Ask the right questions
Besides sussing out potential hires’ experience caring for seniors, The Mather’s team asks questions that drill down to motivation. “I like to ask interviewees who their favorite co-worker is at their current position,” says Katherine Newton, director of culinary arts and services for The Mather. The question reflects the traits they admire and strive toward, and whether empathy and care are among those, she says.
Candidates’ hobbies can also serve as a solid indicator of compassion, says Kevin Toole, director of dining services at Cloverwood Senior Living in Pittsford, N.Y. “If they talk about materialistic things, that’s a bit of a turn off for me,” Toole says. “If they say, ‘On my time off, I like experiencing nature, volunteering or spending time with family,’ that shows that they are mindful.”