Posted by
trishy
15 yrs ago
I have paid for the membership fee here so that I can call the DH listed. So far I have interviewed over 10 of them and have called more than 20 of them.
Unfortunately I would need to say all of them did not arrive on time. Okay I understand if you are at a agency or at th immigration and you went over time and there is nothing you can do. At least have the common courtesy to give me a call. Moreover, most of them who did not show up does not bother to text or telephone.
When I first call to see whether any of them are still available for hire, they all ask me what nationality I was. Does it matter what nationality I was?
I am now very disappointed at all these DH. I have appointments set up today Sunday being their day off. Of course what happened. Yes none of them showed up. Moreover, none of them give me a call or a text.
What is happening with the standard of these DH. Am I expecting too much?
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i think that some dh's believe that they would be better off working with expats i.e. westerners rather than local chinese or of chinese nationality
some of them have the perception that westerners would provide them with better benefits / perks, higher pay, lighter workload, more lenient, less strict etc. etc. compared with local counterparts who they perceive would work them to death so to speak.
i would suggest that you strike them off your list, move on to looking for other candidates. if that is their attitude, then it is certainly not worth it hiring them much less interviewing them.
i would specially strike off the list immediately those who ask you for details of your nationality, race, income and what type of work you do etc. as they could be fishing for what potentially they believe as ideal employers
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Go to an DH employment agency where they will give you a huge choice of domestic helpers. You can go there on a Sunday and will meet as many as you want.
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ps this may sound offensive to ED but it is the truth....
as this is an EXPAT site, many potential candidates would also perceive that their ideal employers could be found on this site. expat i.e. being westerners with expat packages living in posh areas etc etc
so by posting their resume and credentials on this site then they are hitting the right targets.
my two cents - nothing but the truth
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Ed
15 yrs ago
The widest choice of Domestic Helpers would be found on our site (not at an agency - in fact most of the agencies use our site to find candidates for clients)
http://hongkong.asiaxpat.com/helpers/
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To ED, eventhough you have millions of helper posted in your web, most of them are unreliable..it says in their profile that they're RELIABLE but when you called them for interview they dont even bother to call you and say that they cant make it..do you really (yourself) interviewed them before you posted them in your web? or you just guessing who they are..
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I agree that many FDHs don't have good manners in regards to keeping appointments and don't show courtesy by giving the prospective employer a note/message whether they're late or not coming. However, it also shows the prospective employer like the OP that these types don't deserve an interview or employment.
Having said that, the OP paid but so did the helper for their name and pic to be posted in this site. It's to their disadvantage that they don't behave well, but at the same time they can also choose their employer. It's just fair, I think.
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Ed
15 yrs ago
We have no control over whether or not a helper shows up for an interview. We are simply an advertising medium - our site allows you to contact the helpers and hire without the need for an agency.
As for the reference letters posted with the helpers ads, they are provided by the helpers. It is up to the employers to verify that the letters are valid - as with any hire whether a DH or a CEO for a listed company - it is crucial that you check the references by calling previous employers (CV's for professionals are often embellished as well so this is not a problem that is unique to helpers)
If you want a higher level of service you can use our agency (there are fees involved but they are the lowest you will find in HK and we charge the helpers nothing).
Evelyn and her team will pre-screen the helpers as per your requirements and send over candidates that are the most appropriate.
You can reach Evelyn on 3579 5375
For anyone considering using another agency keep in mind they get most of their candidates from our site - they have no opportunity to pre-screen them - all they do is search for ones that appear to have the skills you need and send them to you... you can easily do that yourself.
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between hong kong and singapore,helpers have it better here therefore in my opinion helpers who have been to singapore would be appreciative of working here.
yes - helpers do have the right to choose who they wish to work for however i think it's going a bit too far or extreme if they are going to cherry pick employers for whom they consider would give them more pay and benefits for less work and less working hours.
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I am having such a hard time finding a helper. I have found some on the site called them and found them really sly or not suitable. I went to the agency and did not really like anyone either. I am beginning to think I am jinxed. I thought I would get a part time instead and they come for a day and then look for better options else where. And I treat them so well almost as if I am the helper and they the employer and still they do this. I am so terribly hurt and disappointed at this point. I seriously wonder if I'll find anyone. They lie all the time.
