Caregiver Interview Preparation Guide

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In general the child needs to be loved, listened, given importance and understood by the caregiver. I posses ample knowledge regarding child development and usually cater for the age specific needs of children.

You need to do some research before answering this one. Check the competitive salary in your area and never mention a fixed figure say around—- or plus ——- try not to negotiate too much at this point to leave your options open however if you want to set a minimum limit this is the time to clarify it.

I love children. There is no better way to explain my motive. Looking after children and teaching them the ways of the world gives me satisfaction like nothing else can. It is pure pleasure to see them growing up to be fine young men and women.

Working with the elderly is more challenging than working with children. However, I am trained in handling emotional upheavals, medical emergencies, and administration of medication.

Because I posses all the skills you require for the position. Additionally, I’m very dedicated towards childcare giving as a profession. I posses inborn traits needed to succeed as a child caregiver like patience, energy and creativity.

Caregiving is not just providing physical care to the patient assigned to you. Providing emotional support to patients or clients is also very important. Also, ensuring that the patient surroundings are organized and safe is also the responsibility of a caregiver.

Caregivers need to be patient, empathetic and extremely dedicated to their work. If you are doing it for the money, you will never be able to get it right. You also have to be very organized so that you can keep the patients’ timetables in check.

Gather some background information regarding the hiring firm first and then answer the question by stating some features of the firm that help them standout form other firms. For example: ‘I have always heard well about the childcare services provided by this firm. Since I am a passionate and dedicated child care giver, I couldn’t think of a better place to join’.

Reveals more about the candidate's personality. Look for candidates who exhibit kindness and empathy.

Yes, I do. Medical training is essential in a caregiver’s job. Whether you are handling children, adults or the elderly, you may come across emergency situations. With little medical training, you can save someone’s life.

The primary task of a caregiver is to provide companionship. Also, a caregiver assists with activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, toileting assistance, feeding and changing, prescribed medicine administration, housekeeping, and laundry.

Tests the candidate's knowledge of responding in an emergency situation.

I enjoyed working with my previous employer a lot, but I constantly felt a need to extend my experiences and work in a more extensive childcare environment that enables one on one interaction with children.

Many times. But there was one such incident where the patient refused to take her medication. That was alarming as she was suffering from many underlying physical conditions as well. No matter what I did or said, she wouldn’t open her mouth. She would sit there and sulk. It was extremely challenging to provide her with any care.

Possessing a nurturing nature, caregiving comes naturally to me. I have worked in different personal care capacities for more than seven years. I am a compassionate individual who enjoys providing exceptional care to people of different ages. It gives me great satisfaction to help someone, and the job enables me to bring a positive change in the lives of my clients.

Patients with dementia are the most difficult to handle – unless you delve into what they are feeling and thinking that makes them act the way they do. I try to understand their disease and put myself in their place. Once I understand – for instance, if a patient has Alzheimer’s, I will know that he doesn’t remember half the things I tell him and will be impatient with me – I can quickly formulate a care plan in my head and let him take the lead. Unless of course, what transpires hurts him physically or mentally.

Tests the candidate's knowledge of how to handle difficult situations, how they report concerns, and how they treat the client.

☛ Do you smoke?
☛ Do you have a driver's license? If yes, do you have reliable transportation and insurance? How far from here do you live?
☛ Do you have any CPR or first-aid training? Do you have any formal caregiving training?
☛ Do I have your permission to run a background check?
☛ What type of position are you looking for? After reviewing our job description, is this the type of position you are looking for?
☛ Can you perform the duties required for this position?
☛ Are you comfortable with pets?
☛ Are you able to work the hours needed?
☛ When are you available to start working?
☛ Do you have any medical conditions to prevent you from heavy lifting? Would you be able to transfer someone from a wheelchair into a car or onto a bed?
☛ If we are delayed, go out of town, or go on vacation would you be able and willing to adjust your schedule?
☛ Where was your last job? How long were you there? Why did you leave? May we contact your past employer? Please provide contact name, phone number, and email address.
☛ If meal preparation is needed, what kind of food do you cook? Have you had experience cooking for other people.
☛ How do you feel about caring for an elderly/disabled person? Or a person with memory problems?
☛ How do you handle people who are angry, stubborn, or fearful?
☛ What type of diagnoses have you cared for?
☛ Is there anything in the job description that you are uncomfortable doing?
☛ Give an example of a difficult situation you handled with a client. For instance, how did you handle refusing to take a shower?
☛ What time commitment are you willing to make to stay on the job?
☛ Will you keep daily records? Do you know how to use a computer?
☛ Why should I hire you?
☛ Are you willing to sign a contract saying you will not accept money or gifts from my parents?
☛ How will you keep the family informed?
☛ Can you give me two work related and one personal reference?

