If you’ve spotted a job advert for Home Instead, you’ll already know that it’s not essential for our Care Professionals to have any prior experience, or any relevant qualifications. So, if those are things we don’t need you to have, what are the essential skills that we do require of onboarding Care Professionals? Read on to find out more.
It takes a certain type of person to become a great Care Professional, and our careful selection process ensures that we really get to know you as a person and see if this is a good fit, both for us and for you. Just because candidates don’t require prior training or experience doesn’t mean that they don’t need to be very special people. Here are some of the essential skills we look out for throughout our interview process and onboarding training.
- Compassion – you can’t do this job if you don’t have a big heart for the wellbeing of others. Many Care Professionals develop wonderful relationships with their clients, and you’ll find yourself wanting to go the extra mile in supporting them to live their best lives.
- Patience – sometimes, the patience of a saint! You will be working with a variety of clients, each with their own needs and personalities. Recognising that a ‘one size fits all’ approach will not work in this industry is of key importance.
- Understanding of our brand and core values – this is important to us at Home Instead Wimbledon and Kingston. You’ll soon find out what makes Home Instead different to other domiciliary care companies, and being part of our brand is something our Care Professionals take pride in.
- Be a good listener – you must listen to understand the needs of your client, and listening to words of wisdom from our more seasoned members of the team will be of great value to you, too.
- Awareness of good personal health – while you don’t have to be super fit to be a Care Professional, there is a certain amount of physical work involved, so having a good attitude towards your own health and fitness is essential to enjoying your work. You might be helping clients with domestic chores or assisting them with personal care like getting in and out of the shower – all of which require you to have a basic level of strength and steadiness on your feet.
- Driver’s Licence – as you will be going from one client to the next, visiting them in their own homes, we almost always require our Care Professionals to hold a driver’s license and have access to their own vehicle. In some circumstances we can consider non-drivers for a Care Professional role, but please be aware that we are limited in the clients we can offer to non-drivers.
Now that you’ve read what our recruitment team is looking for when we meet new candidates, this is what you can expect from us when joining our team.
- Our onboarding training is both industry leading and award-winning. Full training is given, equipping you with all the skills and knowledge you need to provide top rate care to our clients. You’ll start out by shadowing a more experienced Care Professional in the field, and you’ll get to meet new clients before you start visiting them. You’ll be supported throughout your career by the office team who are always on hand to offer guidance and support.
- Continued Professional Development. Some client calls will require you to undertake extra training sessions beyond our basic onboarding sessions. This might include assisting a client who uses a catheter or helping with administering eye drops. Home Instead can also support you with CPD if you’d like to take your career to the next level through specific training courses.
Why Train as a Care Professional?
Still not sure if the care sector is for you? Read about these top reasons to consider a career with us.
- Flexible – with clients needing care around the clock, you can tailor your schedule to suit you. While we have some minimum requirements, we understand that you might be fitting your work around other commitments, and so our positions are flexible to suit your availability. For example, if you’re only free in the evenings, we can still find a way to make the position work for you.
- Opportunities for growth – as mentioned above, we offer a great training package and CPD for those who want to take their careers further.
- Options – whether you want to work full-time, part-time, or apply for live-in care, Home Instead Wimbledon and Kingston is open to discussing different types of contracts with you.
- Benefits – working with Home Instead, there are benefits besides the competitive salary. We offer all Care Professionals online discounts for hundreds of high street retailers. We have an Employee Assistance Program, to support you with any problems you have, whether work-related or in your personal life. We also have long-service recognition, rewarding the Care Professionals who commit to our brand.
Conclusion
If you’ve never worked in care before, it can be a daunting thing to pick up the phone and make the first contact. We hope that this article has given you some clear information about what we offer our Care Professionals, and what we’re looking for in our next great employee. Could it be you? Give us a call to register your interest in working for Home Instead Wimbledon and Kingston.