Parents always want the best for their children. When there is a need for a nanny, children undoubtedly deserve the best. It is important to be well prepared for interviews with candidates who may stay with your baby for the next few years. Think in advance what you will ask and what information you are willing to provide during the first meeting with the nanny.

A thoroughly thought-out interview will make it possible to use the time efficiently and evaluate the quality of candidates. Make a list of questions and think of the working conditions you would like to offer to a potential nanny.

​During the interview, make notes about each candidate, this way you will not get confused and will be able to objectively evaluate all applicants.

You may consider asking applicants the following questions:

Ask them to tell you about themselves. It is important to pay attention not only to the actual data (education, experience, etc.), but also to the ability to express thoughts and ideas, and the candidate’s energy. You can thus assess the level of communication skills, speech, general manners, etc. Find out where the candidates live, what interests they have.

What does the nanny understand about children's physical safety? The answer should be detailed and relevant to the age of your children.

Nutrition - find out what the nanny thinks about baby food. What products are not recommended or prohibited for children of your age group. What cooking methods are acceptable. What the nanny can cook, how varied her menu is, the ability to serve. If the baby is newborn, specify what the nanny knows about breast, artificial and mixed feeding. Hygiene rules for feeding and cooking.

Ask questions about daily routine for children. Even if the nanny’s opinion or experience does not completely coincide with yours, perhaps you will find something useful for yourself.
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Ask what the nanny thinks about organising a safe space at home. How they can ensure a balance of freedom of movement and security (what was their previous experience).

Rules of conduct for the nanny and the child in public places. Specify how the nanny will act in various situations (the child does not allow to hold their hand while crossing a busy road, likes to hide in the street, wants to accept food from a stranger, etc.)

Ask questions regarding emergency situations and first aid. You have to understand how the nanny will react in difficult situations and if you may rely on them. Find out if they have experience in providing first aid.

How and why can the nanny create emotional safety for children?

Find out how the applicant will respond to the child's refusals to fulfill their requests and suggestions.

What is going to be done in case of hysteria or aggression towards others or to the nanny.

What restrictions or prohibitions does the nanny consider necessary to introduce for educational purposes.

Exaggerate, provoke, do not be satisfied with standard, blurry, theoretical answers. The purpose is to understand what methods of influence the nanny may use (intimidation, shaming, ridiculing, blackmailing, ignoring, raising their voice, etc).

Discover how the nanny sees their role in the life of your child, how much they become attached to children, what boundaries they respect in relationships with children (kisses, hugs, says she loves them and will always be there). Find out what the nanny would do in case of a conflict between parents and children. 

Ask how the applicant understands the goals and objectives of their position. Pay attention to the first reaction as the answer should match your vision.

Clarify what the nanny can offer your child in terms of development. This is important even if you plan to organise developmental activities for your child by yourself. The time that children spend with their nanny should be interesting and useful for them.

If you are willing to take the child to the first meeting with the nannies, their reactions to one another will give you a lot of extra information that will help you make the right choice. If the applicant did not pay much attention to the child, and tried to impress you throughout the conversation, this is not your candidate. When the meeting with the candidate is over, ask your child for their opinion. Even if the child is young, just carefully monitor their reactions to each potential nanny.

The team of Morgan & Mallet International hopes you will find the perfect match. And if you need any help, please contact our offices worldwide and our professional recruitment consultants will be happy to select the best candidates for you, either for permanent or temporary roles. 

More info on www.nannies.agency

Starting a new job in an office or a private household, you will always come across the stage of adaptation. This process can be exhausting both mentally and physically as each working environment has its own rules, orders, pace and people.

As Morgan & Mallet International specialises in placing household staff, we would like to provide some tips that may help you make your process of adaptation to a new household stress-free:

• You have applied for a position that seemed interesting to you and afterwards you were invited for an in-person interview. Do not be afraid to ask questions! It is really important to understand the environment you are going to work in. Even though the job description looks pretty and everything is clear to you, it is always better to double-check, especially what is going to be in your list of duties. Ask how many people work in the property; what their positions are; who you will have to report to; if it is a formal or informal household. If it is a replacement position, ask why the previous candidate left the job. We would also recommend to discuss the salary if possible. The answers to these questions may give you a rough idea of the household organisation and if it will be easy to adapt to it. 

