by Deborah Michelle Jordan

Created on: August 31, 2008   Last Updated: August 26, 2011

When you've decided to hire a maid, there are some important items to consider for the hiring process:

1) Make a list of the character qualities that are most important to you in a maid. Major areas of consideration should include:

• Trustworthiness. You can rely on information obtained from work references, but you can also consider obtaining a criminal background check. With the consent of an applicant, this can be accomplished easily and quickly by a professional background search agency. You can locate companies like this on the internet and they will perform customized searches by offense and on a state and national basis. These searches are more affordable that you imagine.

• Work Ethic. What makes a good maid, is a strong work ethic and desire to perform well. You can get a good idea of an applicant's work ethic from their interview and more importantly, the work references.

• Dependability - The work references will be your only real information on this quality.

• Personality - The more you hear the applicant talk during the interview process, the better. See the suggestions below on interview questions.

2) Decide what duties you need done on a daily basis, a weekly basis and a monthly basis - write it up into a professional job description. Don't forget to make it clear that spontaneous assignments should be expected.

3) The rate of pay can be a make-it or break-it step. It is important to know the going-rate for maidservice workers, allowing for more or less pay, based on their experience and duties. Establish a range that you feel comfortable with, increasing your upper limit by ten percent. Increasing your upper limit will add more talent to your applicant pool and give you the opportunity to consider paying more, once you've surveyed the applicants available.

4) For the search, place a notice in the paper or on the internet if appropriate. Consult with a maid service for comparison and obtain referrals from friends.

5) Compose a short list of interview questions. A short and carefully worded list of questions, will allow plenty of time for your applicant to talk. Avoid questions that can be answered as "yes" or "no". The following questions are suggested:

• Trustworthiness is important in a job like this - are you trustworthy, and why?

• We need someone that has a strong work ethic. What makes you a hard worker?

• What can we expect your former employers to say about your dependability?

• It is important to us, that the person we hire for the position be a "good fit". Our family enjoys XXXX and our culture is XXXX. My communication style is XXXX and I am the kind of manager that likes to XXXX. How do you see yourself fitting in here?

6) You'll want to follow-up on references before making an offer. References are often hesitant to provide information other than 1) verification of employment and 2) rehire eligibility. Initiating the conversation with a less formal tone, will lend itself to a more relaxed discussion. Have your questions available in advance and be sure to thank the person for their time.

By the end of the process, you should feel confident that you've done your due diligence. With any luck, you won't need to repeat the process any time soon!

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