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

Not everyone has a green thumb to care for plants and flowers and especially if one has a busy schedule it is impossible to maintain a presentable garden. HNW and UHNW clients generally have large estates and hire professional gardeners to maintain the exterior of their properties. 

Gardeners study horticulture and/or landscape design to learn about the gardening industry and master their skills. They have the skills and know-how of using gardening equipment and products. As a gardener working for private clients, it is important to understand what the clients' preferences are, for example understanding what kind of plants and flowers they like and the type of gardening products they prefer.

Required skills of a gardener to work for private clients are knowledge of formal and informal garden types, English, French, Japanese, or Italian, extensive knowledge of gardening products and types of equipment such as lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, and more. Being creative, attention to detail, knowledge, and experience of seasonal plants, flowers, and vegetables, the ability to visualise and be a team player when working with other staff members.

General duties and responsibilities of a gardener for a luxury household are maintenance of the garden and care for plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, bushes, lawns, and greenhouses. Cutting hedges, lawing the mown, digging, planting and weeding, controlling pests and managing stock of supplies and equipment. Liaising with the client or house/estate manager and give proposals to designing the garden and which equipment or products to use.

In case you are looking for your next gardener position or looking to hire a gardener for your household personnel, our consultants are available to help.

The term laundress or washerwoman are old-fashioned terms from the 19th-century. In the dictionary, it is a woman who washes and iron clothes and linens. In luxury household hiring, a laundress is widely popular and the duties and responsibilities have been modernised.

Clients could request for a housekeeper/laundress or laundress/wardrobe manager to manage their clothing, garments, and linens. The background of a laundress can vary, several are seamstresses, tailors, have worked for luxury dry-cleaners, luxury and 5-star hotels, or private families. 

A good laundress must have a number of skills:
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• Excellent organisational skills - Organising clothing by colors, season, favorite clothing pieces
• Attention to detail
• Extensive knowledge of types of fabrics and the knowledge of washing and ironing procedures
• Adaptable and good listener - Every family is different and have different preferences when it comes to washing products and procedures
• Sewing skills - Know-how of sewing machines, hemming, etc.

Everyday duties of a laundress may vary but the general responsibilities are washing and drying clothing, expensive garments, and linens, hand-washing delicates, ironing, folding clothing, and linens, managing the clients and the clients' families wardrobe also known as wardrobe management, minor repairs on clothing and linens, managing the stock supplies for laundry products, for instance, laundry powder/liquids, fabric conditioner, etc.

​A laundress would liaise with suppliers, dry cleaners and tailors, taking clothing to dry-cleaners if requested by the client. They could be responsible for packing luggage/suitcases if the client is travelling and reporting to the client, PA or stylist. 

If you are a laundress and have all the skills mentioned above please send us your most updated CV, our consultants at Morgan and Mallet would like to meet you. And if your family is looking for someone to assist with laundry duties please contact us and we can assist you and your family.

The main responsibility of a house manager is to ensure that the household of their principal runs effortlessly and making sure that every staff member knows what their duties and responsibilities are in the property.

The same as an office manager, a house manager is responsible of managing a number of employees, hiring and training new staff members, scheduling work timetables, and reporting to their boss. However a house manager is also responsible for the security of the property, for any finances related to the property and ensuring the property is fully stocked with house and any supplies needed by the principals and the staff members.

A main duty a house manager has is that they are in charge of maintaining the property/properties by planning renovation and construction plans of their principals property or a number of properties. He/she will liaise with different contractors and services to compare the offers and prices with each other and ensure they are in line with the principals requests. 

It is very important for a house manager to be responsible and reliable, have strong communication skills, and be flexible to adapt to different situations.

If you are looking to maintain and renovate your properties we recommend hiring an experienced house manager to help you make the process easier and if you are a house manager looking for a new challenge we might be able to help you find your next position.

Many of us have seen butlers in movies and tv shows working for royal families in the 19th-century, today butlers are still in high demand and work for UHNW and HNW clients around the globe.

It is very important as a butler to always work professionally and to make their principals' environment as comfortable as possible. Butlers work very closely with their principals and are a trusted household staff member. A number of butler duties and responsibilities have definitely changed within the years and many butlers are expected to adapt to the changes while still following the etiquette they have been trained to follow.

Butlers are expected to be flexible and have the ability to adapt to change given any situation by the principal. As a butler, you work closely with other household staff members to ensure the household runs smoothly, and if the principal has a special request it is the butlers' responsibility to communicate the request to the other household staff members and ensure principals' needs are met.
 
