Interview Tips & Advice

An interview may be conducted by the team at Careseekers or with the clients support team. 

Helpful Tips:

• Respond to calls when you can talk and are not in a loud or distracting environment.
• Reply to emails professionally and as soon as possible.
• Ask questions. This can be on the phone or over email so that you can come to the interview prepared. For example, find out why the person needs a care or support worker.
• Show empathy and concern for what the person and their family are experiencing.
• Meeting up - if deciding on a date and time to meet up, it is advisable to tell the person you will you will check your availability and get back to them. Let them know when they can expect to hear back from you. e.g. “I will need to check to see if I can meet you on Wednesday afternoon. I will let you know by tonight if I can make it on Wednesday.”
• Take down the address carefully. Use this as an opportunity to ask any questions you have about nearby transport/parking

The Interview: 

Be on time. Arrive five minutes early so that you are not stressed when you meet the person.

Bring all documents. Have your National Police Certificate and any other relevant documents, well organised and presentable. You may want to bring them in a folder or plastic sleeve.

Bring a printed copy of your resume or print out your completed profile from the Careseekers website. Hand it to the interviewer to use as a guide during the interview.

Be presentable. Dress neatly and present yourself tidily. Answer questions using examples to show your capabilities. Give examples of how you have helped people needing care and their families in the past.

Ask questions. If you have any specific questions about the caring role, now is the time to ask. It is also a good time to raise any concerns you may have about caring for the person.

Show your ability to care/empathise. Be compassionate to the person’s situation. Use phrases like “I understand how hard this may be”, or “I am sorry you are going through this.”

Show your passion for caring. Be excited about performing a caring role. You are going to be doing a really important role for the person interviewing you or their family member. The person and/or their family will want to feel that they can trust you and that you take the job very seriously. 

Discuss your rate and/or find out what the person is wanting to pay.

Have references ready to go. When asked about references have at least two names and phone numbers on hand to give to the person. You should check with these people that they are willing to be your referees prior to giving out their details. Make sure the referees are expecting the call. You can give them a call before or after the interview to let them know that someone may be contacting them.

Helpful Tips:

If it's a live-in role you may want to ask about:

• Whether meals and/or food is provided
• Where you will be living in the house. You may want to see the living arrangement before agreeing to the job.
• The hours you will be required to work
• The tasks you will be expected to do
• Who else will be in the home

Best of luck from the Team at Careseekers