The questions most often put to familyservice

Questions about finding a job through familyservice

Questions about working

Questions on application documents

Questions about the application interview

What do I have to consider when introducing myself to a family as a...

Questions about the application procedure

What’s the next step if I’m interested in a job as a...

What can I do if there is any kind of conflict?

What can I do if conflicts arise in a family when I am working as a…

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What will it cost me to find a job through familyservice?
Applicants who look for a job as a childminder, day mother, eldercare assistant or domestic helper pay nothing.

How can I apply for a job as a childcare provider, day family, eldercare provider or domestic help with a family?
Click on Applications to find application forms and all the information you need. Select the questionnaire for the job you are looking for. Complete it and send it together with your CV, “confidential questions,” copies of references, training certificates as well as a photo to the relevant familyservice office.

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Who is my employer and who pays my AHV/ALV and other insurance contributions?
Before taking up a job, you sign an employment contract or agreement with the family. familyservice helps the family, advises it on all aspects relating to employment law, and tells it about the various insurances required. If you have any questions about the employment contract, we will be glad to answer them and to help you, if there is anything you are not happy with.

How much will I earn as a childcare provider, day family, eldercare provider or domestic help with a family?
The details we give are only meant as Recommendations for your guidance. Your definitive wages are a result of negotiations between you and your employer.

I already have an application dossier that I wrote for other jobs. Will this be enough?
 The application questionnaire for childminders, day mothers, eldercare assistants and domestic helpers are designed specifically for the occupation concerned and contain important information that other application dossiers are unlikely to include.
If your CV does contain the same information, especially references, you can also use your own dossier.

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What is the point of including copies of work references and training certificates with my application dossier?
The references you give us provide us and any future employer with an overview of what you have done so far, your personality and your experience.
Employment references, training certificates and confirmations of voluntary work you have done give us a record of your experiences, skills, additional abilities, interests and general attitude of work. A complete documentation without any gaps makes you more competitive in the world of work!

Who should I use as a referee?
Ideally, the people you ask for references and who you include in your CV should be people with whom or for whom you have worked. If you are applying to be a childminder or day mother, you can name parents from previous positions or from other activities (lunchtime care given on a private basis, regular care for neighbours’ children etc.).
If you are applying to be eldercare assistant, you can name people that you have looked after – or their relatives – in previous positions or as part of other activities (voluntary visits to old people’s homes, care for elderly people in your private life etc.).
If you wish to apply to be a domestic helper, you can name people in whose houses you have done domestic chores or cleaning.

What can I do to improve my chances of being placed?
 This depends on one hand on the number of requests for staff that familyservice receives, and on the other hand on your specific preferences and conditions with regard to the kind of family you want to work for. The more flexible and open minded you are, the easier it will be to offer you a position. However, you should only take up the job, if you are sure that the situation and conditions are right for you.

Do I have to fill in all the forms?
Yes, you do. All job seekers that familyservice places apply using the same documents. This ensures that everyone has exactly the same chance.

What do I have to consider when introducing myself to a family as a provider of childcare or a day family?
 Take the time to get to know the family and respond openly to questions, even if this is difficult, unpleasant or if you think the questions are unnecessary.
Never take a job because you feel sorry for the children or parents. You have to be sure that you can accept the fact that the mother is working, the way parents and children relate to each other, and the way the family lives. We recommend that before agreeing to take the position, you think hard about whether you like the family, and whether you really are willing and able to do the specific work expected of you.
It will be easier to work your way into the new job and to avoid misunderstandings if your responsibilities are clearly set out in advance and if everyone knows from the start about what is expected of them. If it is possible to have a regular talk with the employer, this can help to build a trusting relationship.
If problems do arise, familyservice provides a free consultancy service. It is best to seek help early in order of avoiding even greater conflicts later.

