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Welcome, History

Where, How to Locate an Assistant

How to Write an Effective Ad

Examples of Advertisements

Telephone Interview

Sample Interview Questions

Face-to-Face Interviews

Who's the Boss?

Training and Managing

Effective Work Schedule

Assertive Communication

The Aggressive Model

The Passive Model

Active Listening

Conflict Resolution

Emergency Back-up

Scenarios for Termining a Personal Assistant

FAQs

Hints for Success

Centers for Independent Living in Missouri

Acknowledgements

Return to SCI Resources page

Face-to-Face Interviews

The face-to-face interview is the first chance to get to know the person who may potentially become your personal care assistant. Neither of you will know exactly what to expect before this meeting, so don’t be surprised if you feel a bit nervous. You will be evaluating one another to see whether this would be a good match for both of you.

1. To ease the tension, start by thanking the individual for coming to the interview.
   
   
2. Next, ask the applicant to tell you a little bit about him/herself. Listen in detail, pay close attention to red flags or potential problems.
   
   
3. After hearing about the applicant, ask questions that require a more detailed answer than a simple yes or no. (You may want to use the sample interview questions above.)
   
   
4. Describe in detail all the job duties that will be involved. It is essential that your job description be well-defined and detailed.
   
   
5. Unclear job descriptions can create many problems later. For example, a man with a spinal cord injury described several problems after hiring assistants. During his interview, the consumer stated to the applicant that he needed to be simply “thrown in his chair in the morning and thrown in bed at night.” The reality was he needed repositioning during the night, three meals a day cooked for him, laundry twice a week, cleaning twice a week, shopping once a week, banking once a week, computer set-up, and so on…. In addition if he had a skin breakdown, he would need additional care for that and would require more time in bed and more frequent repositioning. He did not provide this information to applicants during any of the interviews, but later he wondered why those he hired quit so abruptly! In this case, it is not the assistants who are to blame, but the interview.
   
   
6. Does the individual have dependable transportation? This is very important because it will greatly enhance the ability of the person to arrive on time.
   
   
7. Find out if the applicant has other responsibilities such as school, another job, etc.
   
   
8. If you have job tasks that may make the person feel uncomfortable, please explain them in detail. Find out whether the applicant would be comfortable with these duties. (Examples could include positioning for sexual relations with your partner, body massages, etc.)

Additional points to consider

• Do not rush the interview. Take all the time you need to get to know the applicant and to determine whether he/she is an appropriate candidate for your position. This is a big decision for both of you, so think carefully about it.
  
  
• Do not hire the applicant immediately after the interview. Let the person believe you have other interested assistants and that you will be in contact later after making your final decision. Hiring someone on the spot sometimes makes the job seem less desirable and may allow assistants to assume you are desperate. This can create complications later on in the employment relationship.
  
  
• Don’t assume that the individual understands all of your job descriptions. Go over your list of duties again so both of you have a clear understanding. Have the person explain to you his/her understanding of what you want. This will allow you to check for any misunderstandings.
  
  
• If the person is unacceptable to you, (such as having bad grooming habits, personality conflicts, etc.), ask a few brief questions and simply say that you are interviewing others and you will get back with them. If your applicant does not appear to be someone you are going to hire, cut the interview short. This will save time and effort for both of you.
  
  
• Sometimes a single question can eliminate a prospect. Maybe you failed to mention that you have a pet python, or you don’t hire smokers. Maybe the assistant failed to mention to you that he/she has a bad back. If you both agree this job position is inappropriate, apologize for the inconvenience and thank them for coming.
  
  
• Trust your instincts! Trust your instincts! Trust your instincts! Pay attention to subtle cues, and be aware of your own reactions to the person. Watch for the following pieces of information:
  
  
  • Is the assistant looking at you when you are talking to them?
    
    
  • Is the assistant cutting you off before you complete you sentence?
    
    
  • Is his/her first question: “How much does it pay?”
    
    
  • Does the assistant claim to already know how to do everything? Remember this is impossible, because the job is individualized to meet your specific needs. As one consumer told all his new assistants,“you are about to learn brand new skills for the first time.” Every individual has his/her own specific needs. This makes each job unique.
    
    
• Know your likes and dislikes in other people. Finding trusting and dependable assistance requires knowing yourself and letting others know what you like. Whom do you like to be around and why?
  
  
• Learn to assess personality. Pay attention to how people express themselves and how people look, talk, and act. Notice if they are well groomed and confident. Did the conversation flow smoothly? Do you feel comfortable around this person? Do you want to spend a great deal of time with the person?