 

• If your interview was successful and you accepted the offer, you will have to prepare yourself for your first day. Normally, you will have a probation period and this period is not only for your employer but for you as well. If you want to adapt easily, we would recommend keeping a notebook and a pen with you everywhere, especially during the first day. Some people do not mind explaining things to you, but they may lose patience if you ask the same questions repeatedly. Moreover, in case of emergency, you will not have to wait for someone’s order but your notes will help you to take initiative. Ask as many questions about the client’s preferences as possible, and a notebook will be particularly useful in order to keep everything recorded (and your employer will appreciate this a lot). Last but not least, make sure that you know where all rooms for staff are and what their functions are.

 

• It is important to be flexible in your habits. If you are used to making beds one way but your current employer prefers another way, do not try to convince anyone to do it your way. Try to perceive criticism as a piece of valuable information to expand your knowledge and not as a reproach to your abilities or self-esteem. Practising such approach, you will always feel that you are in the right place.

 

• One of the most essential things for adaptation to your new role is to blend with the team. Perhaps sometimes you will not be officially introduced to each member of the household but if you have a chance make sure that you know the names of all team members and you have introduced yourself. It will also be useful to know their duties and responsibilities in order to know who to refer to when you need some assistance. We would recommend having a small chat during coffee/tea breaks as people might share useful information with you or you can find a person with common interests that will help you adapt to your new position. 

In case you are looking for a new challenge in your career and want to try these tips in practice, you are welcome to apply through Morgan & Mallet International. Our consultants will be happy to share with you our currently available positions.

More Info on www.householdstaff.agency

All the interviews are over and you have been offered the desired job in a private household. Naturally, you are excited about the new opportunity and eager to demonstrate your skills but also a bit nervous and unsure of what to expect from your first days at work.  
Morgan & Mallet International would like to share some tips that would help you settle into a new household easier:

1.            Listen, take notes and ask questions. 

No matter what your position within a private household is, it is always important to listen carefully to the expectations, requirements and preferences of your employers. Some of you may be lucky to have a handover period with a departing employee, in such case make sure that you use this time for better understanding of the role, the environment and the processes in the household. However, do not spend time on gossiping or listening to the leaving employee’s grievances. If you receive training from a house manager or any other employee, make sure that you ask enough questions until everything is clear to you, and take notes to remember the information better. 

2.            Teamwork 

Settling into a new team within a private household may be rather challenging, particularly if the other team members have been working for the family for an extended period of time. Trying to find mutual understanding with your colleagues from day one is essential because cohesive teamwork is the key to success within a private household. If you feel that your colleagues are somewhat unfriendly or even hostile towards you, try to talk to them openly and explain that you are not in competition with them and you are there to help them reach a common goal which is to make your employers happy. You should feel free to speak to your direct manager if encounter any difficulties with settling into the team as this may affect your performance. 

3.            Can-do attitude

When starting a new job, some things may be unfamiliar to you or even intimidating. Do not let this fact make you panic or answer that the task given to you is too difficult! If the family require something, the last thing they want to hear for an answer is a “No”. Even if the family’s request is very challenging, try to calm down and explain that you will do whatever you can to deliver the result, and make sure you do so. 

These are just a few tips that helped a lot of our candidates to do better on their first days at work. Starting a new job may be stressful but do not let this stress influence your performance and attitude.

All in all, your employers expect to receive excellent service from every single member of their household staff, whether new or existing, and everyone has to work towards the common goal of ensuring the family’s comfort and carefree time. 

If you would like to find your dream job within a private household, please feel free to contact Morgan & Mallet International, and our experts will be happy to advise you on available roles in the US, UK and abroad.

More info on www.householdstaff.agency

The term “Family Office” has been emerging over the past few decades and become extremely popular in the last few years. To shed some light on the subject for those unfamiliar with the term, a family office is a company or a structure which looks after an affluent family's wealth and interests.

There are traditional single family offices that are run by and for a single family, and multi-family offices that serve up to several hundred ultra-high-net-worth clients.  

The function of a family office is to offer a complete, holistic wealth management solution for a significant family fortune; to manage, preserve and increase the family's wealth for both current and future generations. Normally, such organisations employ staff to manage investments, properties, taxes, philanthropic activities, trusts, legal matters, while also offering personal services such as managing household personnel and making travel arrangements.

It is commonly considered that single family offices are founded by families whose high net worth is $50-100 million or more. Single family offices are extremely private organisations, this is why choosing the right people for key positions is a matter of paramount importance. 

With some variations, a family office may be made up of a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Operations Officer, Accountants, Analysts, Portfolio Managers, Investment Managers, Tax Advisors, an Executive Assistant, a Secretary / Administrator, etc. 

