Tag Archives: household management

As Household Managers begin returning to work, they are going to be tasked with many new responsibilities. The expression “Walking / Working Manager” is taking on increased saliency as households recover from the real psychological scars created by COVID, quarantine and pandemic fears (which are ongoing). A Manager who sits …

A Butler needs to know a lot about the household he or she is working in. The Butler needs to know the entire house; from the household maintenance programmes, through to the daily duties of the house and domestic staff working within its walls. Many UHNW households have an estate …

I am sure at some point, somewhere, each of us have been told “Don’t pick up a hitchhiker!” There are times, however, that hitchhikers choose to pick us up. Those are the ones to be on guard against. Am I being cryptic enough yet? Well, let me get to the …

The gift of writing is an exercise in emotional intelligence that I don’t take lightly. Being able to revisit an arduous journey brings a sense of peace and fulfillment few words can match. Although I have had many benefits being a second generation Estate Manager, from the outset, I have …

An Interview With A Chief Stewardess There are words that have the ability to evoke images and sounds. The name Natasha is such a word. That final syllable – that “shah” sound – is a gentle breeze filling the sails of a sea-faring vessel. “Shaaaahhh…” and I can visualize the …

I am often asked by individuals with varying professional and educational backgrounds for suggestions on ways to “break in to” the Private Service field. Specifically, I am most frequently asked for ideas on how one might become a Household Manager. The route to becoming a household manager It is a …

Employing foreign staff in a domestic household is a common practice in the UK. There are many advantages to hiring foreign workers in a UK household if they come with a wealth of skills and knowledge of a second or sometimes third language. According to a recent study by the …

Having viewed thousands of domestic staffing resumés and cover letters over the course of several years having been involved in and connected with the often volatile world of recruitment, the way applications have ‘evolved’ in terms of appearance and content is a little concerning from my perspective. The static language …

Training at the front end of any career, and ongoing until the day we retire, at least, is a given for butlers and household or estate(s) managers today. In the old days, the only training route was on-the-job training and apprenticeship that was hands-on heavy, light on theory, and limited …

Let’s face it, Private Service is not necessarily on top of every young kid’s top ten list when they are asked by Uncle John what they want to become when they grow up. Sadly, if little John Jr. or little Mary were to answer “I want to be a Household …