Personal Care Attendant 

How did you get your current job?
A friend I used to care for know of a man in need of help and referred me to him.

What was the application process?
In home interview followed by a paper application.

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes. The interview consisted of two parts. The first part was with the man I’d be caring for. It was up to him if he liked me enough and found me qualified to care for him. The second interview was with the company who issues the pay checks. There were there to make sure I had a clean criminal background and discuss job duties and responsibilities.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I was asked about my work history and about any experience or training I’ve had that would help me with the job position. I was also asked about any criminal background history that may exsist.

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes, I was given detailed instructions on what I was to do daily. I also had a long meeting with the man I’d be caring for and we talked about what he’d like from me as a caregiver and what aspects of daily life he needed the most help with. By the time I started I was very comfortable with both him and the environment I’d be working in.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
I personally went through no training for this position. My best friend of 15 years is diabled and I have been taking are of her for many years. I learned everything I needed to know by hands on experience.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
I never had any formal training for my current job. Everything I learned was from life experience and taking care of others.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
n/a

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
I would recommend starting off with some basic CNA classes to get the training you need for the job. It’s also the best place to start to see if you would even like this type of job.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
You definitely need social skills as you will be interacting daily with whomever you’ll be caring for. You must also be a clean, organized person as many of your job dutied will include cleaning and upkeep of the employers home. Basic safety and first aid is a must. Without that you cannot perform your required duties.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes, a basic first aid or CNA class

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
It’s a well paying and enjoyable job but there is also alot of hard work involved. If you have difficulty with heavy lifting or low people skills, this isn’t the job for you.