Typical duties of family office staff would include: 

• Managing administration (invoices, bank statements, expenditure, accounting etc.)
• Managing communications and correspondence 
• Managing business affairs, property portfolio, fortune and assets
• Acting as liaison between suppliers, sub-contractors, staff etc.
• Project management
• Managing and recruiting household staff
• Planning and organising family and social events (birthdays, holidays, evening events etc.)
• Providing astute tax and fiscal advice
• Organisation of all administrative documentation

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Morgan & Mallet International team has a wealth of experience in working with family offices and recruiting personnel for them. If you would like to find a position in a family office or you would like to hire new staff for a family office, please feel free to get in touch with our offices worldwide and we will be happy to assist.

Gamekeepers are responsible for the upkeep of animals bread on the large estate, they control pheasants, partridges, hares, etc, look after the woods and fields on the estate in the interest of hunting or fishing.

They are very hands-on, calm and patient, must have strong health and safety knowledge, strong theoretical thinking to develop plans for managing the game, be a team player and precise shooting skills.
Gamekeepers must have some type of countryside and environment certificate/diploma, clean drivers licence and a gun licence.

The duties and responsibilities of a gamekeeper depend on the season but the regular duties are always ensuring health and safety on the estate, maintenance of machinery/equipment, keeping records of details in regards to shooting or fishing, planning and organizing shooting parties, breeding game birds, up to date with the laws in regarding gamekeeping, knowledge of diseases that could arise, controlling predators and pheasants by setting traps.

Morgan and Mallet International will assist you to find a gamekeeper for your estate and if you are a gamekeeper please send us your most updated CV.

If you would like to experience the luxury of fine dining without leaving your own home, you should consider hiring a private chef. Whether it's a sophisticated dinner party or a sudden craving for some exotic dish, a full-time private chef will be able to satisfy all your needs. 

To appear on Morgan & Mallet books and be presented to private clients, chefs have to have proper training either at a top restaurant or a prestigious culinary school and have several years of experience working for private families and fine dining restaurants.

However, it takes more than just training and experience to become a good candidate for a position within a private household.

At Morgan & Mallet International we pay particular attention to the personality of the candidate. It's not a secret that it takes a certain type of personality to become successful as a private chef, and the consultants at Morgan & Mallet always ensure that the chef has a positive and flexible attitude and is happy to tailor their recipes to the clients' tastes and preferences.
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Moreover, a private chef has to be respectful, able to take criticism well, be careful and extremely attentive to detail. They should be able to multitask, work alone if required and successfully cope with last-minute changes.
 
Apart from cooking, a private chef would be required to perform a variety of duties, and no task should be too big or too small for a good private chef. Typically, the role will entail:
 
- Planning and discussing the menu with the family, House Manager or PA 
- Sourcing the best & freshest produce; looking for reliable local suppliers
- Cooking and sometimes serving meals, taking into account the preferences and dietary requirements of each family member
- Keeping the fridge, all cupboards, equipment and working place clean and tidy at all times
- Stock inventories
- Travelling with the family to their different properties and on holidays
 
The list is non-exhaustive, and the chef may be asked to perform any other reasonable tasks.
In general, flexibility and adaptability is the key to becoming successful in a private chef position. Also, the more cuisines and diets the chef is familiar with is, the more chances he/she will have to become an invaluable part of a private household.
 
Whether you are looking to hire a private chef or you are a talented chef who would like to find your dream job, please contact us at contact@householdstaff.agency and we'll be delighted to help. 

There are a number of different terms for a flight attendant, for example, airline hostess, steward/stewardess, cabin crew. When travelling and taking a plane you will definitely come across a flight attendant, they help you board the plane, serve you drinks and food and are always very welcoming and happy to help you.

​But they have many more responsibilities and duties to perform to ensure the comfort and safety of all the passengers throughout the whole duration of the flight.

Working for a corporate airline / private client and a commercial airline, there are numerous differences in qualifications and standards of service.

Working as a private flight attendant one is required to have a minimum of 2 years of experience working as a cabin crew in business class or first class, have VIP flight attendant training where you are trained to perform CPR, first aid, self-defence, use of all safety equipment and 5-star service.

As a flight attendant working for a private client they must be professional, flexible, discreet and efficient. Have strong communication and language skills, it is important that they value the discretion and privacy of the client.

The duties and responsibilities might differ depending on the client but the main duties are reporting and liaising with pilots, ensuring that all the inventories of necessary goods are fully stocked, checking onboard security protocols, serving and preparing drinks and meals proving a 5-star and premium service, regarding the dietary and entertainment preferences, table setting, flower arrangements, cabin checks and have the ability to copy and be professional during emergency situations. 
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Additional benefits that may be provided are accommodation and allowance for meals when travelling with the client.
If you are looking for a professional and highly experienced private flight attendant please contact us and our consultants at Morgan and Mallet will assist you with your search. And if you are a private flight attendant and you have all the experiences and skills mentioned above please send us your most updated CV.

