Before you accept a permanent care role

Keep the advert, offer and relevant correspondence together. Check the employer, job title, location and proposed start date. If the wording differs between documents, ask one clear question listing the points that need resolving.

Separate an offer from a confirmed start. Outstanding employer checks, documents or agreed arrangements can affect when you can begin. Do not resign or make financial commitments on the basis of an unconfirmed conversation.

Ask for the contracted paid weekly hours and how shifts are arranged. Clarify whether nights, weekends, sleep-ins, overtime or travel are part of the role and how any additional payments are treated.

Compare guaranteed basic pay separately from optional or variable payments. An hourly figure alone does not tell you the annual basic salary or what you will take home. Ask the employer to confirm the relevant figures in writing.

Check the journey at the times the rota requires, including early starts, late finishes and weekends. A route that works at midday may not work for a night shift. Consider travel between services if the job involves more than one location.

Confirm whether driving is essential and whether a vehicle is supplied or your own car is required. State any limitation before accepting rather than discovering it during induction.

Ask where to report, whom to meet, the induction timetable and what to bring. Understand which learning and checks must be completed before particular duties are undertaken.

Keep a short list of unanswered questions and send them together. OptiMatch can help clarify a role it is handling, but only the employer can confirm its final employment arrangements.