consuming, but you want to make sure you have prepared the interview for each candidate. There are several things you can do that are more general for all candidates. But per candidate, make sure you have gone through their CV, and cover letter if applicable. Make notes per candidate and have these notes with you during the interview. Perhaps you want to know more about a specific job on your CV. Or something was unclear you would like further explanations on. So make sure you have read the Cv beforehand, and have made your notes. If you do not do this, there is a chance you will forget to ask things during the interview. And you might miss out on an interesting conversation that could make the difference in your hiring decision.
Schedule In Exact Times
Another really important way on how to interview domestic staff candidates, is to set a specific length for the interview and stick to it. Although you might have a great conversation with someone, you want to stay focused and make sure you get all the information you need. And equally so, you do not want to have someone tell lots of irrelevant stories and waste hours of your time.
Inform the candidates how long the interview will be. Start the interview by introducing yourself and sharing key details about the job. And that is when you should let the candidates answer your questions and share their story and experience. Make sure you notify them 5 minutes before the end of the interview. So that they can have the opportunity to ask any final questions they may have as well.
Have a list of questions ready
As well as your personalised notes per candidate, make sure you have a list of questions ready for all the candidates to answer. It is good to have a set list that you ask all candidates. So that you can compare answers in your round up conversations with a family member or colleague. It can give you a lot of information hearing different answers to the same questions!
Also, make sure to ask open questions. And try to avoid questions where the candidates could answer with only ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Make sure to give the candidates the opportunity to share more about themselves. The interview is as much an opportunity fo you to get to know them. As it is for them to find out whether the job is suited for them, too!
Know Your Absolute Non-Negotiables
Do you know what your new member of domestic staff absolutely must have, or must be able to do? There is always something, and it could be something seemingly small. But make sure you have written down, or thought about, what your absolute non-negotiables are. So that you can talk about this during the interview with the domestic staff candidates.
It can vary from someone needed to have a driving licence, for example, to someone who must be willing to live-in. There can be so many examples though, and it can be very personal to you. You might be looking for a person with a really specific skill set, or level of experience. But a non-negotiable should be a practical thing.
You might have a nanny leaving on a certain date, for example, and you need the new nanny to start before she leaves. So that a hand-over can take place. Or if your home is in quite a remote location only accessible by car – would the job suit someone who has not got a driving licence?
It can also be something more practical. Do you have pets? Does this candidate mind them, are they perhaps allergic? A housekeeper with a severe cat allergy would not be suited, or last long, in a household with cats, for example!
Plan The Next Steps
So once all your interviews are done, make sure that at the end of each conversation you have told the candidate the next steps. You do not want to have many phonecalls after the interview chasing you for answers, so make sure to give them a date when they will hear something. Make sure to give yourself at least a couple of days. This will allow you to go over your notes, and discuss the interviews with another family member, for example.
Also, remember that the interview stage does not mean the final stage of the recruitment process. You do not have to choose a candidate from just one interview. It actually is strongly advised to have at least two interviews. Or perhaps an interview, and then a short trial period. This way you get several opportunities to meet the candidates. Which can make a big difference! Perhaps they were really nervous the first time they met you. So meeting you for a second interview might go a lot more smoothly. And you might be able to find out more about their actual character.
How Can Polo & Tweed Help?
Are you more clear on how to interview domestic staff candidates? If you are looking for great, qualified, and fully vetted candidates to interview, look no further. Polo & Tweed have outstanding candidates in all domestic staff sectors. From housekeepers to nannies, gardeners, chefs and domestic couples. And so much more! So why not get in touch with us now to find out how we can help.