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100+ Must Ask Questions for Domestic Helper Interview in SG

16 September 2024 - By mummylist.com

Hey Mummies (and Daddies)! I’m Elissa, a first-time IVF mummy to a super active 14-month-old toddler girl 🌟 Finding the right domestic helper in Singapore can feel like a huge task, especially if you’re new to this. A good interview is key to finding someone who’s not just skilled but also a great fit for your family. To make things easier, I’ve put together a handy list of questions for domestic helper interview you can use. Hopefully these will help you get a better sense of each candidate’s qualifications, experience, and how well they might mesh with your household – just as it did for me 🙂

I’ve included 100 questions here, but don’t worry—you don’t need to ask them all! Think of it as a comprehensive question bank for you to pick and choose the ones that matter most to you.

Table of content

Tips on Interviewing Domestic Helper in SG
Basic Information
Past Experience
Competency (Skills)
Attitude
Personal Understanding

Tips on Interviewing Domestic Helper in SG

Before diving into the questions , here are some helpful tips to ensure your interview process is smooth and effective:

Keep it Manageable: Prepare a focused list of key questions. A long list of questions can be overwhelming and may lead to fatigue – especially with multiple candidates to interview. I found a sweet spot at around 10-17 questions for myself.
Use Clear and Simple Language: Many helpers, particularly those from Myanmar and Indonesia, may have poor levels of English proficiency. Use straightforward questions and simple language to avoid confusion and ensure accurate responses.
Encourage Detailed Responses: Ask open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer. This will provide you with a better understanding of the helper’s experience and personality.
Avoid Predictable Questions: Steer clear of questions that candidates may have been coached to answer in a specific way. Instead, focus on questions that can help reveal their genuine capabilities and attitudes.
Observe Body Language (MOST IMPORTANT): Pay attention to non-verbal cues. Micro expressions and body language can offer insights into a candidate’s true feelings and suitability for the role. I’ve interviewed helpers who gave really “model” answers, but their body language (slight eye rolls, a fleeting stressed out look, gritting teeth, etc) showed me otherwise.
Request References: If the candidate has prior experience, ask for references from previous employers to verify their character and work performance. This step is crucial for assessing reliability and past performance.

Questions for Domestic Helper Interview- Basic Information:

Usually to get everyone in a comfortable state, you tend to start with some simpler, basic “get to know you” kind of questions for domestic helper interview. For me, it’s also a good way to learn about their motivations about working as a domestic helper, and get a sense if they are willing to be here long-term or only for the short-term.

Please tell me about yourself (usually it’s a rehearsed phrase)
Why do you want to work as a domestic helper?
How many brothers and sisters do you have? You are number ?
Why do you want to work in Singapore?
Do you have friends and family in Singapore?
What are your plans/goals for the future? / Why you want to earn money as a domestic helper? To do what?
How long do you want to work as a domestic helper? / When do you want to go back home?
How many children do you have?
How old are your children?
Did you take care of your children yourself?
Who will take care of your children when you work in Singapore?
If married: What job does your husband do?
If unmarried: Do you have a boyfriend? Do you have plans to get married soon?
How many people do you support in your family?

For Transfer helpers who have already worked in Singapore, you can ask more about their experience here:

What do you like and dislike about Singapore?
What do you do on your off days?
Can you take bus and train by yourself? Which bus or train you take normally?
Which supermarket or market do you go normally?
What other countries have you worked as a domestic helper?
What is your current salary? How much salary you want?

Questions for Domestic Helper Interview- Past Experience:

To me, these questions when asked in the right manner can reveal a lot. Not only about their skill set but also their general attitude (which to us is more important than competency).

Can we speak to your previous sir or madam to confirm what you say?
Tell me about your past jobs / What you do for job last time? (Include both domestic and other jobs)
Do you have any special qualifications? (e.g. nursing, eldercare etc.)
What did you like most about your previous job? Or what were you good at doing?
What did you dislike most about your previous job? What were you not so good at?
Did you do something really good during your previous job? Share 1-2 examples?
Did you do anything wrong during your previous job? Share 1-2 examples?
How was your sir and madam like?
If I ask your sir/mdm, what would they say you are good at?
If I ask your sir/mdm, what would they say you are not so good at?
If I ask your sir/mdm, to rate you out of 10, what do you think they will say?
Why did you leave your last job / not renew contract?

