A helper interview checklist for your household

By APEX Maids Agency Pte. Ltd. · MOM EA Licence 25C3180 · UEN 202547196H. Based in Jurong West and serving households across Singapore. Our website is apexmaids.sg and our phone is 8405 6661.

Prepare one brief before comparing biodata

Write down household size, home layout, languages used at home, the main duties and your preferred start date. Separate essential experience from tasks you can teach. Include pets, cooking expectations, who else helps with care and when family members are usually available. You can copy the headings below into your own notes.

• Our three priorities: the duties that most affect the match.
• A typical day: morning, afternoon, evening and any night duties, including who provides backup.
• Communication: who gives instructions and which language they use.
• Practical arrangements: sleeping space, rest arrangements, training time and intended start date.
• Questions still open: candidate availability, evidence of relevant experience, written costs and support terms.

Share the general duties first. You do not need to send identity documents or detailed medical records to make an initial enquiry.

Ask for examples, then check the evidence

Start with: “Talk me through an ordinary day in your previous household. Which tasks did you do yourself, and which were shared?” Ask follow-up questions rather than relying on a yes or no answer. Give the candidate time to explain and to ask about your household too.

• Experience: “What duties did you handle, for how long, and what was different from this job?”
• Communication: explain a normal household instruction, then ask her to describe it back in her own words.
• Unfamiliar tasks: “What would you need us to show you during the first weeks?”
• Workload: “Which of these duties would be difficult to combine at the same time?”
• Evidence: ask what relevant references or training records can be checked. Previous Singapore placement dates do not by themselves prove care or cooking competence.

For infant and child care

Ask the children's ages during each previous placement, which care duties she handled and who supervised. Discuss your family's feeding, hygiene and school routines, when another adult takes over, and what she should do when unsure. For a newborn, make night responsibilities and daytime support explicit. An interview is not a clinical skills assessment or a substitute for appropriate training.

Record: ages actually cared for; duties performed independently; questions requiring a reference or further training; how housework will be shared. Read the infant and child-care placement guide.

For elderly care

Describe the daily assistance required, the language your family member uses and whether someone else is present. Ask about comparable routines, personal care, appointments and when she would call a family member for help. Do not treat “elderly care experience” as proof of nursing qualifications. If clinical care or specialised handling is required, clarify the professional support and training needed before choosing a helper.

Record: relevant previous duties; communication; tasks needing supervision; family backup. See what to check for elderly-care helper placement.

For cooking and food preparation

Ask for three meals she has prepared regularly, the number of people served and how she planned shopping. Discuss your own weekly menu, dietary instructions, kitchen routines and whether you can teach unfamiliar dishes. Ask how she checks an ingredient or instruction she does not understand instead of assuming that a cuisine label establishes competence.

Record: actual dishes; household size; shopping responsibility; what needs teaching. See matching a helper to your family's cooking.

For housekeeping in a flat or landed home

Describe the floors, stairs, laundry volume and rooms in use. Ask her to explain how she would organise a normal cleaning day alongside meals or care duties. Discuss unfamiliar equipment and delicate surfaces. Set realistic priorities for days when care needs take longer; avoid assuming every duty can happen at once.

Record: comparable home size; a workable daily order; equipment needing instruction; tasks the family will share. See housekeeping helper placement.

For pet care alongside household work

Explain the type, size and number of pets and their normal routine. Ask about previous hands-on tasks and comfort with feeding, walking, litter or grooming. Discuss how pet duties fit around childcare, meals and rest. Respect a candidate who says she is uncomfortable with an animal.

Record: relevant pet experience; comfort level; duties agreed; who handles unfamiliar situations. See helper placement for pet care.

Confirm the hiring route and availability separately

A good interview does not establish a start date. For a transfer helper, confirm current availability, release arrangements and the applicable transfer steps. An ex-Singapore helper has worked here before but may currently be overseas. For any candidate, ask which paperwork and arrangements remain before employment can begin.

Apex handles enquiries for helpers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Mizoram in India and Cambodia. Use the nationality guide to understand the options, then assess the individual; nationality is not proof of language fluency or care skills.

Keep a comparison record before deciding

For each candidate, record her profile reference, relevant experience, interview examples, evidence checked, points still unconfirmed and the next follow-up. Use three simple labels: explained in interview, supported by evidence, and needs checking. Keep uncertain points visible instead of turning them into a score that looks more precise than the information available.

Compare the itemised costs and written placement terms separately. MOM's agency-selection guidance covers licensing, matching, relevant skills, support and clear agreements. Our agency checklist helps you compare the agency as well as the candidate.

Use the checklist with Apex Maids

Browse Apex's helper biodata, then send us your household priorities and the profile references you want to discuss. We will check availability and explain the next steps. A listing, photograph or interview answer is not a placement guarantee. Our registered company is APEX MAIDS AGENCY PTE. LTD., EA Licence 25C3180.