Clarifying your needs

Before you reach the stage of selecting a candidate, it is best to start the process by writing down what you are looking for in a caregiver. Writing down the list of traits that make your ideal caregiver will help clarify what you want, and later on it will be easier to judge which caregiver best suits your needs.

Your list should include things like the ideal age of the candidate, experience, skills, character, budget, and start date. Do you expect your candidate to cook meals or re-heat prepared food? What standards of cleaning do you have?

When you think of the character you want your caregiver to have, think of words like reliable, compassionate, caring, solid, experienced, clear, bright, or perhaps you prefer words like efficient and focused. Whatever your preference, creating a complete picture of your caregiver will help you filter your online search and later during the interview stage.