Hiring Into Your Home Is Not Like Hiring for an Office
This person will have keys to your house, time alone with your children or your parents, and knowledge of your daily routine. Whether you hire through an agency or find someone on your own, ask these seven questions first. Skipping them is how families end up with theft, safety incidents, or a placement that falls apart within weeks.
1. Can They Give You Traceable References, Not Just a Number?
A phone number is not a reference. Ask for the name of a previous employer and call them directly. Ask what the person actually did, how long they worked there, and why they left.
2. Has Their Identity and Work History Been Verified?
Anyone can claim five years of experience. Ask to see ID, and ask previous employers to confirm dates and duties. If someone is reluctant to provide this, treat it as a warning sign, not a technicality.
3. Do They Have Experience Specific to Your Needs?
Childcare, elderly care, and general housekeeping require different skills. A domestic worker with no childcare background is not automatically qualified to supervise young children, and general help is not automatically equipped for medication reminders or mobility support.
4. What Happens If It Does Not Work Out?
Ask this before you hire, not after. If you find someone privately, you are on your own for a second search. This is one of the main reasons families choose a placement agency: replacement support is built in.
5. Is the Salary and Schedule Agreed in Writing?
Verbal agreements lead to disputes over pay, hours, and duties. Put the arrangement, live-in, sleep-in, or part-time, along with pay and days off, in writing before the first day of work.
6. Who Handles UIF, Contracts, and Legal Compliance?
As an employer, you have legal obligations around UIF registration, contracts, and minimum wage compliance. Decide upfront who is responsible for getting this right, since non-compliance is your risk, not the worker’s.
7. What Vetting Actually Happened Before You Met Them?
This is the question that matters most. A friendly interview tells you how someone presents themselves for one hour. It does not tell you whether their references were checked, their documents were verified, or their work history was confirmed.
Why More Families Are Skipping the DIY Search
Checking references, verifying documents, and handling a bad placement all take time most working families do not have. A verified agency does this work before you ever meet a candidate, so the person walking into your home has already passed the checks above.
How Bolulocare Answers All Seven Upfront
Every candidate we place, domestic worker, nanny, or caregiver, is verified for identity, references, and relevant experience before we introduce them to your family. You still make the final decision. We just make sure everyone on the shortlist has already passed the checks that matter.
Related Reading
- How to Hire a Nanny or Domestic Worker: Complete Guide
- How to Find Reliable Helpers Through a Domestic Workers Agency in Soweto
Want a shortlist of already-verified candidates? Contact Bolulocare and tell us what you need.