 

What do I have to consider when introducing myself to a family as a provider of eldercare?
Take the time to get to know the family and respond openly to questions, even if this is difficult, unpleasant or if you think the questions are unnecessary.
You can give examples. You can help the family to understand what kind of person you are by talking about what you have done in your previous jobs and about your experiences and motivation. You can also discuss subjects such as “growing old” or “how carers cope with anger, aggression and violence” and give your thoughts on these matters. We recommend that before agreeing to take the position you think hard about whether the job meets your expectations, whether you can do the work and whether you like the family. Never take a job because you feel sorry for the person you are caring for or for the family.
It will be easier to work your way into the new job and to avoid misunderstandings if your responsibilities are clearly set out in advance and if everyone knows from the start about what is expected of them. If it is possible to have a regular talk with the employer, this can help to build a trusting relationship.
If problems do arise, familyservice provides a free consultancy service. It is best to seek help early in order of avoiding even greater conflicts later.

 

What do I have to consider when introducing myself to a family as a domestic help?
Take the time to get to know the family and respond openly to questions even, if this is difficult, unpleasant or if you think the questions are unnecessary.
Try to gain an impression of how the family lives and whether you are OK with this. For example: will you have to tidy up or wash up before you begin your real work?
It will be easier to work your way into the new job and to avoid misunderstandings if your responsibilities are clearly set out in advance and if everyone is clear from the start about what is expected of them.
If it is possible to have a regular talk with the employer, this can help to build a trusting relationship.
If problems do arise, familyservice provides a free consultancy service. It is best to seek help early in order of avoiding even greater conflicts later.

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What happens after familyservice receives my application documents?
familyservice checks the documents it receives to ensure they are complete. Your details are added to the applicants’ file. When we receive new job vacancies, we put them on the web site under Job Seekers / Job Market. As soon as we have an open position that matches your profile and wishes, we will send the job vacancy to you. You can also get in touch, if you see an interesting job on the website. You then let us know, if the job we have suggested is interesting for you or not.

What’s the next step if I’m interested in a job as a provider of childcare or eldercare?
We will invite you to an application interview so that we can get to know you in person. We’ll be happy to answer your questions about working within a family. If the job still seems right for you after this interview, we will forward your application to the family. If you are a male childminder, we will also need an excerpt from the criminal records.

What’s the next step if I’m interested in a job as a day mother?
 We will come to your house for an application interview so that we can get to know you in person. If the job still seems right for you after this interview, we will forward your application to the family.

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What’s the next step if I’m interested in a job as a domestic help?
We will phone you for an application interview so that we can get to know you in person. If you are still interested in the job, we will take up 2 or 3 references. We can only forward your application details to the family once we have this.

What happens after my application documents are forwarded to the family?
If the family is interested, they will contact you within 10 days and invite you to a personal job interview. However, it is possible that the family will not be interested in you for some reason. In this case, familyservice will let you know that your application has been rejected. After meeting the family you can of course decide whether you want to take the job or not.

Do I have an interview with someone from familyservice every time I am interested in a job?
 No, you will only have an application interview before the first placement.
If we forward your application documents to a family and the family is interested in you, you will also be invited to a personal job interview by the family.

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What can I do if there are conflicts within the family when I am working as a childminder or day family?
It is very important to talk regularly with the parents (for example about what the children are doing and how they are feeling, or about the difficulties and pleasures of looking after the children or doing the household chores).
A clear list of duties before you take up the job also makes it easier to settle in and avoid misunderstandings.
familyservice also offers the carers it has placed free advice when problems occur. It is worth getting help early in order to avoid more serious conflicts later.

What can I do if there are conflicts within the family when I am working as a provider of eldercare?
It is important to talk regularly with your employer. A clear list of duties before you take up the job also makes it easier to settle in and avoid misunderstandings.
familyservice also offers the carers it has placed free advice when problems occur. It is worth getting help early on in order to avoid more serious conflicts later.

What can I do if there are conflicts within the family when I am working as a domestic help?
It is important to talk regularly with your employer (for example if you cannot do the work in the given time, because you have to tidy up first).
A clear list of duties before you take up the job also makes it easier to settle in and avoid misunderstandings.
familyservice also offers the carers it has placed free advice when problems occur. It is worth getting help early in order to avoid more serious conflicts later.

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