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  • 3 Post By rani

Leaving HK & recommending your helper

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Wan Chai
    Posts
    1

    Leaving HK & recommending your helper

    Hi All
    Me and my partner have moved to HK 5 months ago and recently found out that we're pregnant!! We're super excited, but as we're both working full time, we're eager to get a helper to assist with the household chores, cooking, shopping, cleaning etc and to help with the arrival of our new born for next March. We live in a 3 bedroom in Wan Chai.
    If you're leaving a good reliable helper behind or know of anyone who is, we'd really appreciate you getting in touch - we'd love your recommendations.
    Thank you!!
    Nav

    Last edited by rani; 21-09-2015 at 07:17 AM. Reason: Best to use PM

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    5,044

    Hi Nav,

    Although its nice to get a recommendation, sometimes what works for 1 family may not work for another. We found our helper on the GeoExpat classifieds. It can be time consuming, and you will get lots of calls but its so worth it. Here are some tips on navigating the classifieds.


    Would recommend making a list of what you're looking for in a helper: cooking skills, experience with babies/toddler or older kids, good cleaner, good communicator, good references (do call up previous employers).

    As you scan through the ads, shortlist the candidates. Then text each one to ask them to call you for a phone interview.

    Have some simple questions prepared for the phone interview. If you have trouble understanding her or she you, move on to the next person. As a working Mum I have to give a lot of instructions over the phone, and we need to be able to communicate.

    If she answers the simple questions well, move on to some more complex questions. If she enjoys cooking, ask what her best dish is. Or if she takes care of the kids, what games she plays. If the phone interview goes well, ask her to meet you for a face-to-face interview.

    Most helpers are free on Sunday or Sat and will come to your home. Line up a few interviews on Sunday.

    Also you can check the helper's passport to see who her previous employers are. Just to verify her work experience and the number of yrs she's been in HK.

    Do call previous employers for a reference. If they have worked for Chinese families, who can't speak English ask a friend or colleague to call for you.

    Also have a read through this article on GeoBaby.

    Hiring A Helper: Interview Tips - Hong Kong GeoBaby

    Also once you've found the right person, you can send her to the folks at Annerley, or Family Zone and they can interview her too and test her baby knowledge. They also run Helper training classes if she needs a refresher.

    The good helpers get snapped up fairly quickly. I know you've already posted an ad on the classifieds. I found that helpers who called me directly were to shy to place their own ad.

    Good luck and PM me if you have any questions.

    lisarahhk, Stu79 and navkumari like this.