Tips For Hiring Household Staff That Are A Perfect Fit
When you are looking to hire staff for your home, or a client's home, there is nothing more important than finding the perfect candidate that you can trust.
As estate managers in Los Angeles, we know that a long-term fit makes brings peace of mind into the daily lives of homeowners. The right team is a source of support when things don’t go to plan and make the day to day run smoothly. From Housekeepers, Chauffeurs, and Nannies, to Personal Assistants - they are the backbone of an efficient and orderly estate.
If you are wondering how to hire domestic help, here are the things you should keep in mind. We have rounded up our top tips for hiring household staff, that you should keep in mind throughout the applicant searching process.
Craft A Perfect Job Description
A job description should describe everything the candidate needs to consider to know if the position is the right fit. Besides just providing their duties, hours, and benefits, your description should go above and beyond.
Giving insight into the lifestyle of the principal or homeowner can help set the expectations up front. A candidate’s background and level of experience are of the utmost importance for staff in large estates, and you should always give an expectation of relevant experience you’d prefer in their job history.
Let them know if the homeowner prefers them to be front and center anticipating needs, or a less visible support system in the background. Don’t forget to mention if you’d expect them to work untraditional hours, during events, or to be available for travel. These are very important for applicants to know upfront.
Set Multiple Interviews
Anyone working in a highly sought after job will tell you, they attended multiple interviews before receiving a job offer. So why should a role as important as a member of a household team be any different? There are many benefits to holding multiple round interviews for both the hiring team and the applicant themselves.
A multi-stage interview process allows you to focus on different areas and different skill sets. For example, for a housekeeping position, the preliminary interview would allow you to get to know their personality, work experience, and review the position duties together.
The second more practical interview may take place within the household, where you’d be able to review their knowledge and experience where it relates to the property in a more hands-on environment. A third-round may allow them to meet with other members of the staff, or with the homeowner directly.
All of these opportunities will give the applicant a chance to become comfortable and picture themselves in the role so that you both can decide if it's the right fit.
Review Candidate References
Another important part of the process of finding domestic staff is to review your applicant's references. Speaking to former employees and colleagues will help you better understand things about the applicant that may not be apparent during an interview.
Besides just confirming their previous responsibilities and dates of employment take a step beyond to find out how they were as an employee. Were they proactive, emotionally stable, punctual, and reliable?
Ask how they handled difficult situations under pressure, how they worked as a team and any other relevant questions that will help you decide if they are a good match for the role.
Reconfirm Details Before Making A Job Offer
Because the interview process can take a few weeks, it’s also good to do a final check-in before presenting a final job offer. Let the applicant know you are checking in to reconfirm all relevant details and make sure nothing has changed on their end during the job search.
Reconfirm your candidate is comfortable with the schedule, pay rate, and other important details for this position. Make sure that you discuss in advance if they are comfortable performing a background check, drug screening, or signing a nondisclosure agreement if necessary for the role.
Asking all of these questions one final time can alert you to any red flags, and, it’s better to be aware in advance.
Check-in Often
Once you’ve extended your offer and your candidate accepts make sure to check in often to see how they adapting to their new role.
Within the first few weeks is when a candidate discovers if this role is as described, and will be a good long term fit for their career. Likewise, it is also when the homeowner will decide if the level of service is meeting their expectations.
As Estate Managers at B | PANACHE we recommend following up with new staff once weekly during their first month, and every month thereafter for the first 6 months. These regular check in’s will allows your employee to feel comfortable discussing any areas of concern or improvement so that the homeowner is always happy. Keeping the lines of communication open is key to running an efficient and successful property.
In addition to helping you source, hire, and even set up payroll for your domestic employees, B | PANACHE estate management services can also provide regular check in’s. Being a liaison between homeowners and staff allows us to ensure they have everything needed to be successful in the role, and removes the burden from the homeowner to make improvements where needed.
To learn more about all the services we can provide in helping you find and hire domestic staff, contact us, or learn more via our frequently asked questions.