Questions for Domestic Helper Interview- Competency (Skills):

Experience in general aside, this is where you might want to zoom in on specific skillsets if you are hiring for specific reasons. Take note to ask open-ended questions instead of yes or no ones here. Include situational questions if relevant.

Routine:

What time do you wake up in the morning?
What time do you sleep at night?
What tasks /things do you normally do in a day?

General Housekeeping & Cleaning:

How big is the house where you currently work? How many rooms and bathrooms does it have?
Do you follow a schedule that your sir/madam gives you? Or don’t need?
What do you do to keep the house clean daily? (Get a sense of the workload that they are used to and can handle with respect to what you might need)
- How often do you clean the bathrooms?
- How often do you do laundry and iron clothes?
- Do you know how to wash clothes by hand? What kinds of things do you hand wash?
- How often do you change bed sheets?
- How often do you clean the fridge?
- How often do you sweep and mop the floor?
What cleaning equipment do you know how to use? (Get a sense of their level of comfort around certain technology and willingness to learn if not familiar)
- Vacuum cleaner?
- Robot vacuum cleaner?
- Washing machine?
- Dryer?
Do you wash cars? How often do you do it? What kind of car is it?
Have you done any gardening before? How big was the garden? What plants are there? How do you take care of the plants?
What kind of insect or animals are you scared of?

Cooking / Kitchen:

Do you enjoy cooking?
Rate your cooking skills 1-10.
How many meals do you normally cook a day?
Do you cook the same food for kids and adults? If not, what is the difference?
What kinds of food can you cook? For example, Chinese, Western, Malay, Indian, or Japanese?
What’s your favourite dish to cook? How do you normally prepare it?
What’s your sir/ madam favourite dish from you?
How do you search for new recipes? (Try to understand if they take initiative to look for recipes on YouTube or online)
Do you know how to make a grocery list? How do you do it?
What kitchen equipment do you know how to use?
Have you ever cooked for a big group of people? How many people? What did you make?

Grocery Shopping / Running Errands:

Who does the food shopping in your current job?
Who goes to the market and who goes to the store in your current job?
Have you been to a local wet markets in Singapore? Which ones do you go to?
Which supermarkets or grocery stores do you shop at?
What kinds of errands have you done before for your sir / madam? (e.g. Drop parcels at post office, pick up dry cleaning clothes, takeaway food?)
How much money do you usually get for grocery shopping?
How do you keep track of the money you spend?

Newborn Experience:

Can you take care of baby at night? (Understand willingness to do night shifts) – I personally did not require this, but I asked if she would be willing to help 1-2 nights a week if it was really bad just to set expectations.
What do you do when taking care of baby? (Understand if they can do diaper changes, showers, feeding milk, preparing solids, putting baby to sleep etc. Probe further into each activity if required.)
- What kind of baby food can you prepare? Share one example of how you would prepare it?
- How do you prepare baby formula?
- How will you prepare baby for shower?
If the baby can’t sleep, what would you do to help baby to fall asleep?
If the baby cries non stop for 1 hour, and sir and madam are not around, what would you do?
If the baby fell down from bed, and sir and madam are not around, what would you do?

Taking Care of Children:

Do you like being around children?
Do you have experience taking care of children? Boy/girls? How old?
In your current job, who mainly takes care of the kids at home? Is it you, a grandparent, or someone else?
Have you ever worked with children who have disabilities? What disability?
Do you have First Aid training? What type of first aid do you know?
Can you swim? How well can you swim?
Have you ever packed a school lunch? What do you usually include in it?
Have you ever taken kids to school or picked them up from the school bus?
What do you do with children after school?
Do you take them to outside activities by yourself?
If my child misbehaves, what will you do?
Do you read stories to children? What are some stories you read before?
What activities or games do you enjoy doing with children?
If there’s an emergency with the children (e.g. injured / sick), and you can’t reach sir / madam, what would you do?

