Top 7 Tips for Hiring a Household Manager: Seasoned Pro vs. Newbie Hire
In private service, experience matters. But if you’re new to hiring a house manager, you may default to hiring someone outside of the industry and training them, which can work for your needs—especially if you think a house manager’s responsibilities are similar to a personal assistant with project management skills. And while they are, they’re also so much more. Let’s look at other factors critical to an employee's success and longevity.
In addition to saving a life, understanding HR practices, and having the skills required for high-tech homes, private service differs from almost any other industry due to the broad range of experience needed and the personal nature of working inside someone’s home. Personality, communication, and realistic expectations will make or break anyone in a new role. (The most challenging aspect might be the personal connection with the homeowners and clarifying assumed expectations.) These unique challenges are intrinsic to your service provider's success.
In my first role as a house manager, the Director of Residence tried to prepare me for the expectations of 24/7 service. Having come from outside of the industry, I thought this meant I’d be on call for occasional household emergencies and late-night events. However, I quickly understood that when the principal was awake, so was I, and then some.
These were 20-hour workdays during his visits – being available until 2 a.m. in case he needed anything, and I was expected in the kitchen at 6 a.m. the next day to meet with the chef and senior housekeeper to discuss the day's events. This exhausting experience quickly sent me down the rabbit hole of, “I went to college for this?”
To get more in alignment with your new house manager, setting your sights on a long-term fit, let’s look at the additional factors that will be crucial to hire a near-perfect fit for your role.
1. Personality, Attitude, Enthusiasm and Demeanor
Do you like them? Personal boundaries are essential, and I’m not suggesting you become friends. However, since the focus is hiring someone who might stay in this role for 5 to 10 years, it helps if you enjoy their company. Can they roll with the punches? It’s not likely that you can include everything in a job description, and often, your new house manager will need to accept that. The pace and demands of your lifestyle are also hard to define and convey. Additionally, it is helpful to know whether they are introverts or extroverts. Do they need routine or variety? Are they thinkers or feelers? Would they prefer to work independently or as a team member? Are they take-charge or diplomatic collaborators?
2. Natural Organization Abilities and Tech Skills
How complex are your home and personal needs? Do you plan large, formal events? Is your house formal or informal? Assessing these and having your house manager be your go-to person for solutions for most of your lifestyle needs is critical.
3. Leadership, Management and Teamwork
Do you have existing tenured household staff in place? If your candidate has an attitude of “My way or the highway,” think again. This will depend on the size of your staff and the dynamics of their roles. However, it’s in no one’s best interest to rock the boat with existing staff until the house manager gets on board and up to speed.
4. Training and Onboarding
Do you have a training program or an existing house manager for onboarding, or do they need to hit the ground running and figure out the details? A good training program with frequent check-ins will last one to three months. If they are onboarding themselves, you’ll need to allow more time for them to absorb the family’s needs, household demands, and staffing dynamics; while, at the same time, hoping that no emergencies or mechanical failures happen during this time.
5. Communication Style and Frequency
Are you available for frequent communications and weekly feedback? Is your candidate a wordy storyteller, or can they get to the point? There’s much guesswork in private service; the less instruction they receive, the more grace you’ll need to give them. But effective communication is vital to everyone’s happiness.
6. Emotional Maturity
Ideally, you’re looking for “the calm to your storm” —they should be your go-to solution provider. This is hard to define and test, but the first stressful day will reveal everyone’s true self. When emotions are high, you’ll want a leader to lean on. Find out all you can about their background and past employment experiences.
7. Budget
Believe it or not, even billionaires have budgets. That said, if you require 24/7 service, pay up! There’s nothing more demeaning than discovering that the housekeeper makes more per hour than the house manager. But aside from the salary, consider the cost of training and onboarding, mistakes that any new employee will inevitably make, and the recruiter’s fee, not to mention the time associated with advertising, vetting, interviewing, and hiring new staff.
It’s in everyone’s best interest to invest time in hiring someone who is ultimately a trusted business partner. My best suggestion is to hire a luxury home management consultant like myself to assess your needs and the complexity of your home. Then create a job description specific to your needs and your house's requirements. And then find a trusted domestic staff recruiter to do the search and vetting. The time and money invested in this process will pay off in the long run. Even if the first candidate doesn’t work out, you’ll have your personal and property needs assessed, and the job description created. Your recruiter will be well-informed about the needs and personalities of your existing staff and, ultimately, who might be a better fit for the next placement.
Need some help with that?
We’ve got the tools, templates and training videos that you need to hire your top-notch team—all in one, easy-to-access place. Learn more about the How to Manage a Mansion™ Personnel Recruitment module:
The HTMM™ Personnel Recruitment module is for any homeowner, personal assistant or estate manager who’s interested in hiring staff and wants to easily track all of the details of collecting and reviewing resumes, create an at-a-glance summary of the candidates’ desirable qualities and to document communication from advertising the position to making a job offer. Learn more about How to Manage a Mansion™ here.