☛ Tell me about your level of experience working with seniors so far.
☛ Why did you leave your last job?
☛ What was the hardest part about leaving your last job?
☛ How much experience do you have working with clients with [Alzheimer’s or other condition]. What challenges have you experienced while working with these clients and what did you do to overcome these challenges?
☛ Tell me about a time when you cared for a senior. What part of the experience was most difficult and what was most meaningful to you?
☛ Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult client [or difficult customer]. What made it difficult to work with them and what did you do to resolve the issue and help them?
☛ Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at a past job. What did you do to correct it?
☛ What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from your past jobs?
☛ Tell me about a time (at work or in your personal life) when you failed. What would you have done differently?
☛ What do you hope to do differently at your next job than you’ve done at past jobs?
☛ Tell me about your favorite past job and what made it so rewarding.
☛ What is your proudest achievement from a past job?
☛ Share with me an experience when you had to be reprimanded at work. How did you receive the correction?

☛ How many years have you been working with children?
☛ What child care roles have you done in the past? Sitter, nanny, coach, etc.?
☛ How many families have you cared for and how old were the children?
☛ Do you have specific child care experience in [fill in the blank depending on what you’re looking for – special needs, potty training, infant care, etc.]

☛ In your opinion, tell me what makes you a good caregiver [or why you think you will be a good caregiver].
☛ What made you choose to apply to be a caregiver?
☛ What made you apply to work at this agency?
☛ Tell me about some personal goals or work-related goals you have and what you are doing to accomplish them.
☛ Share with me a time when you displayed [one of your company’ s values].
☛ What aspects of a job do you find most likely to wear you down or discourage you?
☛ Tell me about your best day at work you’ve ever had and what made it so good.
☛ What do you do to motivate yourself to work hard during times when you feel lacking in motivation?
☛ What is your proudest achievement outside of work?
☛ What do you hope to accomplish in this job?
☛ What three words would you want your epitaph to say?
☛ Tell me about the last time someone did something kind for you. What made you appreciate it?
☛ Do you set personal goals for yourself when beginning a new job and if so, can you tell me about some past goals you’ve set and how they went?
☛ What is the biggest challenge for you when working as a caregiver [or what do you think it will be], and what have you done about it/what are you going to do about it?
☛ Tell me what makes you most excited about working with seniors.
☛ What’s the most interesting thing about you that we don’t know from your resume?
☛ What personal values are most important to you?
☛ What would your autobiography be titled?
☛ What do you view as your greatest flaw as an employee and what have you done to improve this?
☛ What personality trait of yours do you think makes you most valuable to employers?
☛ If you could choose an animal that represents you as an employee, what animal would it be and why?

☛ Why are you in this line of work?
☛ What kind of special training, if any, have you had?
☛ What types of work do you enjoy? Do you not enjoy?
☛ Do you have any physical or emotional problems that would hinder you in this job?
☛ Have you ever been convicted of a crime? What? Where? When?
☛ Do you mind being around somebody who smokes or drinks?
☛ Will it bother you to work around a cluttered house?
☛ Would you be willing to transport “senior’s name” to medical appointments or on other activity outings?
☛ Is there anything on my “job description form” that you can’t or won’t do?
☛ Concerning outings, is “senior’s name” responsible to pay for the meals if you are on an outing? How do you deal with the financial side of things? Do you pay up front and I reimburse you at billing time? Or does “senior’s name” have to have a way to pay?
☛ How does billing work? Methods of payment? What are the payment periods? Do I have a choice?
☛ When do you start charging? Where does the base charge start from? Upon arrival to senior’s location or from your location?
☛ Will you be willing to work holidays? Is there an extra fee? Mondays and Fridays tend to land on Holidays.
☛ Can you work on weekends? Will you charge more for these days?
☛ How long do you plan to stay on the job? Will you provide two weeks notice before resigning?
☛ Would you ever have any particular occasion to bring someone with you?
☛ Are there any issues with the days or hours that I need you to work?
☛ What about when “senior’s name” goes away on vacation, is hospitalized, or sick? Do you charge a fee to hold her spot? Can you make up the time instead by providing extra care at a later time when needed?
☛ How much notice do you need if “senior’s name” does need extra help at some point and wants to use make up time?
☛ What is your policy on day to day cancellation-meaning if “senior’s name” cancels last minute?
☛ Are you familiar with special diets (i.e. diabetic, low sodium, low cholesterol)?
☛ Do you have reliable transportation?
☛ What is your training and experience in the area of memory loss?
☛ How would you handle wondering? Refusing to eat? Aggressive or abusive behavior? Not getting into the bath or shower?
☛ How would you handle a medical emergency?
☛ Can you change dressings?
☛ Can you watch for and document changes in behavior?
☛ How will the communication work between you and myself regarding the visits? Will you provide updates? How frequently?
☛ Do you know how to operate a lift to transfer someone?
☛ Are you willing to change “senior’s name” diapers?
☛ Can you change a bed with someone in it?
☛ Are you willing to obtain training?
☛ Would you agree to a trial period for training and getting acquainted?
☛ What are your salary requirements? Is it negotiable?

