These information sheets have been provided as a guide only and should not be used as substitutes for specialist advice. We try to keep them updated, however, this cannot always be guaranteed.
Finding Employees
Finding the right staff isn’t always easy but a lot of people have successfully found a personal assistant whom they like. The following is a guide to help you select yours.Be clear about what your requirements are and how you want them to be met. This will help determine the kind of person you want to work for you. Draw up a job description and a person specification. Decide how much you want to pay your personal assistant. Remember that if your hourly rate is too low you will not attract more experienced carers, but you must ensure their is sufficient left in your Direct Payment account to cover National Insurance, holiday cover and other contingencies. A Direct Payment Advisor can help you pull together a budget if you wish.
Don’t restrict your search to a few advertising channels – try out new ones. Here are some ideas:
Word of mouth
Local newspapers or journals/parish magazines
All local Job Centres
Advertise in public places e.g. local shops, churches, post office, supermarket, FE Colleges
Agencies - be clear with the agency about whether they are helping you find a person to employ yourself, or whether they are employing them. Some agencies locate self-employed 'carers', but you need to take care here as the tax office will often not accept that they are self employed. Advise on this can be obtained from the support service.
WDPSS hold a small advertising budget. If you wish to advertise a Direct Payment Advisor can help you to access this budget. Click here for a copy of the guidelines on obtaining money from this budget.. Personal security – you may prefer not to use your home address when advertising or interviewing staff. You could use a PO Box number, or our address. Telephone our office if you would like to use us. The advert should be short and should catch the eye. Think about the language you use to describe the job and make it as positive as possible. It may be better to use the term ‘Personal Assistant’ rather than ‘Carer’, as this covers a wider range of duties. The advert should give the following information:
What the work they will have to do
Terms and conditions e.g. pay, hours, place of work
A contact address/number
If you ask people to respond by telephone, give them a brief outline of the job and ask them some brief questions to get an impression of their suitability and whether they are worth considering for interview. Write down the applicant’s answers and your first impressions as these can sometimes be useful. If you think the caller may be suitable send them an application form (with a stamped addressed envelope) and ask them to complete it. The Direct Payment Advisor will help you draw up an application form. Some useful questions are:
Name, address, telephone number
What made you apply for the job?
What experience do you have?
How flexible can your working times be?
Do you have independent transport?
Is it OK for me to inform the tax office you could be working for me?
Request a reference
It is a good idea to send a job description out with the application form. You can then discuss this at the interview. See our Information sheet on interviewing. The Direct Payment Advisor can help you draft a Job Description. See ourInformation sheet ‘Job Descriptions’.
Ask for references and follow up each reference carefully.