How to Hire a Housekeeper
March 9, 2007
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Do you and your husband both work outside the home and are too tired to deal with household chores in the evening? Maybe you need to hire a housekeeper. A housekeeper will take the majority of the cleaning duties off of your shoulders so you can enjoy your downtime. Before you hire a housekeeper, there are a few things that need to be considered.
1. Use a service or hire an independent? If the job involves light housework like dusting, vacuuming, and mopping then a housekeeping service might work well for you. Telephone a few of them to see what their services entail. All companies do not do all things. Make sure that they can cater to your specific needs. If you need housework done that is a little more detailed, an independent housekeeper may be your best bet.
2. Get references. No matter if you decide to go with a cleaning service or an independent housekeeper, check them out. Letters of reference are well and good, but make sure that you actually speak to the person who they worked for. Ask them if there were any issues that they had a problem with regarding the housekeeper’s work or work ethic. If tardiness was a problem for them, it will probably be a problem for you.
3. What to pay them? Ask around. Talk with friends who have hired a housekeeper to see what the going rate is for what you need done. If hiring an independent housekeeper, remember that their pay should be a bit more because they are operating alone. Also, check to see if you are required to do anything different tax-wise because you are employing an individual to work in your home. This is not a problem with a service, but should be investigated when hiring an independent housekeeper.
4. The interview process. Pick a day when you and your family can be present at home for the interviews. The children do not need to take part in the actual interview, but should be introduced to the candidates. Create a list of questions that you would like answered by the candidates. If it would help later, tape record the interviews to be played back later during your decision making time. A tour of the home should also be a part of the process. Let them see just what their job will entail and gauge their responses.
In today’s busy world, hiring a housekeeper is a necessity for some families. If you need extra help around the house, maybe a housekeeper is the answer. But, be smart about it. Do your homework to make sure you get help that is top notch not too good to be true.
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