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The New Rules of Applying: AI, Recruiters, and Private Staff in 2026
Eric leads people and operations at Morgan & Mallet New York office. Before joining the agency, he recruited software engineering interns at Google.
In this episode, he talks candidates through what actually happens to a resume the moment it lands with a recruiter, and how AI is changing the application process in ways most candidates do not realize.
In this episode:
- Why location and longevity are the two things that get a resume filtered out fastest, and what to do if your career history is harder to explain.
- How M&M is building an AI-assisted resume tool directly into its website, two routes, both designed to make sure what reaches the recruiter is professional and complete.
- Why being honest on your resume is more important than ever when AI is involved, and what happens if a candidate makes it all the way to a principal with experience they cannot actually speak to.
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Eric also covers how M&M protects candidate data, what questions candidates should ask an agency before sharing their profile, and how to demonstrate the ability to think ahead, the quality that separates good household staff from exceptional household staff, in a first interview.
He explains why private household recruitment is completely different from corporate hiring and shares real examples of what recruiters are seeing in terms of resume quality from candidates right now.
Key Takeaways
- Location is the first filter. Most clients want to hire locally and want someone who can start quickly. Candidates who need to relocate face a longer process and are often filtered out early.
- Three years of experience is the minimum at Morgan & Mallet. But longevity matters just as much. Clients want to see that a candidate has stayed with a family for several years. Short tenures need to be explained, in the interview and, where possible, on the resume itself.
- M&M is building an AI-assisted resume tool directly into its candidate application process. Candidates will be able to upload an existing resume for reformatting or build one from scratch through the website. Both routes produce a professionally formatted, M&M-branded document.
- AI does not know your experience the way you do. Before submitting any AI-generated resume, read every line. If you cannot speak to something in an interview, it should not be on there. Principals will ask, and they will notice.
- The quality that separates good household staff from exceptional staff is the ability to think ahead. The best candidates can walk a recruiter through every angle of a scenario before the client has even thought of it.
Full Transcript:
Transcript
Introduction and Background
Ben W
Welcome to today’s Morgan & Mallet episode where we’re discussing the new rules of applying for jobs with AI, especially in private household staff recruitment. I’m joined by Eric from our New York office. Eric, could you introduce yourself to our listeners?
Eric
Hi everyone, I’m Eric. I previously worked at Google as a software engineering intern recruiter, matching candidates with the right projects. Very different from what I do now at Morgan & Mallet, where I’ve been for almost two years. I started as an HR assistant in talent acquisition, interviewing candidates and managing their profiles. Now I’m in charge of continuously improving our ATS system based on feedback from candidates and consultants.
What Happens to a Resume in the First Few Minutes
Ben W
Most candidates don’t realize how much AI is already involved in recruitment. When someone sends their resume today, what actually happens in those first few minutes?
Eric
The resume gets delivered straight to our ATS, so consultants can start reviewing applications immediately. Within the first few days, consultants go through all applications for their roles, accepting or rejecting them based on the complete application, not just experience. They’re looking to see if it could be a match with the client.
Ben W
And right now, that’s still manually processed?
Eric
Yes, everything is manually processed when it comes to reviewing applications.
What Gets Filtered Out and Why Longevity Matters
Ben W
What makes a resume stand out, and what gets filtered out quickly?
Eric
Location is first – most clients want local candidates who can start quickly rather than someone who needs to relocate. Then years of experience – we require minimum three years but usually look for more. The most important factor is longevity. Clients want to see someone who stayed at a job for five or more years because it shows they can mesh with a family and household long-term.
Ben W
If that longevity isn’t there, should candidates explain it on the resume itself?
Eric
You can add a note if it’s straightforward, like a short-term contract. But 99% of the time, if all jobs are a year or less, clients will ask us exactly why. We need to believe your story, so explain it well in interviews and show it on the resume if possible. We have to communicate that explanation to clients, so the more information the better.
What Recruiters Actually See When Resumes Come In
Ben W
One recruiter told me candidates are applying for six-figure roles with resumes that look like they were put together for McDonald’s. Are you seeing AI-generated resumes or poor quality submissions?