Common duties and responsibilities of a butler are, answering the telephone, wardrobe management, cleaning of silverware, crystal and antiques, supervising household staff members, hiring and training of new staff members, welcoming guests and ensuring their needs are met the same way as the principals, serving food and drinks while always providing proper service, liaising with contractors and services as requested by the principal, organising parties, dinners, and other social events.

In our present-day it is important as a butler to be tech-savvy, one might have to create online work schedules for other staff members, be in charge of the new security system that is connected through Wi-Fi, or base their duties on the principals' online agenda.

There are a number of butler schools/academies and training who train individuals who want to become qualified butlers, they are trained to perform the different types of table services, the best way is to pack a suitcase, professionalism and how to handle unexpected situations.

Morgan and Mallet International can help you find the right butler for you and your family.
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If you are a butler we can help you find your next role, please send us your most updated CV and our consultants will get in touch with you to have you registered with our agency.

Nowadays, more and more candidates who apply for Household Staff jobs are invited for an initial video interview prior to a face to face meeting with their potential employer.
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It makes sense because interviews via Skype, Whatsapp, Facetime, etc save a lot of time for both an employer and a candidate, and help avoid unnecessary travel expenses, especially if the candidate is abroad.
That is why Morgan & Mallet International decided to provide some tips on how to prepare yourself for a successful video interview.

• Video setting up. An integral part of a video interview is the quality of the sound, video and internet connection. Make sure that your interlocutor will hear and see you well. It is also very important to set up your camera at eye-level so that you are looking directly into the camera in order to make a proper eye contact.

 

• Choosing the location make sure that you have selected some quiet place with good lighting and presentable or neutral background. We would not recommend having an interview in a café, park, your car or while walking as you or your interviewer may be distracted by the background noise or your background in general, and finally it may leave a negative impression.

 

• Your outfit. Even though you are at home where you are used to wearing casual clothes, it is essential to look smart and presentable for a video interview, so preferably wear a shirt or a suit. You have to take video interviews as seriously as interviews in an office. Make sure that you have your CV in front of you and you are ready to follow it with the interviewer. It may demonstrate that you are an organised person.

Those are some basic things that you can do in order to make a good impression on your potential employer.

Consider a video interview as a privilege of technological progress that was made to save your time, especially if you are looking for a job in other countries.

When candidates are invited for an interview, they try to prepare themselves for it as thoroughly as possible.

​First of all, they try to find useful tips on the Internet like what kind of questions to expect and how to answer properly.

But the thing is that a professional recruiter will always have an individual approach to each interview because all the interviews as well as candidates and their experiences are different, each position (especially in a private household sector) is different.

In this article we would like to provide some information on how normally Morgan & Mallet International conducts interviews with candidates, what information we pay attention to and how we decide if the interview is successful.

Morgan & Mallet International’s main goals are to find a suitable candidate, to save the time of our clients while looking for household staff, and to make the recruitment process carefree for them, that is why our interviews normally last for one hour in order to understand if the candidate will be suitable for a particular position.

In the example of a Chauffeur's vacancy, we will try to explain the logic of our interviews and what we expect to hear from a candidate. Our consultants pay special attention to candidate’s skills during the interview.

• Interviewing chauffeurs, we will check if they are able to estimate the approximate travel time. This skill is important because any busy client would not like to be late for a meeting or to come too early for an appointment and waste time in a car or reception area waiting for the arranged time. 

 

• Some clients that have just moved to a new city or are just visiting may ask to recommend luxury restaurants or clubs in the central part of the city. That is why our consultants always ask to name several good restaurants and their location in order to see how familiar with the area the candidate is.  

 

• All our clients have luxury cars or supercars in their fleet. That is why we will definitely ask a chauffeur how they normally take care of luxury cars for example if they will be willing to wash the car by themselves. For some clients such a thing is important in terms of safety, as they do not want anyone to have access to their private car.

 

• Recruiting for a family with children, we will check if a candidate is child-friendly, what normally they need to have in a car while driving children and what rules should be followed.

 

• Our consultants also check the knowledge of parking rules as a good chauffeur will always plan the route so they are parked on the right side of a pavement and it is convenient for the client to get out of the car.

 

• We will also provide imaginary stressful situations in order to check how the candidate will act, and a lot more.

After the candidate has passed this part of the interview successfully, we will discuss their experience working for private families or clients.
Our consultants will ask the reasons why the candidate left the previous positions and in what environment he/she worked. This part of the interview will help to understand if the candidate will be able to stay in a particular position long.

The consultants of Morgan & Mallet International always have an individual approach to each request that we receive from our clients.
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In case you are looking for household personnel and want to make sure that you will not waste your time reviewing dozens of resumes of unsuitable candidates, please feel free to contact our agency.
​We will be happy to do that job for you. 

