Are you a people person who prides yourself on your sense of empathy, understanding and your caring nature? Have you been considering a career in home-help in Ireland? You might just be the perfect person to become a Comfort Keepers Carer then!
We’re always seeking new Carers to meet the growing demand from our clients and the process is quite simple. Just take six steps forward and you may be standing at the start of a whole new career.
Step 1: Apply online for a Comfort Keepers Home Carer Position
The first step is to check our Careers page to see if there are any vacancies in your area. We have 17 offices across Ireland, just look for the one that’s closest to you.
In your application, outline your experience so far and future plans you’re hoping for. If you don’t have prior qualifications in the area, don’t worry, we provide all the necessary training before your time as a carer commences. At Comfort Keepers, we believe that an empathetic and caring person can be trained to become a professional. However, you cannot train someone to become empathetic and caring so, at this stage, we’re looking for what traits and experiences would make you a good carer.
Our Carers come from a variety of backgrounds. Many students in training to become nurses or even Arts and Science students often work with us due to the flexible hours. These are perfect for students’ timetables.
Note that if you are planning on working in a rural area, you will need a full drivers’ licence and car.
Tip: Make sure to read the full job description before you apply to ensure it’s for the position you’re interested in.
Step 2: Have a short phone interview
Once we receive and review your application, an interviewer will get in contact for a brief chat over the phone. During this call, the interviewer will ask you some questions and give you more details on the job and what it entails, pay for the position and the hours available for you.
Tip: Read over the job description and your application again to prepare for the phone interview and any questions you may need to answer.
Step 3: Go to an in-person interview
After the phone interview, you will be called to an in-person interview. At this interview, you will need to answer some questions to ascertain whether you are suitable for the role of a Carer.
Some of the questions may be scenario-based, eg. “What would you do if [insert scenario] happened?”. This is just to see how you might react to different situations that may face a carer in their day-to-day work.
It is important to bring your documents with you to the interview. These documents include your application form, your references, your Garda vetting form and, if necessary, your visa to work in Ireland.
Tip: Try your best to be prepared for the interview. Research the position and practice for the scenario-based questions by imagining different things that could occur whilst working as a carer. Think about what seems like the best response to these situations and discuss your decisions with a friend or family to see how they would react.
Step 4: Clear references and Garda vetting forms
Then if you have been successful in the interview, we look after the next step. We then check all references and must await the return of Garda clearance forms. This process can take 4-8 weeks.
Tip: To make the process quicker, be sure to bring your Garda vetting form to the interview so to avoid any delays.
Step 5: Train and get ready
Once we sort all your documents, we start on your two-day induction sessions. This includes informing you of the Comfort Keepers’ policies, procedures and approaches and will prepare you for the manual handling elements of the Carer’s job. Afterwards, you’ll watch some videos and seven questions to answer. If you manage to answer at least 6 of the 7 questions right, you’re on to the final step of the process.
Step 6: Shadow Visits
The final step! At this point, you will meet your Client Co-ordinator who will give you a ‘Starter Charter’ to complete. This Charter includes a checklist and a comprehensive guide to procedures. Your Client Co-ordinator will then assign your clients and travel with you to meet them for the first time. Most of your clients will be permanent clients that you’ll be working with for a number of days each week, based on what they need and how often you are available.
So there you have it, six simple steps towards a new, rewarding career. What are you waiting for?
Connect with us
To begin starting care for your loved one, you can click here.
To join our incredible award-winning team, you can apply now by clicking here or emailing your CV to recruitment@comfortkeepers.ie