☛ If a client of yours refused to [take a shower, eat their meal, go to the bathroom, etc.], how would you deal with the situation?
☛ How would you handle the situation if a work supervisor reprimanded you and you felt that it was unjustified or unfair?
☛ Describe for me a circumstance in which you believe it would be justified to be late for work.
☛ How would you respond to a client who used rude or derogatory language toward you?
☛ Imagine that you decide you need in-home care for yourself. Describe the kind of caregiver you would want. How well do you think you meet this criteria as a caregiver?
☛ If we could bring your pet in here right now and ask it for a reference about your personality, what would it say?
☛ If you were the boss at your company, what trait would be most important to you for your employees to have?
☛ If you could go back and start over at your last job, what would you do differently?
☛ Suppose that someone you know came bursting through the door right now, out of breath, and told me that under no circumstances should I hire you. Who is this person and why do they feel that way?
☛ Suppose that someone you know came bursting through the door right now, out of breath, and told me why I absolutely need to hire you. Who is that person and what would they say?
☛ If I could get a reference from the last person you talked to when you called customer support for assistance with something, what would they say about you?
☛ If everyone that we hired had the exact personality, experience, and skill set as you, how do you think that would affect the business as a whole? What kinds of positive or negative effects would we see?
☛ If I talked to your past employers, what is one negative thing they would say about you?
☛ If I talked to your past employers, what is one positive thing they would say about you?
☛ If you are hired here, what will you do on your own initiative to make yourself the best employee you can be?

☛ What skills can you bring to the table that other caregivers can’t?
☛ What did you like or dislike about your previous job?
☛ Why did you leave your previous job?
☛ What are three positive things your past clients would say about you?
☛ How do you want to be rewarded/recognized?
☛ Describe your career goals.
☛ How long do you expect to work for this home care agency?
☛ What do you know about our home care agency?
☛ What do you find most rewarding about being a caregiver?
☛ Can you perform CPR?
☛ Do you know to cook according to special health requirements?
☛ Are you comfortable performing care/hygiene tasks for an elderly client?
☛ Tell me about a mistake you made while caring for a client and how you handled it.
☛ Are you able to work the hours needed?
☛ Do you have a driver’s license? Do you have reliable transportation and insurance? How far can you drive to visit clients?
☛ Are you willing to go to all caregiver training sessions?
☛ Do you smoke?
☛ Is there anything in the job description you are uncomfortable doing?

☛ Are you willing to submit to a background check?
☛ Do you have a driver’s license and clean driving record? Do you have reliable transportation and insurance? How far from here do you live?
☛ What are your responsibilities outside of work? Do you have to account for the schedules or needs of others in your workday, or are you flexible?
☛ Will you be working other jobs that might be affected if I’m delayed getting home? Would you be available for respite care, or to stay over for a long weekend?
☛ Do you smoke? (Many people say they don’t smoke but they do – offer an outside smoking area and insist it be used).
☛ What caregiving certification training do you have, if any? Do you have any CPR or first-aid training? If I pay for it, would you be willing to add to your skills?
☛ Here is a list of expected caregiving related duties – is there anything on the list that poses a problem or concern? Are you comfortable with pets? Are you comfortable with my (parent/spouse) having guests or other family members stopping by?
☛ Are you able to work the hours needed? When are you available to start working? After a 30-day trial period, would you be willing to commit to a (fill in a time frame/6 months, a year is common) long-term?
☛ Have you ever cared for someone with (conditions relatable to your loved one’s care: memory problems, elderly, wheelchair bound, etc.) before? If so, please elaborate.
☛ Are you willing to sign a contract stating you will not accept money or gifts from my (parent/grandparent/spouse, etc) without clearing it with me?
☛ Are you willing to sign that you will not have guests come into our home unless I have given prior approval?
☛ Will you be comfortable driving my mother’s car if need be, or using your own car to run errands if we request it?
☛ What are your expectations for vacation time, and are you willing to help find coverage for the days that you need to take off?