What To Find Out In An Interview To Be A Carer

You’ve decided that a career in caring might suit you really well, and you’ve been fortunate enough to get an interview with a reputable caring company.

Like every job, caring is a two way street. It’s just as important for you to be happy with your employer as it is for them to be happy with you. So what questions should you ask to make sure you know everything you need to know?

Here are some helpful hints about what you need to find out, and how to make sure you get the opportunity to ask them all.

First, plan the questions you want to ask

It helps to be prepared. Make a list of the questions you want to ask. It’s so much easier than trying to dream up questions while the interview is progressing, or trying to remember questions you haven’t written down under the pressure of an interview.

A good interviewer will always ask, usually at the end of your time together, whether you have any questions. Having them written down means you can spring into action as soon as they ask the question. Being prepared reveals that you are keen, and have made the effort to think things through beforehand.

Talk to existing employees

You can’t beat ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’ information. It really helps to talk to other people who have worked for the care company or still work there. If you don’t know someone who already works there you can always ask in the interview if you can talk to another employee who already does the same job as the one you’ve applied for.
 

Find out about the company’s culture, what makes it tick

These days every good care provider has a website, which is the perfect place to find out everything you need to know about the company’s ethos, ideals, goals, history and future plans. Knowing about the organisation you’re interested in working for helps give you more confidence during the interview. If you can find out in advance about the person who will be interviewing you, that’s even better.

Find out about opportunities for career progression

You might be perfectly happy in a caring role, with no plans to move up the career ladder. But if you have ambitions, it’s important to find out whether the company that’s interviewing you can offer the kind of progression you want. It’s also important to pin down what happens with ongoing training. The best companies offer training that keeps up with you and enhances your skills as time passes.

What about the questions you’ll be asked?

Every care company is different, and so are the questions they’ll ask you at interview. It makes a lot of sense to take a mental note of the questions you’re being asked, since they can give you useful clues about what will be expected of you. They can also inspire questions of your own that you might not already have on your list.

For example if an interviewer asks you, “Would you be able to work on your own if you had to do nights?, the question hints that you might be required to work on your own, and that night shifts are a possibility. The question ‘do you mind working overtime’suggests that overtime is likely. You might want to find out whether it’s mandatory or a choice, and pin down what level of flexibility there is around overtime.

As a general rule, the clearer the picture you get about the role you’re applying for, the better. Then you can start your new job in the knowledge that you understand what they expect of you, and that they understand what you expect of them.

Have an enjoyable, positive interview

When you have an interview to be a carer it’s as much an opportunity for you to find out about the company you are being interviewed by as it is for them to find out about you. It can also be an enjoyable experience, so make the most of it by asking all the questions that are important to you.

If you think you have what it takes to be a carer why not give Caremark Mid Sussex and Crawley a call on 01444 455 800 or email midsussex@caremark.co.uk