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"i think it's going a bit too far or extreme if they are going to cherry pick employers for whom they consider would give them more pay and benefits for less work and less working hours."
Really? Wouldn't you do the same kind of cherry picking if you were looking for a job?
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Ed
15 yrs ago
A quick note... the DH channel on our site is one of the most popular sections of the site with substantial traffic... indeed our staff indicates that the best qualified helpers with the best references often receive multiple job offers with many of them being offered well above the minimum wage.
I see nothing wrong with that - if someone wants to pay a higher wage to secure a better employee in this or any industry I think that is a very fair result.
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Really? Wouldn't you do the same kind of cherry picking if you were looking for a job?
yes of course i would cherry pick as anyone would but for the right reasons (career growth etc) not because I want to get more money for doing less as i said.
and im not going to base my cherry picking on race, nationality and religion - would you? i.e. for example- i'm not going to work for a chinese company just because I THINK that with a chinese company, one wouldn't get a decent salary with them.... without speaking with them first and doing more research about their company.
in the same way, as i said i think that it is going too far if helpers would base their decision to work for someone because of their race and nationality, or religion. i.e. like one poster said, australians are deemed to be more ideal employers.
and of course any one would cherry pick after speaking directly with the potential employer i.e. based on facts and data derived from an interview not from one single question such as
Dh - what nationality are you?
A - CHINESE
Dh - goodbye and no show
i hope you get the drift.
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"yes of course i would cherry pick as anyone would but for the right reasons (career growth etc) not because I want to get more money for doing less as i said."
Fair point. But how much career growth is there as a domestic helper? Some employers make them work 16-18 hour days at minimum. If I were a helper I'd look for better.
There's a difference between being lazy and wanting to sit around all day, and not wanting to work 16-18 hour days.
For the rest of it, I assume that many DH candidates are not that "sophisticated" when it comes to employer choice. That is, if a college graduate applies for an office job he or she may cherry pick but it will be much less blatant.
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again i agree with you... however i was referring more to those who wouldn't show up for an interview or base their decision for working with somebody based on their nationality, religion, or race.
wouldn't it be fair to at least show up for an interview with the potential employer first and make your decision based on those interviews?
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I would think that the assumption is wrong (that they didn't show for the interview because of nationality, religion, race). Most of the time, it's because they've found another employer. They just don't have the courtesy to inform the other employers who've shown interest.
Those that have gone to the interview will now make a decision not to work for an employer based on all of the above mentioned reasons and some. Reasons differ from person to person, there's no need to expect other people including FDHs to act/decide as we do.
Of course it's quite frustrating to be stood up, and even rejected (!?) if the FDH decides not to work for you. If you want 100% attendance in interviews, an agency's service is required.
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The motive for a helper asking the nationality of a potential employer could be as simple as ascertaining whether she would be able to carry out her duties proficiently enough for them. If a helper has lots of experience in cooking western food but very little clue about how to prepare Chinese cuisine then she would know she'd be at a disadvantage from the outset and opt not to go for interviews with Chinese families, precisely for that very practical and pragmatic reason.
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I've tried to hire from Expat friendly sites and find most of them not worth your time or money. Most are inefficient, lazy and require A LOT of training. They give vague answers and appear capable... their references also a whole heap of lies. We've had two bad experiences with aparently good references which we found out later were bogus!
They simply hear... foreigner... GREAT! I can get away with a lot of lies and attitude.
Hiring from a small agency and spending your Sunday interviewing during agency hours is your best bet.
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-sa
15 yrs ago
Ummm.... reputation of various nationality certainly counts- good or bad amongst helpers. No doubt of that- not only my own helper but other helpers have confirmed it. And if a helper does not want to work for a particular nationality- its her prerogative and she adjusts to the fact that her pool of employers is smaller.
For example, you would think that Sri Lankan helpers would have an affinity towards Indian employers as our food may not be the same but it is similar in a number of respects. I have personally had a number of SL helpers decline to come for an interview after they come to know my nationality and that I would like to pay them min wage to begin with and then increase it as we build up a relationship. It is annoying and upsetting at that time but on the other hand I do not/ cannot take offense long term- it is the way it is.
