Once you’ve narrowed your job applicants down to a manageable group, it’s time to pick up the phone to talk with promising applicants.
Tip: Give yourself enough time between calls so you can write notes about each applicant. It’s easy to mix up details after a few calls in a row.
What to chat about
Start with a few general questions like “What do you enjoy about being a carer?” to help you get to know the applicant. When you’re ready to dive in, cover these key topics:
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Name and email address
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Salary requirements (ways to address this matter might be: “What salary range are you looking for?” or “We will be paying #X. Are you comfortable with that?”). Consider asking the carer to discuss salary in gross rather than net terms, as this will help you both to get a better idea of your total outgoings as an employer, and it will emphasise to the carer that you take your responsibilities as an employer seriously
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Confirm that the carer is eligible to work in the United Kingdom, has a valid driver’s license if you need them to drive, a clean driving, and no criminal record
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Check if the carer has the relevant insurance policies in place. Consider your obligations in this respect as well
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Language requirements or barriers, such as needing a particular native or dominant language
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Contact information for references: this should be more than an email and/or mobile number
Don’t forget job requirements
You’ll also want to review the general requirements of the job and determine if they’ll be able to take on what you need.
Make sure that you check your top candidates can fulfill the working hours you need and that they have the skills needed for looking after your family.
Once you have a short list of top candidates, it’s time to set up in-person interviews.