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It is a well-known fact that each parent wants the best for their child, especially those ones who cannot spend a lot of time with their offspring because of their career or business and have to hire childcare help.
Parents are always serious and scrupulous in the selection of a nanny or a governess for their children that is why it is extremely important to make a good impression during a face-to-face interview.

The consultants of Morgan & Mallet International would like to provide some tips on how to convince your potential employer that you are right for the job:

• First, you judge 'how nice', then you judge 'how wise'. Preparing for a face to face meeting with parents, you have to remember that you are always judged by appearances at first but by your mind later on. As a child carer and a person who will spend a lot of time with children, you are setting an example for them. First of all, your clothes have to be neat, comfortable and at the same time not revealing. Your hair should be clean and in case you have long hair, we would recommend making a ponytail or a nice updo.  Definitely, it is not forbidden to wear light makeup: neutral tones of eye shadow, some mascara and even bright tones of lipstick are preferred (but do not exaggerate with the last one, as both children and parents may not like dark purple or deep brown lips). If you like wearing accessories, we would recommend something neat and discreet for a childcare worker. It is always preferable to conceal tattoos or piercing at least for your first meeting with your future employer but you may mention about it if you are offered the position.

 

• Organise yourself. As a Nanny or a Governess, you have to be ready that parents may ask you what method of education you use or what kind of activities you are going to do with their children, or if you have any certificates or diplomas that may be relevant to a childcare position. Prepare your documents as if you are going to be hired straight after your interview. We would recommend having copies of your certificates (especially First Aid), passport copy, driving licence copy, even if you have recent DBS check you may include that to your folder and do not forget about references from your previous employers. You may also have a folder with different worksheets that you used with children or a diary template that you made for parents. Such approach to the interview will demonstrate that you are an organized, motivated and trustworthy candidate.

 

• Show positive side of your character. It is very important to be either early or on time for the interview. Meeting your potential employer, you always have to remember that you are going to take care of their children and you have to convince them that you are really a child friendly, reliable and warm person, that every child is special and unique for you and you are going to adore your client’s children as they do. You have to remember that you are the person with experience and you have to be confident in your answers that is why it is necessary to be calm, smiling and relaxed. When you have a chance to ask questions, be sure that you get all information about children, their preferences and routine and after you can discuss salary, your schedule, etc. 

If you are looking for a childcare job, please feel free to apply for our current vacancies

Many successful businessmen and businesswomen have experienced all benefits of hiring such professional time-managers and organizers as Personal Assistant.
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A qualified personal assistant can be a valuable asset both for your business and for your household.

For those who do not understand the real value of a personal assistant, and that the presence of such a candidate in your arsenal will significantly simplify your life, Morgan & Mallet International would like to provide a list of important responsibilities that can be performed by personal assistants :

• Schedule management is one of the main tasks of a personal assistant. A busy person having a lot of tasks on their table may just forget to write down some arranged meeting in a diary and miss that after all. A personal assistant will always make sure that you remember about an important meeting or appointment and will reschedule it if necessary.

 

• Make travel arrangements. A personal assistant will always be willing to organize their client’s trip should it be for business or pleasure. They can do their own research in order to find the best hotel for your business trip in any part of the world or contact special agencies in order to collect information about the best resorts for your vacation.  

 

• Secretary role. Personal assistants can even cover such basic secretary role as filtering your phone calls, answering emails or dealing with correspondence.

 

• Household management is an integral part of your daily life that takes a lot of your precious time you can spend with your family or on yourself. A personal assistant can help you with recruiting the right staff for your property as they definitely know your character, preferences and needs; they can deal with different kinds of payments; they can even contact contractors and suppliers and liaise with them afterwards so you will not need to bother if everything is done.

 

• Event planning and gift shopping. You may feel free to ask your personal assistant to organize a corporate party or, if he/she is close to your family, the PA can arrange a birthday party, as normally a qualified and professional personal assistant may have such experience in their background. â€‹They will know how to book a table in the best restaurant in the city at a short notice or will have the list of bespoke catering companies for your event. They can keep a list of gifts you gave to your friends and relatives for birthday or Christmas last year and can recommend presents in the future or you can choose the present on your own and just ask your PA to order that. A good PA will always try to get a better price for their employer.

If you are still trying to find the right Personal Assistant or after reading this article you have decided to hire one for yourself, please feel free to contact Morgan & Mallet International.

