Hiring the perfect Personal Care Assistant (PCA) takes three things, time, commitment and flexibility. First, one needs to make enough time to insure that the interviewing period (“getting to know you”) stage is not rushed. Second, one must commit to the hiring process by researching exactly what one wants in a PCA. Third, flexibility throughout the hiring process and after is key to success. However, this flexibility must be mutual from both parties.
Time
Time seems like something that we do not need to address, right? Wrong. In fact, the only way to have a successful interview is to avoid rushing. The interviewer must feel at ease and not pressured to make a hasty decision because they or the interviewee are in a time-crunch. Therefore, take these steps to insure that “time” does not become your enemy during this critical period in the hiring process:
• Set a specific amount of time for each interview and do not deviate from your schedule.
• Allow up to an hour for the interview and have preset breaks in between so that you do not feel pressured.
• If an interviewee shows-up late then, shorten the interview by the amount of time they were tardy.
• Have questions prepared ahead of time and if possible have a grading scale, such as, 1 through 5 with 5 being best and 1 being the worst.
Commitment
The reality is that this is your life and your decision; therefore, lack of commitment will affect you more than others. Well what should your commitment be too? It must be to the hiring process as a whole but more importantly, towards knowing exactly what you want in the PCA. The following suggestions may help:
• Make a comprehensive list of exactly what you are or are not looking for in a PCA, include, characteristics like, smoker, punctual, friendly, committed, experienced, willing to learn, etc.
• Think about what you may have liked about previous employees and include that in your list.
• Be realistic in what you include in your list. Do not expect the PCA to be flawless, or perfect, but they should be able to meet your needs.
Flexibility
Flexibility by one party or the other in the interview can often make the difference between a long lasting consumer and assistant relationship or a one time “job interview”. There are times when what seems insurmountable is really easy to fix by changing the way we approach it. Show your strength by using the following flexibility techniques:
• Approach the interview with an open-mind towards scheduling. It is important to know what you are willing to move round in your schedule, to make it work, with the PCA you think would work best. For example, if you have a job that you must be up for at 7:00 a.m. then flexibility is limited when it comes to your mornings. However, flexibility may be possible if your employer allows you to come in at a later time.
• Flexibility, is also important when hiring a smoker vs. non-smoker, maybe you might be willing to hire a smoker if they smoke outside the house. However, if you are highly allergic to smoke this may still not work.
• The person being interviewed must also show flexibility in the process. They should be able to empathize with your needs as well.
• Think about your overall ability to move items within your schedule a compare to hours you allotted towards the week.
Remember that hiring a new person is not easy. Depending on your life style it may be extremely difficult to find that perfect match. However, be persistent, but most importantly be flexible, committed, and devote time to the interview process.
