Useful Tips

For Employers

Find a new domestic helper on JollyHelper

Employers can use our Selected Agencies Premium Service to find a new helper. This is the most relaxing way to look for your best helper. By selecting this option, our Selected Agencies will do everything for you at an affordable price. Simply go to browse Helper's Profiles at the Selected Agencies Premium Service section, then you may contact agencies, confirm hiring and make payment.

JollyHelper facilitates Direct Hires, which means you are in control of finding the best helper for your family. The process is straightforward:

• Register on JollyHelper
• Create a job ad
• Contact job-seekers
• Narrow down the pool of candidates, arrange interviews yourself and select the best person for the job
• Begin the domestic worker visa processing

Drafting a job ad

Make sure that your ad is clear and ‘sells’ the job. If you require specialized skills, say so! For example, if your helper should have training or experience related to childcare, be sure to state this clearly in the ad. Consider offering a salary that is above the minimum wage if you are looking for someone with experience or certain skills.

Shortlisting and interviewing candidates

Use our search feature to find candidates who meet your requirements (such as applicants’ preferred contract status, level of experience, or skill sets). Then, shortlist those candidates who tick all the boxes.

At the same time, you should receive numerous responses to your job ad. At this stage of the search, you may have shortlisted 25 candidates and received direct applications from another 50. We suggest that you send a list of around 10 questions to the best potential candidates (from the list of those you shortlisted and those who contacted you directly).

Based on the responses, you can narrow the pool of candidates to around 5-15 helpers, who you can now interview either face-to-face or by phone.

To avoid disappointment or wasted time, let candidates know that being on time for the interview is non-negotiable.

Prepare a list of situational questions for the interview to find out each helper’s approach to things like safety, security, handling stressful situations, and so on.

For in-person interviews, reconfirm interview timeslots by SMS or Whatsapp to avoid no-shows or late arrivals. Many helpers have no internet access once they leave their employers’ homes, so make sure they have your number should they need to call you to find the meeting place. You can introduce candidates to your home (including their would-be room) and your family – it is equally important that they are comfortable with the arrangement and eager to work for you.

Following these interviews, you will likely be left with the strongest 1-3 candidates.

Making your decision

Once you have decided on the best person for the job, you can agree on an appropriate salary, sign an employment contract and start the helper visa processing. You can use our Paper-Processing Service at anytime.

Applying for your domestic worker’s visa

Most of the time, an employment agency is required for processing paperwork for your helper-to-be. You can use our Paper-Processing Service at anytime.

Effective ways on how to interview the candidate

Interview is an essential part of the hiring process. It helps you to find out the most suitable candidate.

• Create Job post/description
  A job post is a starting point in hiring a suitable helper. It is a useful tool for employers to tell applicants exactly what task you expect them to perform. It will also help the applicants to decide if they are interested in the job.
• List down your prospective candidates
  JollyHelper App has provided you with a feature where you can list all your best candidates. You can simply bookmark them and add them to “Shortlisted candidates”
• Setting appointment
  Set a convenient time with the applicant, select a location with good ambiance and suitable for a conversation
• Prepare interview questions beforehand
  Create an open-ended question so applicants won’t answer only with simple “yes” or “no”. The purpose of the interview is to gain more knowledge about the applicant. It will allow engagement to the conversation therefore making her at ease.
• Take down some notes during the interview
  Making list is a good way to take down necessary or key points to remember. Write down those with admirable answers and make comparison. It can help you decide which applicant is best suited in.
• Get to know the candidate/applicant
  Looks can be deceiving. More likely, we can judge a person through a good conversation. You can tell whether an applicant has eagerness and sincerity with the job offer during the interview. Know who is passionate enough through her words and actions.
• Ask detailed and relevant question
  Ask meaningful and relevant questions pertaining to the job you offer. Never cross beyond the line nor ask about personal questions which is unrelated to the topic.
• Be a good listener
  Effective listening encourages the applicant that they are valued as well. There is reciprocation in good communication like a mutual exchange. If you are a good listener, same goes to you. Applicant will be more focused on you and will feel your sincerity towards him/her. It will foster meaningful relationship.
• Evaluation
  At the end of the interview, you need to ponder or make an evaluation on each candidates. Add it on your take down notes.
• Be amiable
  Make sure you greet the applicant just before and at the end of the interview. By then, you will gain respect.

