How to run a short, fair interview
Keep it to 20 or 30 minutes. Many domestic workers are not used to formal interviews and say little when nervous. Offer tea, sit down together, and explain the job first. Then ask your questions in Urdu if that is more comfortable for the candidate.
Listen for specific detail. "I cleaned three bathrooms every day and the kitchen after lunch" is a real answer. "I did everything" is not. Write brief notes after each candidate so you can compare fairly.
Questions for every role
- Where did you work last, for how long, and why did you leave?
- Walk me through a normal day in that job.
- What did that employer appreciate about your work?
- Was there anything they asked you to improve?
- Where do you live, and how will you travel here?
- When could you start, and is there anything we should plan around?
- Do you have any questions about the job?
That last question matters. Good candidates usually ask about hours, the day off and pay date. A candidate with no questions may not have understood the job.
Maid or housekeeper
- How do you clean a bathroom properly, step by step?
- Which fabrics do you wash separately, and how do you iron silk?
- In your last job, how did you organise the week's cleaning?
- What would you do if you broke something valuable?
Listen for: a routine, care with fabrics, and honesty about mistakes.
Cook or chef
- Which dishes do you cook best? Which do you find difficult?
- How do you keep raw chicken from touching other food?
- How did you manage grocery money in your last job?
- Have you cooked for anyone with diabetes or a food allergy?
- How would you plan a dawat for twenty people?
Listen for: confidence about specific dishes, real hygiene habits, and a clear system for money.
Driver
- Which licence do you hold, and since when?
- Have you driven automatic cars?
- What is the quickest route from here to Blue Area at 8:30 in the morning?
- Have you had any accidents or challans? What happened?
- How often do you check the oil and tyres?
Listen for: real route knowledge, honesty about past incidents, and basic car care.
Nanny or babysitter
- How old were the children you cared for, and for how long?
- A baby will not stop crying. What do you do?
- What would you do if a child had a high fever while we were out?
- How do you handle a toddler who refuses to eat?
- What do you think about screen time for young children?
Listen for: calm, step-by-step answers, and knowing when to call the parents.
Elderly caregiver or patient attendant
- Tell me about the last patient you cared for. What did a day involve?
- How do you help someone stand up from a bed safely?
- How do you prevent bed sores?
- What would you do if the patient fell?
- How do you keep track of medicines?
Listen for: safe lifting, practical prevention, and calm emergency steps.
Security guard or watchman
- Someone says they are a relative and asks to come in. What do you do?
- How do you stay alert on a night shift?
- What would you do if you heard a noise at the back of the house at 3am?
- For armed guards: when does your licence expire, and how do you store the weapon?
Listen for: always checking with the owner first, and a clear sense of what not to do alone.
Office roles
| Role | Ask | Listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Receptionist | A caller is angry about a delay. What do you say? | Calm, polite, takes ownership |
| Office boy | You have three errands and one hour. How do you plan them? | Knows the routes, plans the order |
| Admin assistant | How do you keep track of your manager's appointments? | A system, not memory |
| Accountant | Walk me through a bank reconciliation. | Clear, correct steps |
| Sales executive | Sell me this pen. | Asks questions before pitching |
Answers that deserve a second look
- Vague about why they left every previous job
- Speaks badly of every past employer
- Cannot name a single specific task from their last job
- Reluctant to give any reference at all
- Pushes for a large advance before starting
None of these is proof of anything on its own. They are reasons to ask a follow-up question and to make the reference call carefully.
Gardener, home nurse and hospitality
| Role | Ask | Listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Gardener | Which flowers would you plant in October, and which in March? | Seasonal knowledge |
| Gardener | How often would you water this lawn in June? | Practical sense, not a fixed rule |
| Home nurse | Which qualification and registration do you hold? | Exact answers, documents to show |
| Home nurse | How do you care for a catheter to avoid infection? | Correct, careful steps |
| Waiter | A guest says the food is cold. What do you do? | Polite, quick, involves the manager |
| Barista | How do you keep the coffee machine clean? | A daily routine |
After the interview
Tell candidates when you will decide, and keep to it. Call the references of your top one or two candidates, then offer a short paid trial. Let the others know if they were not chosen. It is a small courtesy, but word travels fast among domestic staff in the twin cities, and being known as a fair employer helps you hire well next time.
Compare candidates fairly
After each interview, score the candidate on three or four things that matter most for the role: for a cook, taste, hygiene, honesty with money and fit with your routine. Use the same scale for everyone. It stops the last person you met, or the most confident talker, from winning by default.
| Candidate | Experience | Role skills | Reliability signs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ||||
| B | ||||
| C |
Keep the sheet until the new person has passed their trial. If it does not work out, the second choice may still be available.
Questions
Want help with the search?
Tell us the role, your area and the hours, and we will call you back.