What are the requirements for hiring a yaya?

When looking for a yaya, there are certain pre-employment requirements that you should ask for. This is important in assessing the basic eligibility of the candidate. After all, considering that you are practically welcoming a stranger into your home it is only reasonable to expect a minimum.
Here are some guidelines regarding what to ask for even before interviewing the potential staffer:
1. NBI Clearance – This is of course to guard against any illegal past activities or anything that would pose a potential risk to the well-being of your family.
2. Health Clearance – This clearance usually comes in the form of a certification from a doctor who has examined the applicant as well as accompanying medical documents evidencing good health such as:
            a. Chest X-ray – to guard against TB (tuberculosis)
            b. Blood Test – to be aware of any potential health risks such as high-blood pressure or anemia
            c. HIV test – although this is usually not very common, some households make this test a requirement especially for single applicants
            d. Past illness – chicken pox/mumps/etc. This information will be useful especially for future use.
3. Referrals – Ask for at least two written referrals to assess character. Make sure they are not made by anyone related by blood or by affinity.
4. Past employee references – Ask for at the complete address/history/ contact number of at least two past employers. Make sure you assess whether or not the applicant’s story and those of the past amo are in sync. Check all information.

Click here for more pre-employment requirements a potential yaya should have.

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Read on for more pre-employment requirements a potential yaya should have.

5. If the applicant presents herself as a “board passer” make sure you have a copy of her license/diploma/certificate/etc. Having someone with extra credentials will raise expectations with regard to compensation packages—so best to be sure.
6. Additional Information: The following are questions you may ask in order to better establish a profile and life situation of the applicant. However, it is only optional. Many times, we decide not only based on written fact but rather unwritten feeling. In either case, here are some useful questions to ask:
            a. Existence of children: Regardless of her marital status, this information will give you insight into her emotional and financial needs.
            b. Number and nature of dependents. This will give you an idea of the additional personalities who may figure into her financial requirements such as a sibling being sent to school or a sick parent. This is telling of the possibilities of sudden loan requests or salary advances.
            c.  If the applicant is not a board passer, ask her if she intends to take the licensing exam in the near future. This will tell whether or not she is potentially a short term employee rather than a long term one.
            d. If the staffer says that she completed any additional courses or possesses additional skills, make sure that you ask for certificates evidencing such.
At the end of the day, asking someone to become part of your household is always a difficult decision. Hopefully with the tips above, your task will be made easier.
Remember, there are no guarantees, but you have every right to expect a reasonable minimum—a truthful, healthy, skilled and emotionally balanced employee. Do not settle for anyone less. After all, your family deserves more.

Photo from sxc.hu