1. Search for suitable Candidate

2. Set up Face to Face interviews

3. Conduct a Background Check

4. Do a Trial Run

Let us delve deeper into each step to learn more.

Step 1: The Search for A Suitable Candidate

This being the first step, it is important to get it right. Still, there are a few options when it comes to conducting the initial search of the potential employees – DIY, Friends and Relatives and agencies.

Option 1: DIY – Search For A House Help
There are many house help bureaus in Nairobi. Some are good and some not so good. However, if you do not want to use the services of a house-help agency to find one, you could search for a house help on your own. It is doable. But how do you find a good nanny by yourself?

The internet is the best place to begin. With so many digital platforms and social media forums, you will easily get help. You could join some of the face-book groups that are related to house help or nanny issues and post your needs. You are likely to get people that are interested making contact and from there you can create a list of candidates to interview. That is just one way. However, with online space, anybody could be anyone.

Option 2: Circle of Friends, Relatives, Neighbourhood
The other place to go looking for a house-help is your circle, your network and your neigbourhood. Your church members, your phone contact list, and the local preschool can also be great resources of trustworthy house helps. You could also ask your family members real-life friends and social media friends for referrals. You may find that you can trust their recommendations better than anyone else.

Option 3: Engage a House Help Bureau
The other option of getting someone is by contact a bureau or agency. A good agency. One very important advantage of working with a bureau to get a house help, is that you might be able to get pre-screened applicants. You would simply have to discuss your house help job description and specific needs and requirements with the bureau, and let them match you with someone. A good agency will normally take care of the initial formalities that go a long way to find a good house help safely and efficiently.

Step 2: Setting Up Face to Face Interviews

This is the second step of finding a good person to help you at home. Once you start receiving applications, immediately read the applications and start identifying potential candidates. Eliminate resumes that reveal negative distinctions about the person. Once you have done that you may want to schedule separate interviews with at least two to three candidates. Do not hesitate to ask as many questions as time allows. The interview will help you decide whether the applicant is likely to be a good person to work for you and get along with your children.

Step 3: Run Background Check

Generally, the process of getting a good house help must always INCLUDE a careful and thorough background check. If you start this process right, then it would not matter which method you employ in the process of getting a domestic help.

If you go with the option of looking for the candidates by yourself, some of the places you might get help when it comes to running the background check would be contacting the previous employers, or the friends or relatives who may have referred the candidate. In some cases, this might be just good enough.

A good nanny agency will also usually perform some basic background checks on the candidates. However, proper background checks and screening calls for checking police records for any history of criminal offenses.

The best background check is the one undertaken by licensed professional agencies like Darubini or by the relevant government department. In Kenya, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations office, is a semi-autonomous directorate of the National Police Service provides a more extensive access to criminal record information through the issuance of the Certificate of Good conduct.

At the end of the day, while one can always rely on friends’ recommendation, contacting a house help bureau like Nairobinanny, that can facilitate deeper screening (at a fee), is probably the safer way to find a good reliable house maid.

Step 4. Do a Trial Run

The final stage. A trial run gives you time to consider hiring the house help for long-term employment. It should be agreed during the interview stage. Some potential employees may not be agreeable to that. The trial period gives both of you the chance to become familiar with each other and decide whether you are a good fit. You will never uncover someone’s true identity until you live with them. More than appraising the chemistry, the trial period gives you the opportunity to assess the employee character and level of expertise – according to your expectations. If you are comfortable with the candidate, make sure to draft a work agreement before hiring them, and list the terms of your agreement in detail.

Now that you know how to go about finding a good nanny, you can productively focus on your work whilst having peace of mind knowing that you have a reliable person taking good care of your children back home.

If you decide to go about searching of the house help by engaging an agency, please feel free to contact us – Nairobinanny. Our agency keeps a database of highly-qualified, experienced house helps that can provide full-time or part-time care to your family. A placement specialist can be reached at 0708518470 or 0733801766 or email us at info[@]nairobinanny.com to share more information about our services. You can also complete a contact us submission form for someone to reach out to you directly.