While you may have all of the qualifications for a position, a company may choose another candidate because of a mistake you made during your interview. Don't let this happen. The following are mistakes you should avoid during your next meeting with a staffing agency or family:
1. Concentrating on what you want rather than what the family needs
Whether you're a chef, nurse, butler or nanny, your goal is to convince the recruiter and family that you can cater to their needs. If you're a chef, don't focus on the favorite meals you enjoy cooking. Instead, ask the recruiter the type of meals the family enjoys eating and provide background on your skill set in this area.
2. Under or over explaining why you left your last position
If you were released from your last position, this will be one of the most difficult questions you receive. If your former employer fired you because you lacked diversity in the foods you cooked, you need to know how to answer this. If you're a butler, but were fired because the family felt you poorly set schedules for the domestic staff, you need to know how to describe yourself as someone who has improved.
As a chef, let the employer know you've worked hard to diversify your menu and explain how you've done this. If you're a butler, let them know you've worked endlessly to come up a with a more concrete system to set schedules.
3. Forgetting to follow up
Following up is standard protocol for every field in and outside of domestic services. When your face-to-face meeting is complete, it's proper to send the interviewer a thank you email. While some opt for snail mail, a formal, concise email is perfectly acceptable.
If you're looking for domestic jobs and to work with a domestic staffing agency, contact Colonial Domestic Agency today!