Many times, we encounter employers asking us, “It’s our first time interviewing helpers, we are not sure what to ask.”
Fret not if you are one of them. In this article, we will guide you through your interview sessions with your selected pool of helpers.
But do bear in mind to come up with your own questions based on your personal needs. This is what we always advise our employers. This helps prevent any staging, ensuring that the questions asked are authentic and that the helpers will be answering them on their own.
There are many possible questions to ask during the interview, and it’s good to avoid expecting perfect answers—otherwise, you may never find your preferred helper.
The goal of the interview is not just to ask your questions, but also to allow the helper to understand your requirements of her, her job scope, working environment, and for you to learn more about her and her background.
Ask about her previous working experience and whether it aligns with the responsibilities she will be expected to handle in your home. You may also include situational questions to better understand her problem-solving skills and how she thinks on her feet.
Following is a list of possible questions to ask your selected pool of helpers:
General “Getting to Know Her” Questions:
- Self-introduction
- What are her hobbies?
- Any friends or relatives working in Singapore? If yes, have they shared what it’s like working here?
- How long does she plan to stay and work in Singapore?
- Why does she want to work in Singapore?
- If she has kids, who will help to look after them?
- What will she do during her off day?
Work Experience / Work-Related Questions:
- Have you been a domestic helper before? If yes, can you please share your experience?
- Get her to share what her day was like in her previous employment, e.g., what time she wakes up and her daily chores until the time she rests.
- If she has experience in childcare or babycare, you may ask her questions like:
- Can she shower the baby?
- Feed the kids?
- Wash milk bottles and prepare milk?
- Bring kids to school independently?
- Cooking: What is her best dish? Can she cook? Can she follow recipes? Ask her to describe how to cook a certain dish, e.g., fried rice.
- Elderly care:
- Can she transfer someone from bed to wheelchair?
- Does she know how to take blood pressure, count heart rate, and take temperature?
- Can she shower the elderly, change diapers, feed medication, and do daily exercises?
Situational Questions:
- If you see Ma’am coming back home with her hands full, what will you do?
- If the baby is crying, what will you do that situation?
- If the baby is unwell and Ma’am and Sir are not in, what will you do?
- If you bring the child out to play and the child falls and gets a cut on the leg, what will you do?
- If you iron Sir’s clothes and spoil them—burn it or leave a hole—what will you do?
Sharing Your Working Environment and Conditions (So the Helper Knows What to Expect and Won’t Be Shocked When She Arrives):
- Share the number of people in your family and roughly how big your house is.
- Let her know if she will be sharing a room with kids or babies, or sleeping in the hall.
- Handphone usage—whether she is only allowed to use it at night, and whether Wi-Fi is provided.
- Whether she is expected to cook 3 meals a day and if she is agreeable to it.
- Whether she will need to do marketing independently.
- Whether she will be sending kids to enrichment classes or school.
- Whether she is willing to carry out night duties for babies.
- Number of off days she prefers to have.
- If she is okay with pet care.
Ready to Interview Your Future Helper with Confidence?
Don’t let uncertainty hold you back. With the right questions and preparation, interviewing helpers can be a smooth and insightful experience. Whether you’re hiring for the first time or looking for a better fit for your household, having a clear understanding of what to ask is key.
👉 Need more guidance or want us to assist you with the process?
Let Human Dynamics take the guesswork out of hiring. With over 30 years of expertise in matching families with the right helpers, we provide full support—from interviews to training, documentation, and beyond.
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