You need a yaya to look after your kids ASAP. You posted an ad on your social media accounts and you asked your friends for referral.
You wait for days, and… nothing.
Finding the “perfect” yaya has been a laborious quest for single parents and working parents. Whether this is your first or the nth time to find one, manage your expectations by reading through these 5 tough realities yaya-seekers must face:
It’s not like resumes or Curriculum Vitaes of qualified candidates will promptly fall on your lap. Unless you’re given a trustworthy and reliable referral, your search may be over in a span of a few days.
However, given that your ideal candidate must possess a set of skills and values unique to the needs of your household, it may take time to find “the one.” Factor in the time for interviewing and your candidate’s securing of requirements, and you may be counting weeks or so before your yaya can officially start.
Brush up on the Kasambahay Law: it covers the bases for minimum wage, benefits, and privileges for yayas in the Philippines.
As soon as you’re done, assess what your household can offer. Do your homework and ask around what yayas in your neighborhood usually get. Believe it or not, yayas in the same community or neighborhood tend to compare salaries and benefits, and they have an idea how much your next-door neighbor offers.
In an instant, you can lose either your potential candidate or your recently-hired yaya.
Know that package you’ll curate isn’t just for attracting candidates. It’s also one of the biggest factors that will make your yaya stay with you for a longer period of time.
Social media accounts give a glimpse of a person’s background, personality, and values.
You may be uncomfortable to do this at first, the photos she posts, the posts she shares, the language she uses, and the way she responds to comments are reflective of values she will bring inside your home. Don’t feel like you’re invading privacy.
It’s also important that you talk to your candidate or hired yaya about your rules in social media use. How often and how long can she use her phone in a day? Is she allowed to post photos of your home, your kids, your family, and your guests? These are simple things with incalculable repercussions once not talked about.
You may need your yaya desperately, but hopefully not to the point that you promise to give them their transportation allowance before your scheduled interview or before they actually start. Sure, it may be part of the package you curated to attract your candidates, but the thing is, it’s hard to tell whether you are talking to an actual candidate when you send money ahead of time. Be judicious and offer reimbursement instead.
It’s not just a few hundred or thousand pesos we’re talking about. It’s the trust you invested in the amount. It’s hard to gain trust once lost, so be very wary.
As already established, finding the right one can be tiring and time-consuming. When you’ve already screened five candidates and you feel like there’s no one that fits into your qualifications yet, don’t worry.
Trust your instincts. When all else fails, proceed with Plan B or C. Don’t be such in a hurry to get one that you compromise your family’s safety and well-being.
In the meantime, you may organize your schedule to see where your family members or friends can pitch in help.
You may also check companies that offer on-demand services and hire their staff on an hourly basis. There are pros and cons to this setup. Weigh in, because it might be the solution for you in the long run.
Finding a yaya may not be as simple as it was decades back. Prepare for these realities and stay patient. There’s someone for everyone – if you believe, this also applies in the context of finding your kids’ yaya.