Plan the process
How will you find the right support worker for you? This section explains some things to think about to help you get started.
Recruitment involves different tasks. For example, you may decide to develop a position and job ad, decide who to interview, conduct the interview process and make a decision about whether to make a job offer. Can you take all this on, or do you want to ask someone to support you?
By yourself or with someone else?
Will you manage the recruitment by yourself or ask someone you trust to do it with you? Involving a second person can give you a different viewpoint and provide support with practical aspects if you need it.
If you decide to ask someone to do it with you, pick someone you are comfortable with, who knows you well, understands what you want, and will give you their honest opinion.
For example, this could be a family member, trusted friend, or an existing worker who understands you and what you need.
If you do involve others in the assessment process, let them know what you would like them to do. For example, do you want them to ask questions at the interview or just listen and take note of applicant answers?
If you are a participant who is involved in recruiting one or more workers who will be managed by a service provider, this guide provides you with useful background information on the process. However, service providers may have additional requirements for employing workers so it’s a good idea to discuss this with them early on, including how you want to be involved in recruiting your worker(s). They may also have helpful suggestions about how to describe the job, where to post the ad, and how to use the Framework to make sure you include what is most important to you in the way you want people to work with you.
Where to interview?
If you are recruiting a worker to provide support in your own home, you may prefer to do the interviews on neutral ground such as a coffee shop, a friend’s place, or a service providers office, rather than meet applicants in your own home.
If you do interview applicants in your own home, it is a good idea to have a trusted person present, even if they don’t participate in the interview.
Another option is to do a virtual interview. There are lots of apps available to do this. A few common ones are Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom or Google Meet. Choose a quiet place and time to avoid interruptions. If you are involving a second person to support you with the interview, let the applicant know who they are and their role in the interview process. It’s a good idea to do a practice run with a family member or friend.
The "Choose assessment methods" section provides suggestions and tips for interviewing applicants.
Continue to the next stage of the process: