After you have decided to build a career in the care services, you need to determine the type of role you will be comfortable in. This depends on your training, skills and experience as well as your interest and aptitude. After you have decided the jobs that correspond to your profile, the next task is to apply for them and prepare for the interviews.
How do you prepare for the job?
It is possible to find jobs in the care services from the print media. You may also use online resources to find these opportunities. Another thing you can do is to register with a care agency and let them find a care job for you.
If you do not have adequate experience in this field, you may find it difficult to find appropriate jobs. Remember, you need not work as a professional caregiver to acquire experience. Any care giving task you had taken up in the past can count as experience. Good examples of this are:
- Working as a caregiver for a family member
- Working as a caregiver in a community centre
- Working as a caregiver in a voluntary organisation
- Working as a caregiver in a temporary position
- Working as a caregiver on a part-time basis
Academic qualification is not a necessity for these jobs; however, fluency in English may be essential. If lack of certification is the obstacle to a good job, you may opt for a full or part-time course to up your professional qualification.
Building a good network is the best way for finding the right jobs in the care services. Whether you work as a part-time caregiver or in a voluntary position, you may be able to find a full-time, paid job at the same place with the right contacts. You may also find these jobs from care agencies and care centres.
Another thing you need to do is make sure all your records are set straight. The care recipients and their families focus on finding a reliable caregiver. In such a circumstance, even a driving offence may mar your chances of getting good opportunities.
How do you prepare for the interview?
Now that you have decided about the type of jobs you want to take up in the care sector, and started to apply for them, the next task is to prepare for the face-to-face interview. Put yourself in the shoes of the care recipient and his/her family to understand the type of individual they need for the position.
The essential qualities that a care recipient and his/her family look for in a caregiver are:
Skills and expertise: The care recipient may have physical or mental impairments that require specific skills and competencies for proper handling. Only if you have appropriate training and ample experience, you may be able to provide adequate care.
Reliability and trustworthiness: The safety of the care recipient is one of the most important concerns of his/her family. Only a caregiver who has gone through extensive screening and background checks can ensure this.
Positive attitude and pleasant disposition: If a caregiver enjoys his/her work, creation of a positive work environment becomes possible. Moreover, a positive attitude and caring personality ensures a nurturing relationship between the caregiver and the care recipient.
Here is a list of the questions you may face during an interview for a care job.
- Whom did you work for previously?
- What kind of responsibilities did you handle for your previous clients?
- What did you like and dislike about your previous jobs?
- Why did you leave the previous jobs?
- What makes you a good caregiver?
- What are your weaknesses as a caregiver?
- How much do you charge for your services?
The care recipient and his/her family may ask for references of your previous clients. Make sure you provide the contacts of the people who will tell them about how good you were at work. This is important for creating the right impression.
The first introduction with the care recipient and his/her family may be a difficult thing to handle for you, especially if you have had no experience as a professional caregiver. If you were working with a care agency, you may find it easier as this introduction is usually handled by a care manager or supervisor.
Make sure all your papers are in order before you go for an interview. The care recipient or his/her family may require seeing them at any time during the interview. However, you may not need to bother about this if you were working with an agency.
An interview for a care job does not mean that the care recipient and his/her family are the only ones who have questions. If you have any queries regarding the job role, the specific health condition of the care recipient, any special precautions you need to take, the working hours or anything else, you need to ask them now.
Daniel Smith has long been associated with an institute providing training courses for caregivers. He provides a brief overview of the ways for finding care jobs and preparing for the interviews.