Eric
AI-generated ones don’t necessarily look bad compared to what else I see. I’ve had candidates upload instruction manuals as resumes, medical records as applications, and two different photos of the same person in different poses. We’re developing solutions where candidates can use our application system to create professional resumes, which should eliminate applications that just aren’t workable.
The AI-Assisted Resume Tool M&M Is Building
Ben W
Tell us about this new tool you mentioned.
Eric
There will be two ways to work on resumes through our website. First, manually upload your existing resume and AI will parse it and format it into a branded M&M resume that looks professional. Second, a step-by-step resume builder for candidates starting from scratch, with AI suggestions and automatic formatting into a branded resume we can send to clients.
Ben W
This tool came from your experience reviewing thousands of resumes, so the knowledge comes directly from what recruiters and clients want?
Eric
Exactly. We want to make it as easy as possible for candidates to apply and get the information we need to match them with the right client. This should make the match quicker and easier from both sides.
Ben W
This is perfect for candidates who might only open a laptop twice a week – housekeepers, gardeners, estate managers who don’t have time to work through AI tools themselves.
What Candidates Moving From Corporate Work Need to Understand
Ben W
You moved from Google to private household recruitment. What does a candidate coming from corporate need to understand about how different this industry is?
Eric
It’s completely different. In corporate recruitment, especially software engineering, short tenures and varied projects look great. Here, longevity is very important. You need at least three years experience, ideally staying with one family much longer. At Google it was about languages and what you’ve built. Here, you need hands-on experience working with real private families.
Ben W
That makes sense. The longer you’re in a role, the more you know your client’s needs before they ask. It speaks to discretion – long-term employment makes you more trustworthy.
How M&M Protects Candidate Data
Ben W
For candidates worried about privacy – photos, personal details, references – how does Morgan & Mallet protect that information?
Eric
We’ve been implementing more security into the ATS. Our software engineer has gone through every aspect to secure it. We never release anything without letting candidates know. In the US, you don’t need to send photos, IDs, or passports unless we’re further into recruitment and need identity verification. If you’re not comfortable sending something, you don’t need to. Overseas is different, but we’ve secured our database and you’ll be notified before anything is shared.
Ben W
Are there questions candidates should ask an agency before sharing their profile?
Eric
Ask exactly what’s being shared, what the agency has on file, and when references will be checked. Anything that makes you feel more comfortable. Most consultants can answer those questions – we want candidates to feel as comfortable as possible.
How to Demonstrate the Ability to Think Ahead
Ben W
You believe the quality nobody talks about is the ability to think a few steps ahead. How does a candidate show that in a first interview?
Eric
Give concrete examples. I’ve had candidates walk me through a whole scenario – their client had a flight the next morning. They explained arranging car pickup timing, checking boarding times, ensuring the car arrived two to three hours early, packing luggage for the whole family, making sure children were asleep at the right time or kept up to sleep on the flight. They thought about every angle of what sounds like a simple task. If you can demonstrate looking at something small and considering all angles before planning, that shows you think ahead.
Most Important Advice for Candidates Applying in 2026
Ben W
One piece of advice for private staff candidates applying in 2026, knowing what AI is doing to the process?
Eric
AI can create resumes quickly and make them look professional, but it’s missing human touches you still need. It doesn’t know your exact experience unless you input it accurately. Even if you use AI tools – on our website, ChatGPT, Claude, anything – always read through the whole resume before submitting. Make sure everything listed is experience you actually have. Never be dishonest. Consultants will ask about your experience directly, and if something’s on your resume, you need to speak about it confidently and honestly.
Ben W
Great advice. AI hallucinations are real – it once told me Morgan & Mallet has an office in Barcelona. It goes back to thinking ahead: read carefully because someone will ask you about it.
Eric
Even if you make it all the way to getting hired and they ask you to do something on your resume that you’ve never done, they’ll find out. Principals in this world don’t have patience for that. Always be honest, period.
Ben W
Thank you, Eric. Listeners can subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube. If you’re looking for a role, all positions are at householdstaff.agency. If you don’t have experience for a Morgan & Mallet role yet, check out householdstaff.jobs where positions that came to us but weren’t taken get listed. It’s a good way to get your foot in the door and start building experience.