Muscat - Where Can I Find...?

Looking for a Maid?  Not sure what questions to ask?  This might help.

Bringing in a new person into the household is a tough decision. It's someone you want to be able to work with and keep your house in order but also be someone that you can trust in the sanctuary of your home.  This person will be privy to your home, your family, your conversations, your personal preferences so getting it right is hard.  

It is often best to try and get this as right as you can at the very beginning and that starts in the interview process.  Questions are your key driver and these questions can help you investigate, eliminate and drill down to the right kind of person you want in the house.  We are not only looking for someone who is a 'yes' person at an interview but someone who listens and understands the expectations of the job and if its not a fit then its clear as soon as possible.

Angie recommend the following set of questions.

There are the basic questions

a) Name and age

b) Family status

c) Any children. Here or in home country.

d) Nationality

e) Visa status

f) Salary expectations

g) Medical conditions

h) Availability

i) References from previous employer

j) Reasons for leaving current position

There are also the areas you should be clear about before the interview process starts.

a) Salary you will pay

b) Days and hours of work expected

c) Duty expectations (roles and responsibilities - cooking, cleaning, garden, cars etc

d) Will she be a nanny or maid or both? - how will this be split if doing both

c) Annual leave allowance & ticket home

d) Sick leave allowance

e) If you can sponsor a maid

f) If there is a probation period?

g) If you have pets - the routine and structure of your pets needs

h) If you have children - the routine and structure of your children's lives and their likes and dislikes

i) Other expectations that link to your life style.

Angie says 'I had worked as a housemaid myself for more than two decades in different countries in the Gulf.  Most of the families I worked for were expats and I've encountered all kinds of people and of different cultures.  I had some bad experiences but mostly good and memorable.  I had to persevere being a single Mom and supporting my children in the Philippines.  I gave my best in my job because it is for my own satisfaction of a work well done, not to impress my employers but to win their trust and give them their money's worth.  Before the required salary rule, I started from low to higher pay, working my way up.  It has been my advocacy to help people like me who were maltreated and abused due to their ignorance of the labor laws.  I have also helped people find good house helpers and vice versa. I am proud to say that through the years, my previous employers and I still keep in touch constantly.  I gained their love and respect.  

Here are more questions you could ask from my own experiences.

a) Do you have first aid training

b) Ask the interviewee what they would do in a medical emergency?  e.g. Your child fell down the stairs while in their care?  or Burnt her/himself on the oven?  Your aim is to find out about their approach

c) What would you do in an emergency? flood, fire

c) Do they have family near by

d) Who will be your visitors.

e) Check if they have a Facebook profile.

f) Any religious practices they might follow (burn incense, abstain from certain foods etc)

g) Do they exercise, have any allergies or medical conditions that require medication.  e.g. Diabetic.

Thanks so much Angie Rameriz for taking part in this article.  If you have any questions for Angie she can be found in the Facebook group.  Just tag her name and ask your question. 

My question to you.  'What questions would you ask your potential new employee? '