Elderly or Disabled Family Member Experience:

For elderly: Can you speak Mandarin / Malay / Tamil / specific dialect?
Have you ever taken care of older people / disabled individuals?
- Do you know how to use a bedpan?
- Do you know how to manage an IV drip?
- Do you know how to help someone in a wheelchair?
- Have you given medicine before? How do you remember to give it on time?
- How do you make sure elderly or disabled individuals drink enough water and eat well?
- How do you help older people off the bed?
- How do you help older people with things like getting dressed or eating?
What do you like most about taking care of elderly people / disabled individuals?
What do you find difficult about taking care of elderly people / disabled individuals?
Have you made special food for elderly or disabled individuals? What kinds?
How do you make sure elderly or disabled individuals are safe and comfortable?
How do you help with medical appointments or other health needs?
Do you know how to use special equipment for elderly or disabled care, like mobility aids or medical devices?
What would you do in an emergency with elderly or disabled individuals?
How do you talk with elderly or disabled individuals who have trouble expressing themselves?

Taking Care of Pets:

Do you like animals? What is your favourite animal?
Are you scared of animals?
Have you ever taken care of pets at home or worked for a family with pets? What kinds of pets were they?
How big were the pets you cared for? What breeds or types were they?
How do you take care of the pets?
If you’ve worked with pets before, who takes care of them when you have a day off?”
How often do you take a dog for a walk?
How often do you change the litter box for a cat?
Have you ever bathed a dog? How did you do it?
Are you comfortable feeding pets and following any special diet instructions they might have?
What do you do if a pet is acting sick or unwell?
Do you know how to give pets their medicine if needed? How do you do it?
How do you manage grooming tasks like brushing or trimming pets?
How do you ensure pets get enough exercise and playtime?

Questions for Domestic Helper Interview -Attitude:

Competency aside, attitude is also a very important factor you want to assess. However, this is a lot harder to gauge. So ask as many situational questions as possible and ask for examples. Look out for micro expressions and body language when they are giving a response – as I find that it’s easy to lie with words but not so much with your expressions/body.

What is your working style?
Do you prefer to be given instructions on what to do? Or are you okay to do things by yourself?
If there is something you don’t know how to do, what will you do? Give an example.
How do you handle stressful situations or conflicts at work? Give an example.
What do you do when your employer give you feedback or criticism? Can you give an example?
How often do you speak to your family back home?
Do you normally call, text and/or video chat with your family back home?
When you are working, when will you need to use your handphone?
If you are not allowed to use handphone during working hours is that alright?
What would you do if you are not happy with something when working here?
What will you do if your friend wanted to visit you at our house during your off day / when we are not around?
What would you do if you think you have too many things to handle?
Will you share with us any unhappiness or difficulty that you face?
Tell me what is a good sir / madam like? (Describe a good employer)

For transfer / experienced helpers:

Have you ever asked for a cash advance before? What was the reason?
What did you not like about your previous sir/ madam?

Wrap Up – Personal Understanding Questions:

Typically I would only ask these questions as a final wrap up if I’m interested in engaging the particular helper. These are more to help see if there might be any obvious fit issues. If I did not like the responses to the previous sections, I would not bother asking these other questions to get to know them better.

Is there anything you cannot eat?
What are your favourite food?
Do you smoke or drink?
Are you very religious? How does it affect your work? (e.g. prayers / eating / handling pork)
Do you have any medical conditions? Do you take any medications?
How many rest day a month do you need?
Are you okay with small room / sharing room / sleeping in living room?
What will you do on your rest day?
What are your hobbies?
Do you have a Facebook / Instagram / TikTok account?
When do you plan to visit your home country again? Are there any special occasions that you need to be home for?

Ready To Create Your Own List of Questions for Domestic Helper Interview?

Finding the right domestic helper for your home is so important, and a good interview can make all the difference. Just like we want to find the perfect fit for our families, asking the right questions and paying attention to how the candidates respond (both what they say and how they say it) will give you a clearer picture of whether they’re the right match.

Make sure to adapt your questions to fit what’s most important for your family. By covering these key areas, you’ll be in a much better place to make a solid choice and build a great working relationship with your new helper.

Aside from asking questions, also leave some time for them to ask you any questions they might have too. This is also helpful in shedding light on their motivations or any concerns they might have.

Good luck with your interviews—I’m sure you’ll find the perfect fit for your family!

Find this guide to questions for domestic helper interview useful? Do help share this article with your fellow mummy and daddy friends and spread the love! It’s not easy putting all this information together and I do hope for more to benefit from it! For more baby & parenting content and helpful tips, check out our other articles here: