,

Social Media and Domestic Staff Hiring

Most of us have some type of a Social Media platform (instagram, facebook, tiktok, etc.). I applaud the household professionals who use these platforms for self promotion. For example a Private Chef will show off his food, a butler will have a nice table set or a tutorial on how to shine shoes properly. In the case of my recent run in with a Head Steward looking for a position, she used her social media platforms to promote more than her skills.

Turn off your social media when interviewing.

Listen to my latest story on this Social Media Disaster.

 

/by
,

Lou Hansell hangers, an amazing add to your wardrobe.

Check out my video talking about each of the high end hangers.  A butler, household manager, estate manager, housekeeper will appreciate these works of art.
/by
, ,

Keep Your Receipts!

This is something that needs to be said. Most of us do this and stay on top of it, but for a few, this can save your job and your credibility.

/by
, ,

Live-In, Live-On, and Live-Out


 
It is important that you have the housing situation understood before the contract is signed. Who is paying for the electric, internet, etc. These are items that need to be discussed with the client or the agency. It can be the Estate Manager, Butler, Household Manager, Domestic Couple, and or the Senior Companion. Take the time to view the housing while on the interview or through a video walk through.

/by
,

Candidate Website For Domestic Staff, Household Managers, Butlers, Estate Managers

 

Is A Resume Enough? Will this give you the edge?

You can showcase yourself as a Butler, Estate Manager, Household Manager, Private Chef, in a website custom built for you.

/by
,

Stop Putting “Hired and Fired” on your Resume

 

If you are currently looking to be hired as household professional staff, watch this video to learn why putting “Hired” and “Fired” on your resume is not best practice.

/by
,

Tips for hiring Domestic Staff. Butlers, Estate Managers, Household Managers, Etc.

 

If you are looking for hire household professional staff here are some tips that may help get you started.

1. Job Description
2. What frustrates you most about your current staff
3. Keep communication going with your agency you are working with…

/by
,

Clients, Candidates, and Credit Cards

 

The age old saying of “never mix friends and money” is wise and well known for a reason; money often adds a layer of to any relationship, personal or professional. In professional settings it is important for all parties involved to set the tone for how the use of employer provided funds is handled and tracked. This post will cover this topic from candidate and client point of view, as well as provide some useful suggestions for each.

 

For our clients:

Trusting any new employee takes time, especially if you may have had an unfavorable experience in the past with other domestic or professional staff. Introducing a new employee to your estate, home, or team and providing them with funds and/or a credit card can actually be a safe and effective way for you to gain trust between each other without risking too much. This will be a great tool to use for your new House Manager, Personal Assistant, Nanny, or Butler.

Your first and primary step to take should include setting a rather low credit limit at the beginning, this lowers your risk level. The limit could depend on your expenses and the position. If your house manager is responsible for buying groceries and not much else, perhaps you could start out with a $5000-$7,000 limit. If you have hired an estate manager that needs to hit the ground running and pay for larger costs, you may need to increase that limit to the thousands based on your budgets and projects. Alternatively, if your nanny is not doing much shopping and perhaps just buying snacks and small meals, a $2000 limit at first could be effective. It is important to note however, you should provide your new employee with a credit card as soon as possible. Providing them with their own form of payment method removes them from feeling awkward or obligated to use personal funds with the need for reimbursement. Most of us can recall a time when it was a struggle or impossible to retrieve funds that were supposed to be reimbursed to us.

 

For example, a private chef I placed on a large estate in Atlanta for a high-net-worth family noted a time when he began with a combo of card and cash, which allowed him to gain the trust of his clients and still be able to spend more than his card limit if needed, or if he were shopping somewhere such as a farmer’s market. Even a small cash limit that is reconciled can be a great way to provide your employee with funds in the meantime their new card is processing.

 

For our candidates:

It is very important to understand the necessity of having access to employer provided credit cards or funds. If you are a house manager, estate manager, or personal assistant many of the errands you will be running will include the need for you to spend money. Please think twice about paying for something on your own, especially in large amounts with anticipation of getting reimbursed promptly. If the principal you work for is affording to maintain a large estate with domestic staff, your small reimbursement may take as long as one or two paycheck cycles if it has to go through different channels and be reimbursed to you in the form of a check.

Additionally, you should be extremely responsible when handling others money, especially your boss’ money. A good house manager or estate manager should be well versed in tracking expenses and receipts. If you are newer to a domestic profession, you should research and ask trusted friends and sources how to best manage spending, track/report expenses, and maintain/organize your receipts. Many of the nannies that I work with know there are a lot of perks to caring for children of high-net-worth families, but be cautious to not let that cloud your judgement or integrity. If you are a nanny, house manager, or personal assistant, you must remember to never get lost for a moment and think that innocently adding a candy bar or a soda to the grocery cart for yourself is ever acceptable.

 

In closing, this is a friendly reminder for my domestic professionals, both clients and candidates, that it is quite important to give a fair amount of thought in how you anticipate expenses being handled. Reimbursement situations put too many people in vulnerable situations, and that trust and communication are above everything to make an estate run smoothly. If used properly, the ethical use of other people’s money can be a fantastic tool to develop trust on any estate or in any home.

 

At The Robert Hanselman Domestic Agency, we value your expertise and aim to be a resource for you as a domestic staffing candidate. Our nationwide searches for domestic staffing have connected our team with an invaluable reach of advice, ideas, and expertise into the world of high net worth homes and estates.

/by
,

Blowing an Interview Because You Talk Too Much

Don't Talk Too Much

Seriously, Shut the %*!& up !

My friend and business associate, David Gonzalez, and I worked on a placement together and we had a few candidates blow the interview because they talked way too much during the interview. All of these candidates are excellent private service professionals. However, no one would even consider hiring them because they would drive the principal to drink. Here is a little blog from David to help you prepare for your next interview.

Sorry for the offensive headline, but it’s far less offensive than job candidates who don’t know how to stop talking during interviews.

I learned long ago from an old boss that some people can “talk themselves into one end of a deal, and then right out the other.” Loosely translated, this means that the most important point of any sales, negotiation, or presentation is knowing when to shut the *%!# up. It’s that simple, but so hard to do. I’m certainly guilty of this as well, because I love information and love to share it even more, but just ask my wife and kids… sometimes I just don’t know when to shut up! I can’t emphasize enough how vital this concept is while interviewing for a job or communicating important ideas, and so few know how.

Domestic Staffing Interview

Recently we’ve been hearing from candidates who seem unaware that employment agents and potential employers are not therapists. Perhaps the isolation of Covid-19 is depriving people of meaningful communication, but I can assure you that a job interview is not the place to relieve pent up quarantine conversations. At the informal stage a bit of small talk is genuine and human, but when it gets into the job and employment details, it is time to get focused.

Active listening and clear, concise answers are the most rare talents, and easily set apart the best candidates from their peers. We want to know more about you but we definitely don’t want to know everything! Listen, listen, listen, and then give back direct answers and examples based on exactly what was asked. Be professional and confident in your abilities, but don’t be arrogant. If we’re talking to you there is already a solid level of interest based on your written presentation and employment history, so you don’t have to re-sell any of the positives that are not in question. Again, listen and follow the interviewer’s lead so you can discuss what they believe is relevant to the next steps in qualifying you. When you finish your answer, just stop talking! And NEVER go on a self-promoting rant about how great you are, your own glamorous lifestyle, your IQ, or anything that can be interpreted as bragging or self-promotion. This isn’t about you, it is about how you can be of service and value to the employer. Full stop.

And it’s not just you. Some clients are horrible at this too! I’ve actually told several candidates before their interviews to try not to speak at all. Let the client ramble as much as they want, and they’ll think it was one of the best interviews they’ve ever had! Trust me, it works. Unfortunately, those clients don’t have the slightest idea how to conduct proper interviews, and they are lucky if they have a decent agency helping them hire. The point is, if you don’t have a feel for who is talking and how much during your professional interactions, you are the one blowing it. Know when to shut your own mouth to make the conversation work.

Talk Too Much

Pay attention to this concept in your next conversation. You might be the best candidate for the job but your awkward conversations have people pulling out their hair on the other end of the phone. I’ve had interview calls where I stopped talking completely and timed how long it took until the other person asked if I was still on the line. Their resume got a big X. Please don’t let this happen to you. I would suggest looking up articles on active listening and interview skills, and anything on effective communication. Learn and prepare before any important professional call and you’ll be well ahead of the pack. Good luck!

 

At The Robert Hanselman Domestic Agency, we value your expertise and aim to be a resource for you as a domestic staffing candidate. Our nationwide searches for domestic staffing have connected our team with an invaluable reach of advice, ideas, and expertise into the world of high net worth homes and estates.

/by
,

Finding The Right Luggage for your Boss.

Does everyone need Louis Vuitton Luggage?

To all of my house managers, personal assistants, and companions you can easily recall a time a client called upon your expertise and advice when they go to make a decision. Whether it be fashion, event, or otherwise; you add value to them by being knowledgeable across many avenues of luxury and quality aspects of life. As we continue our “Learning Luxury” series, I want to discuss the topic of what a good quality piece of luggage means to you and your boss, and also how to care for as you would any other of the belongings within the estate.

Having worked in many estates, mansions, and luxurious residences; without a doubt you have seen beautiful luggage and baggage. If your current or future employer is going to ask your opinion on luggage or ask you to go buy them additional pieces (trusting your judgement), what would you do? I think most readers that may not work at an estate or work with high net worth families as their staff would be surprised at some of the options and choices we will explore in this post.

If you are fantasizing the life of the “rich and famous” you are probably thinking about a reality TV show when the cast took a trip somewhere and the camera always pans to the beautiful, high-end luxury luggage. Probably the most noteworthy luggage we often see on TV associated with luxury is Louis Vuitton, you would be surprised that while they have excellent products and materials, many of the high net worth families we work with for domestic staffing utilize other noteworthy names more often than not.

Many of the name brands we see within the closets of families we provide domestic staffing to include brands such as: Tumi, Rimowa, and even Samsonite, Globe Trotter, and Briggs & Riley.

 

 

When discussing this topic with a house manager that I placed with a family in Colorado, I was intrigued as he spoke about his time working in very high-end hospitality and how he took note of what luggage the high net worth guests would arrive with. More often than not, he noted on their choice of function and quality over name brands and flash. The two he saw the most included Tumi and Rimowa. If you research these brands, they offer extremely high-quality luggage, with both a reputation of functionality and also a dash of flare and fashion. The nice part of brands like Tumi and Rimowa is they offer high quality pieces at a price that can be considered an investment but isn’t based on a pop-culture fed value. Rimowa is known for their very high end and durable aluminum luggage that is very popular with high net worth households looking to ever so slightly flaunt what they got. Tumi is also known for their ability and desire to personalize their luggage with initials that will save your boss and potentially you time at the luggage carousel after a long international flight.

If you know your boss and understand they want the high-end flare of something like a Louis Vuitton, a well-trained salesperson should be able to guide you, but you should know the length of their trip, how many outfits/shoes/accessories, etc. so you can pick the appropriate size. You should also know if they want the traditional monogram or something more subtle.

As always in our “Learning Luxury” series we like to discuss how you yourself as a house manager, personal assistant, companion, etc. can experience the same impressive levels of luxury and high quality that your bosses experience on a day to day basis. My curiosity on what my successful house managers and estate managers buy for themselves led me to having this exact conversation with them. Many noted have some smaller pieces of very high-end leather goods such as Louis Vuitton, but as they fly commercial in their free time, they often opted for brands such as Tumi, Samsonite, and Away for their checked luggage. A house manager on a Florida estate was very impressed with Away luggage as they offer a lifetime warranty and has a stylish approach to their esthetic. He also noted it has been seen on many reality TV shows. If you have a boss that is perhaps a bit more fiscally conservative when it comes to purchases, this arena of brands may be a great option for them as they were designed to be thrown around when traveling commercially (this is good if the jet doesn’t do long trips internationally).

Caring for your bosses’ luggage should also be covered and taken seriously, especially given the amount of money they do ultimately spend on it and given your job as a house manager or estate manager is to care for their belongings and make them and their estate look good, especially when others are around. If the luggage comes with a dust bag, USE IT! They were designed to prolong the life and ware of the piece. If the luggage comes home from a trip with a scuff or a scratch, research with the company on how to best remedy the situation. If you are fortunate enough, your boss loves a good show and their closet features glass cases or cupboards to showcase their beautiful pieces, but chances are you don’t work for a Kardashian or a Real Housewife so keep that thing out of light and clean. If the piece is leather, you should also be cognizant of the moisture and temperature within your bosses’ closets.

In conclusion, luggage can say a lot about a person, just like any other material item. Get to know your bosses and you can help them in their purchases when asked, suggest gift ideas if needed, and help someone as they navigate sometimes newly chartered waters of wealth and quality products. As a house manager, estate manager, personal assistant, companion, or any other type of domestic professional working with The Robert Hanselman Domestic Agency, we value your expertise and aim to be a resource for you as a domestic staffing candidate. Our nationwide searches for domestic staffing have connected our team with an invaluable reach of advice, ideas, and expertise into the world of high net worth homes and estates.

 

 

/by