Hi, I thought I'd share and see if anyone had any thoughts or advice or it may give people something to consider. I completed Cert. III in Aged Care, I went on a website and listed myself as a carer looking for work and an elderly couple in Melbourne found my profile and contacted me. I went for an interview and basically got hired there and then on the spot, I told the couple I was looking for fulltime hours which they said isn't a problem. I will be doing mainly overnight shifts. I offered to work a couple of nights free of charge as I have no paid experience and that way we can both see if we are happy. I didn't want to quit my job before accepting a job which may not work out.
I am over the moon I found this type of work, the couple seem really lovely. After speaking to another carer they had working for them, it seems there are a lot of jobs like this and you can pick and choose your clients and it is better to have permanent shifts with a couple of clients rather than just one. I have found the wage to be $20 an hour, and working overnight I found it relatively easy, with a little bit of adjustment of getting most of your sleep during the day. Working overnight with this one couple is a 12 hour shift, so I may be able to have a permanent job plus a part time job.
One thing I found was the carer I met brought her own flat sheet, blanket and pillow to sleep on the couch so you don't inconvenience the client. My clients used a whistle when they needed assistance. Has anyone done this type of work? How are you finding it? And does anyone have any advice?
I found finding this type of work far easier in the sense of finding permanent shifts. One downfall I think is that I may need an ABN and I will have to work out my own tax and super, but I'm sure after a bit of time I will get the hang of it. Anyway, I thought people may find this useful as I didn't consider doing this type of work as I did not complete a Home and Community Care Certificate.
