When it comes to the care industry, resilience is undoubtedly an important quality every professional needs.
According to Psychology Today,
“Resilience is the ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever.”
The reality is, long hours, testing patients and multi-tasking can really take its toll over time.
That’s why workers must know how to adapt, stay strong and take every challenge within their stride.
It’s also about having the ability and confidence to make executive decisions knowing the great consequences involved.
Being resilient in the care industry will enable a professional to handle any setback, always stay determined and even make a positive influence on others too.
As an organisation, you need someone who can handle the heat and have the ability to bounce back from failure.
To find a professional who possesses this kind of resilience and the associated traits, you must ask the right interview questions before hiring.
Here are a few of our favourites.
When was the last time you got stressed at work?
Cut straight to the chase by asking a candidate about a tricky situation.
Once they’ve answered this, you should then ask them how they handled the situation.
This will then give you a better understanding of how they react to high-pressure situations.
A great sign is someone who focuses on the positives and finds a way to overcome the scenario.
It’s about having a never give up attitude and the awareness of how they’d like to improve the situation in the future.
On the other hand, if you notice a candidate getting angry or shows a certain level of resilience in answering the question, this might be a major warning sign.
What’s your biggest failure in the care industry?
This question can act as a real curveball to see how a candidate reacts.
Naturally, failure is an awful and negative word.
So a resilient and bright candidate will reply with a positive answer.
As a care worker, they must be honest and willing to take responsibility for their actions. So it’s always good to see how they handle these moments.
If a candidate opens up and explains what they’ve learned from it all, the chances are that you have a real honest professional on your hands.
Just be aware that you could get some emotional responses, so just be there to support them and give them time to collect their thoughts.
Remember, emotions are real and often a very good sign that they’re caring. However, the key is to see if they can turn a negative into a positive outcome.
What bugs you the most about your job?
The care industry is filled with different professionals and patients, all with their own quirks and ways of operating.
This question is an opportunity to see if a candidate has any pet peeves and test how accepting they are.
Whether this is moaning elderly patients, stubborn co-workers or something else, it’s always worth asking this question nearer to the end once you’ve eased a professional into the interview.
This way, they might be more inclined to let slip a few honest truths.
Ideally, you want to find a candidate who may identify a few problems, but also demonstrates an understanding that things happen and they’re happy to make adjustments.
Once again, it’s about being resilient and turning a negative into a positive.
Any professional who starts bad-mouthing previous employers, patients or colleagues should be ditched straight away.
How do you help other colleagues when they’re looking overwhelmed?
Care work isn’t just about looking out for the needs of the patient – it can also mean that they’re there to support their co-workers in their time of need.
As you know, things can get very overwhelming at times in this industry, so finding a candidate who has the ability to deal with their own problems and still find the time to help others is a golden trait.
Great managers of care workers boost morale, take the time to listen and give workers a reason to be happy.
To build a top organisation, you need a brilliant team ethic.
Therefore, hiring someone who can find the time to juggle multiple responsibilities can make a real positive difference to the way your organisation conducts its services to patients.
Describe a time when a co-worker or manager has put pressure on you
Things aren’t always sunshine and butterflies in the care industry, meaning some professionals make the lives of other co-workers or employees harder.
Whether this is through giving them an unrealistic amount of work or just not offering the right support, it’s up to a resilient candidate to shine regardless.
Great signs include:
- A positive attitude to the challenge.
- Providing reactive examples of how they dealt with tough situations.
- Owning up to any mistakes they made as a result, plus how they learnt from them.
If a candidate is negative towards a co-worker or manager, this might suggest that they don’t react very well to tougher situations and often moan/bitch about others.
Are you ready to interview?
If you still feel like you need some assistance in finding resilient care workers, it might be time to consider acquiring some help from a specialist in care recruitment.
Here at Temps4Care, we have the experience, procedures and talent pool to find you highly-skilled and resilient workers quickly.
For more information, get in touch with our team today.