Our consultants will provide the best specialists and the right personality for you.
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In case you have all the skills listed above, please feel free to apply through our agency so Morgan & Mallet International can help you meet your future employer. 
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Before starting the recruitment process, our consultants always have a fruitful conversation with the client, as it is important to understand the needs and expectations (and sometimes negotiate some points of the position) or give a piece of advice to the client.
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One of the most essential factors for initiating the search is to determine the salary for the right candidate.

Conducting around a hundred interviews per month with candidates from all over the world, our consultants can recommend the best range of salaries taking into consideration candidates’ expectations, marked rate, certainly client’s budget and much more.

Here are some factors that should be considered while determining the salary :

• Market range is the basis for setting salary for a candidate. It is advisable to keep in mind that apart from “market” there are other factors that can affect the income of the candidate and we are going to speak about them further.

• Duties. It goes without saying that each position depending on a household has its own specifics in terms of duties. It is a common practice that for example hiring a Butler, clients usually expect them to perform some House manager jobs, or hiring a Housekeeper cooking or babysitting is required. In that case, the market salary for average Butler jobs or Housekeeper jobs may not be enough. Our candidates are always flexible in terms of duties and willing to utilise all their skills fully but a good and multitasking employee should be rewarded and valued properly.

• Schedule. We would also recommend taking into consideration the working schedule, as for example a candidate who used to work 9 hours per day will expect a higher salary while working 12 hours per day or 6 days per week. 

• Experience. It is an obvious fact is that the salary of a candidate with 10 years of work experience in private families will be different than the salary of a candidate with 3 years’ experience. If a client is willing to hire a person with many years of experience working for different clients and in different households, our consultants would recommend adding some extra amount to the initial market salary.

• Skills. Here we are not talking about such skills as problem solving, communication or any other general skills that cannot be checked without long-term cooperation with the candidate. We are rather talking about such skills as knowledge of other languages, cooking, staff management, facility management and even driving. We also have to take into consideration trainings that the candidate has completed, as the investment into professional development and additional knowledge should be rewarded. 

• Location. Finally, an insignificant detail such as location plays its role in determining the salary too. For instance, not all candidates are used to living in isolated areas or ready to leave their country that is why if a client wants a good and professional candidate to stay in a position for a long time or relocate to distant countries they will have to offer a competitive salary.

Why should you work with Morgan & Mallet International ?

First of all, our main goal is to find the right and loyal candidate for each client.
Having around 50 000 candidates registered with us, our consultants always have suitable candidates in mind after a conversation with our clients.

And the last but not the least, Morgan & Mallet International always respects our clients’ needs and wishes. 

If you are still looking for the right recruitment agency then please do not hesitate to contact any of our offices worldwide.  

We are what you are looking for.
 

Having conducted numerous interviews with Housekeepers, we have noticed that most of our candidates do not fully understand their role in a private household and underestimate their experience and skills.

Especially, while discussing duties and responsibilities, most of the Housekeepers take their position for granted.
​Therefore, at the time when it is necessary to reveal as much as possible about the role and to show that they are real professionals in their industry, they become laconic and diffident.

​It is necessary to have a clear picture of your importance in a private household and to be able to convince first of all a recruiter and then your future employer that your services are an integral part of a busy household.

In order not to be unfounded, we would like to provide some examples that the work of a Housekeeper can be described with more than just the phrase "general property cleaning". During an interview you can specify what kind of cleaning you can perform, for instance deep cleaning, steam cleaning, carpet cleaning, heavy cleaning, like cleaning windows and furniture, as well as sanitizing of bathroom, kitchen and toilet, cleaning up the bedrooms and the living room, taking out the rubbish, dusting, vacuuming and mopping, cleaning of various surfaces (wooden, marble, glass, etc.).

Talking about kitchen cleaning during an interview, it will also be beneficial to mention what exactly you do for example stove top, oven or grill cleaning, cupboard interior and exterior cleaning, weekly fridge cleaning, etc. Housekeepers really specialise in looking after their client so when they come home after work everything is done (like all the cleaning, washing, ironing, folding, making beds, etc).

In case your role as a Housekeeper includes cooking, during the interview you can provide examples what dishes you can cook or which cuisine you specialise in. If you know how to take care of a luxury wardrobe, be sure to provide examples what fabrics need hand washing or dry cleaning. Moreover, it will be a great plus if you can name products that you use to remove different stains or which of them help you keep bed linen white and towels soft. 

Whatever the scope of the role, every Housekeeper should be flexible, competent and self-motivated, and the most important thing is to use your chance and time to convince a recruiter and a client that you have all those qualities. 

If you are looking for a job as a Housekeeper, or if you are a property owner and looking for a high standard Housekeeper, please feel free to contact Morgan & Mallet International offices worldwide, we will be delighted to assist.