Searching for the perfect foreign domestic helper to join your Singapore household can feel overwhelming. With hundreds of agencies and thousands of candidates to choose from, how do you ensure you find someone reliable, honest and hardworking?
Hire foreign domestic helper in Singapore can be easy if you follow these insider tips to streamline your search and land the ideal helper for your family:
Be Clear on Your Requirements
Before beginning your search, decide what type of helper you need. Do you require someone to care for young children or elderly parents? Will housecleaning be the primary duty or cooking meals too? Make a list of required duties and skills so you can clearly articulate what you’re looking for.
Use Registered Agencies
Stick to established, licensed agencies to avoid being scammed. Registered agencies thoroughly vet candidates, handle visa paperwork, and can match you with someone suited for your needs. Well-known agencies include Oscar Maids and United Channel Pro.
Interview Thoroughly
Don’t rely solely on agency notes – interview candidates yourself via video calls if possible. Get a feel for their personality and communication style. Ask about their experience, strengths, weaknesses, and confirm they are willing to perform needed duties. Be wary of candidates who seem evasive or too good to be true.
Check References
Require at least 2-3 references from previous employers and follow up with them. Ask questions about reliability, honesty, personality quirks – anything that might impact their job performance. If no references are available, that’s a red flag.
Confirm Educational Background
Ask candidates to provide documentation of their educational qualifications. This checks out their language proficiency and training, which is especially important if you need someone to help with homework or educational activities.
Discuss Communication Style
Clear communication is vital to a smooth working relationship. Discuss what languages the candidate is most comfortable using and ensure their English ability meets your needs. Set expectations for communication style – formal versus casual, frequency of discussions, etc.
Explain Your House Rules
Prevent future problems by outlining your household rules and expectations upfront. This includes duties, schedules, policies on visitors, use of household items, etc. Get agreement on these details early.
Perform Background Checks
Run background checks to verify candidates don’t have criminal records or alerts that might make them unsuitable to work in your home. Agencies typically handle this, but you can run your own checks for peace of mind.
Trust Your Instincts
If something seems off or too good to be true, don’t ignore your gut feeling. You’ll be trusting this person in your home so any reservations are worth paying attention to. Keep looking until you find someone who checks all the boxes.
Check Health Status
Have candidates provide health screening results to ensure they don’t carry communicable illnesses. Good health is essential when working closely with your family.
Confirm Compensation Expectations
Agree on salary, time off, loan repayment and other compensation upfront so there are no surprises. Find out what salary they earned at previous jobs to gauge expectations.
Finding an amazing foreign domestic helper takes time but following these tips will help you land the perfect fit. Interview wisely, vet thoroughly, and trust your instincts to get someone reliable, honest and hardworking. With the right helper on board, your household will run smoothly.
Searching for and landing the perfect helper to join your household starts with being clear on your requirements and using registered agencies to hire foreign domestic helper who will be a great match for your family’s needs.