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People with disabilities who manage their own attendant services to help with activities of daily living have a lot of responsibility. Sometimes I feel like a human resources manager! We have to hire new attendants, and keep them to try to minimize turnover. People often ask me for suggestions for finding good workers, and for keeping them.

Recruitment and retention of personal assistants (PAs) are among the biggest concerns for people with disabilities. And it seems to be getting harder. When the economy is relatively strong, there are a lot of job openings, and a tighter labor market. That means we're competing not only with other home care users, but also with all kinds of employers, some offering better wages and benefits, and requiring fewer skills.

So how can we make our PA jobs attractive enough to draw high-quality applicants? Here are some suggestions:

Write a clear, informative, and attractive ad. Make sure to include key elements such as area of town, basic duties, required and preferred qualifications, wages and benefits, available shifts and weekly hours.

Advertise in a smart, targeted way. Think about where to place your ad. I used to place help wanted ads in an urban daily newspaper, but this was very expensive, and it also caused my phone to ring pretty much continuously, so that I couldn't get anything else done! And most of those calls were not from viable candidates. I've found several other strategies to be both more manageable and more successful.

These strategies include: flyers at local bookstores and schools and community centers, and help wanted ads in my local alternative weekly paper and in local college campus newspapers. My current favorite is craigslist.com, an Internet service which is usually free to individuals. With ads on craigslist, job applications and inquiries arrive via e-mail, which for me is easier to manage.

Don't forget about word-of-mouth recruitment. Talk to your friends and colleagues who employ PAs, and to your PAs who may have friends who are also interested in this type of work. Let people know what shifts you have open. You just might find someone who needs a little extra part-time work.

Give a full and accurate picture of the job. Both in your advertisements and during interviews, explain the duties thoroughly. Don't try to sugarcoat the job in an attempt to "sell" it to applicants. Make sure prospective workers know what kinds of duties they will have to perform, and how busy they will be. I always ask people if they feel comparable with bodies and with hands-on work, and I describe the regular tasks in great detail. My rule of thumb is full disclosure -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- all explained in straightforward, matter-of-fact terms. That way, there are no surprises. People who know exactly what they're getting into are more likely to stick with the job.

Think about, and point out, all the benefits of the job. While you should not gloss over the difficult job duties, don't forget to mention the perks! Here's how I put it in my response to applicants: "The benefits of this job include: a comfortable, casual working environment; the chance to learn about and participate in the disability rights movement and related issues; and occasional (optional) travel opportunities." You may have other perks to offer the right person, such as Internet access, or involvement in sports or hobbies.

Pay well if possible. If you have any flexibility in your budget, work out a range of pay rates. Try to offer a competitive starting wage, while also leaving room in your budget for raises. If you can do that, be sure to advertise it! For example, I often put in my ad something like, "Regular raises given for outstanding performance and reliability."

Advocate for better wages and benefits for home care workers. If you get your personal assistance services through Medicaid or some other program, there may be only so much you can do as an individual to make PA jobs attractive. Public policies at the state and federal level may limit the resources available to increase wages and benefits. For most workers, the primary considerations in accepting or keeping any job are pay and benefits, especially health benefits.

Although they help maintain the health of people with disabilities, home care workers often can't get the health care services they need themselves. Two out of every five home care workers lack health insurance coverage, according to the Paraprofessional Health Institute. Studies have shown that health benefits are a key factor in recruiting and retaining health care workers.

So one of the best strategies I can suggest is to actively promote policy changes that will strengthen the wage and benefits structure available to home care workers and their clients. Granted, this is a longer-term strategy; it's not going to get you a new PA tomorrow. On the other hand, when your current PAs see you advocating for their rights, they just might think they have a pretty cool boss -- and that might encourage them to want to keep their job.

For more information on hiring assistance, see Ten Tips for Clients Hiring a Personal Aide.