Check messages from employers/helper in JollyHelper Inbox

Check messages often from helpers in JollyHelper inbox.

You will be notified once you have received a message from a helper. A notification will appear on your screen. To check the message directly, you may click the message icon on the lower part. Check your inbox for messages.

Contact potential helper candidates

To contact helpers via our JoCom instant messaging system or to request their details, you need to Sign Up first.

To send a message to a helper, please click the ‘contact’ button on the helper’s profile and you will be directed to the inbox page where you can write and send the message.

Identify necessary skills your new helper should have

Define the necessary hard skills

Point out the hard skills required to perform the duties and responsibilities previously identified. Some common hard skills sought after by employers include:

• The ability to provide care giving support, first aid, and CPR;
• The ability to teamwork – particularly when helpers will be expected to work with another helper or a family member.
• The proficiency in one or several languages – ensure that you mention if you are fine with applicants who get by in a given language or require that they be fluent or even able to write it too i.e. that is especially the case when helpers are expected to tutor children.
• Cooking skills, etc.

Find out where you stand when it comes to managing and training an employee – be clear as to whether you are willing or have sufficient time to dedicate to training them into developing some of their skills further. If that is not an option, let applicants know that you are adamant about the level of experience and/or autonomy required to perform the work – be, however, prepared to pay a higher salary.

Identify the essential soft skills and qualities

Soft skills are non-tangible skills that an individual possesses. Some soft skills and qualities are more or less useful depending on what the main responsibilities of your helper-to-be will be. Ideally, if she will be in charge of taking care of your kids, you are looking for someone who:

• is naturally patient and doesn’t mind taking time to repeat and explain things several times;
• keeps calm in all circumstances;
• knows how to communicate with kids – through stories, examples, and crafts;
• is enthusiastic about spending time with children and acknowledges it can be challenging but yet rewarding;
• is safety-conscious;
• is caring and sensitive.

If you are looking for a domestic worker to care for an elderly parent, she should:

• be responsible e.g. complies with regular medication times;
• possess both good communication and listening skills;
• be caring;
• be respectful of the opinions and privacy of the individuals she cares for;
• be patient;
• be supportive at all times.

Take time to reflect on those qualities and personality traits that are important to you. Identify what you value the most – is it honesty, trustworthiness, the ability to work with minimal supervision, introversion or on the contrary extroversion, etc.? – and communicate them in your job description.

Highlight any specific or special requirements

Some common special requirements can be expressed in terms of:

• Level or type of experience;
• Latest contract status and how early you expect them to start. Depending on your country of residence and the status of the applicant (i.e. whether she is a finished vs. broken contract, or terminated, etc.) the delay to process the application varies.
• Specific cooking skills to meet certain requirements or certain types of diets, ranging from pure veg, vegetarian, vegan, raw food to gluten-free, or any other particular diet.

Don’t forget to list all your criteria down – all of them – so you can refer to them later during the interview phase and ask related questions. Be specific – it is important to be able to communicate your needs in detail to the various candidates during the interviews in order to comprehensively assess their profiles against your needs.

No or few results are shown after applying filters

If there are no or few results after you set the filters on Helper Profile page, it is probably because the search criteria are too specific. We suggest you click the clear button under the filters and widen your search criteria.

Verification of user profiles

JollyHelper often performs detailed checks on its users to confirm things like job experiences and other profile details, wherever possible. However, we do not perform criminal record checks or verify all information. We aim to provide users with information and tools to help them make informed decisions. Should you notice any suspicious activity, please inform us.

Requirements to hire a domestic helper

These are the basic requirements you need to comply:

• Employers must be a HKID card holder
• Employers should be able to provide the address proof (electric, water, gas or rate), bank statement and income tax is not considering as address proof
• Employers should be able to provide either an income proof such as income tax return P1&2 or bank statement of 3 months’ salary or bank deposit hk$350,000 or above for past six months per one helper hiring.