While a career as a professional caregiver is one of the most gratifying careers you’ll find, choosing the right agency to work with will affect your happiness within the profession. It’s important that you find an agency that you feel will support you and treat you like the professional you are. Just like you’ll be asked questions by the agency during your interview which will help them decide if you’re a good fit for them, you need to be prepared to ask them questions to see if they’re a good fit for you. Here are five questions you should ask during your caregiver interview.
Can I set my own hours?
One of the major advantages of being a caregiver is having a healthy work-life balance. By asking this question, you’ll be able to uncover if the agency feels the same way. If setting your own hours is important to you, look for an agency that offers options such as part-time, full-time, hourly, daytime, evening, 24-hour shifts, and live-in opportunities.
Will I have steady work each week?
This is an important question if you have bills to pay every month. Many agencies post open caregiver opportunities on their website, so check those out in addition to asking this question. The last thing you want to do is commit to an agency that doesn’t have enough work to keep you busy, which prevents you from meeting your financial obligations.
What type of training will I receive?
If you’re a new caregiver, being properly trained is vital to your longevity in your career. You don’t want to be hired and immediately “thrown to the wolves.” Ask to see their training manual and find out if you’ll be job shadowing an experienced caregiver before your first solo assignment.
If you have caregiving experience, ongoing training is still important for your professional and personal development. It will help you obtain certifications that will help you advance in your career.
How much will I be paid?
As a caregiver, you’ll be investing a significant portion of your life in a challenging position. Caregiving can be strenuous work physically and mentally. Ask this question to make sure you’re fairly compensated and that there are scheduled reviews when you can receive merit increases for a job well done.
Also, don’t forget to ask about benefits if you will be an employee of the agency, not an independent contractor. For your long-term financial security, finding an agency that offers a retirement plan and group insurance is ideal.
What sets your agency apart from other agencies I’m considering?
Unless you’ve received a solid referral to the agency you’re interviewing with, you should interview with several agencies to ensure you’re selecting the best agency. This question will help uncover the agency’s strong points and give you an idea of what’s important to them.
Why Work for First in Care?
At First in Care, we welcome your questions and want you to feel secure knowing you’ve selected the right agency to work with. Check out our caregiving opportunities and contact us today to discuss a career with us.
We look forward to helping you achieve your career and life goals as a member of our caregiver family.