I have a fantastic Filipino lady now- we are about to start our 2nd contract and she cooks our food quite well (she had never before) and good with other duties as well. In turn, I treat her with respect and salary we feel she deserves.
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-sa
15 yrs ago
We found that word of mouth worked best for us. Agencies did not. Ask your friend's helpers if they know anyone who is looking- they invariably know someone or the other. My helper has found employment for 3 of her friends with my friends within the last year. All she is doing is introducing- the rest is between you and the potential helper.
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I am not having much success on this site either -maybe its because I live on an island -but I fulfil all the criteria of no kids expat ...etc...doesn't seem to be many new ones posting their details either- one lady introduced by a friends helper rang me at midnight last night - god knows why-funnily enough I didn't pick up..wonder if she wll show today for interview? I am paying transport costs for these ladies.Still as you say -one gets a feel for whether you would want them working in your home if they cant manage courtesy or are grasping -its a good test..'
would be delighted to get some headsups from more positive sources...
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Alright I have found a helper finally, don't know if I am exactly thrilled with her attitude. She is pretty moody and gets very quiet from being cordial suddenly. Her previous employer had clearly warned me about this and yet I continued because she is supposed to be honest but I have to admit it gets to me for now that she gets a so moody:( I am trying to keep her happy in ways I can think, I have even stretched my budget and realy stretched it to give her $700 food allowance on top of min salary and also give her some treats whenever I can since the food allowance is 740 a month. Initially I was thinking giving her 500 and our food (to atleast make up for the 740 balance)but she preferred the allowance so I adjusted. Maybe I am not but honestly I am trying to be nice to her and even ignore her moods and am super polite with her but I wonder if she is the right helper for me?
Also if she asks for back door key, am I supposed to give it to her? Is it ok? Also is Monday a public a holiday so is it her day off?
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maybe you should have hired a clown to keep her amused.
you were forewarned therefore i am sorry but you have to bear with the consequences...
if it is a mood disorder, there's no amount of money, gifts, gratuity or even funny stories will make her change overnight
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"I wonder if she is the right helper for me?"
Good question. I would address the moody behavior immediately, asking her to please keep a positive attitude. There should be no need for you to tolerate that. Compare with going into shop or restaurant and having a surly attendant/waiter. She is in a service profession and needs to be service minded.
"Also if she asks for back door key, am I supposed to give it to her? Is it ok?"
There's no law or anything, but I think definitely yes. Let her come and go as she pleases on her own time. She's an adult.
"Also is Monday a public a holiday so is it her day off?"
No, it's an extra day. She would get both her normal weekly day plus the holiday.
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Thank you axptguy38 for your advice. I was getting down that despite trying my best she is so moody but you have made me realize. I don't know if I have the guts to tell her to be positive out right but will try to ignore her. I really don't know how to ask someone to keep a better attitude, I am afraid of sounding too in your face? I seriously try to be tactful all the time with her, don't like unpleasantness around or a reaction that would be unpleasant.
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You are the boss. As such you may, within reason, define her behavior on the job. I think asking her not to be moody or surly is well within reason. As I said if she worked at Wing-On would she allowed to be moody with customers? Surely not.
Don't just complain in passing though. Sit her down, offer her a cup of tea. Have a chat like civilized people. Tell her what she is doing well. Then tell her what she needs to improve.
As for being tactful, you should certainly do that. But demand the same in return. Respect and politeness should run both ways for the relationship to work.
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ps hired a helper through recommendation from a friend and her own helper -has not started yet of course but seems fine...
but thought I would also mention that the other helpers I interviewed from this site and others probably wrecked their chances by bringing a friend -another helper-with them -I think it inappropriate for someone to sit in and make comments on any interview for a job ( unless its for a child model ,ha ha.. )the questions tended to be along the lines of "how hard do I have to work and how much money and days off"" so it didn't really create a postive impression in my mind.Fine to bring a friend for company on the trip ,sure-but then in future I would ask friend to wander off and go shopping-The potential helper in many cases despite my phone request also didn't bring references or give over phone numbers from their last employers despite plausible reasons for termination or looking for a new position so would not go there either...
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