There are a number of people that are in the limelight such as celebrities, politicians, businesswomen, and men. While many of them are loved and adored by the public, there are some who fear their safety when their personal space is not respected. This is when bodyguards step in, their job is to ensure that their client feels protected and arrives at their destinations in a safe manner. 

As a bodyguard for an HNW or UHNW individual, it is essential that you are attentive, flexible, discreet and reliable. If you are requested to drive you should have good driving skills and a clean drivers licence. Often you will be working in a team to ensure your client's safety which means you have to be a strong team-player. 

The responsibilities of a bodyguard are accompanying the client to trips, events, dinners, and appointments, travelling with the client but ensuring the client's safety, some driving duties if requested, protecting the client at all time from the invasion of privacy, planning of entry and emergency escape routes, however, duties might vary depending on the client. 

To work for a private client as a bodyguard you must have previous experience working in a similar role, have security training and qualifications, first aid certificate, have a clean criminal background check and military or police background is a plus.
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Please send us your most updated CV if you are looking for a new bodyguard position. If you are looking for a bodyguard for you and your family please contact us at Morgan and Mallet International and we will be happy to help you.

A property guard ensures the protection and safety of the client’s property. 

They could be working on a 24/7 rota basis depending on the property and in this case accommodation will be provided to the property guard on duty. 

Regular duties of a property guard are regularly monitoring and patrolling the property, keeping a record of who comes in and leaves the property, reporting to the principal or authorities if any unusual events occur (for example damages in the property, etc), managing security systems, for example, CCTV and alarm systems and liaising with contractors in charge of security systems. 

Client’s request for property guards with previous private property experience and security background. It is important to bear in mind that monitoring and being in charge of private property is different from being in charge of the security of a hotel or a store. 

A property guard must have numerous skills such as being alert, have good senses, strong attention to detail, flexible, professional, discreet and trustworthy. They are required to have security/protection certifications, for example, SIA licence and a first-aid certificate might be requested too.

If you are looking for a property guard for protection and safety please contact Morgan and Mallet International, we will be to assist you. And if you are a property guard and match all the skills mentioned above please send us your most updated CV.

Have you ever wondered how you can work for a celebrity, VIP, royal family or UHNW Individual and their family?

In this article, we will introduce a number of important factors to follow or consider if you are thinking of working in the luxury household industry. 

​Morgan and Mallet International is the leading agency who provide household staff to celebrities and the richest families all over the world.

The best way to find a position, is to apply on our website and follow those advises.

1. A presentable and good CV/resume

The quality of your Profile/Resume is very important as this will make the first impression of whether you are suitable for the position you have applied for and if they will invite you for an interview to learn more about your experiences and skills.

Depending on the position you are applying for you should tailor your resume accordingly to the job description. 
Your Resume should state clear dates, start and end date, job titles, and location, city, and country, of each position you have worked for and mention a number of duties and responsibilities you have performed. 

For example: 
January 2018 - Present
Butler for High-net-worth Individual
London, UK

The length of your work experience will allow the potential employer to identify if you change positions frequently or if you stay in your positions for a number of years. If you have temporary positions, it is important to mention the reason, for example, replacement or seasonal jobs, etc.

Make sure to have professional written references and contact details of your previous employers to prove your employments on your CV, references will validate the jobs you have mentioned on your CV.

2. Interview Stage

When you are invited by an agency or the potential employer for an interview it is vital that you are prepared and dressed professionally. Be punctual and ready for the interview, it is important to show that you are punctual and organised, so arriving 5 - 10 minutes before the interview will be appreciated.

Make sure that you have all the documents ready if documents are requested before or after the interview.

During the interview, your personality will shine and this will allow the interviewer to distinguish if your personality will correspond with the family’s, be friendly but keep it professional. 

Answer all the questions clearly and according to the job you have applied for. Be clear and precise but do not elongate your answers.

You could then be offered a trial day or week and prove your skills to the client.

3. The importance of discretion 

When you are offered the job when you work for a VIP client you might have to sign an NDA (Non-disclosure agreement), which means that you are not allowed to mention any information to those outside the household, you cannot post anything related to the family you work for on social media. Being discreet and trustworthy is crucial when offered a job for the rich and famous.

These are three main factors to consider when applying for a luxury household position.

If you have further questions please contact us: contact@householdstaff.agency