If you want to be at the top of the list for the very best Domestic Housekeeping jobs, you’ll need to equip yourself with not just the best quality Housekeeping experience, but also be ready with some extra special demonstrable skills up your sleeve. Today, candidates who are noticed by agencies and clients are those that have gone to the effort of demonstrating specialist skills.
Busy families need to rely on their Housekeepers more than ever. International lifestyles, school-runs and a hectic working and social life means many employers require their staff to be more than one dimensionally reliable. Here, we discuss what you might require to succeed in the blended role of Housekeeper / PA.
A Domestic PA (Personal Assistant) is an extremely important role – as the ‘right-hand’ to the principal, he or she will perform constant assistant duties, involving the home and family, throughout the client’s day and beyond. Many House Managers take on the Domestic PA role, however some families will expect some level of personal assistance from their Housekeepers as well. Duties can be anything from booking a table for dinner, picking up dry cleaning, to arranging couriers, travel and childcare. It is crucial as Housekeeper, PA that you are able to read the needs of your family's requirements in advance, so being a great communicator and people person is vital.
Traditionally, we know the Housekeeper duties predominantly involve overseeing all domestic cleaning and upkeep of the house, some cooking and general housework duties such as changing linen, caring for antiques and fine furniture, as well as wardrobe and vanity care. However, a Housekeeper who can not only carry out all of these duties (as well as walk the dogs) but who knows their way around a computer and, better still, an excel spreadsheet, can be invaluable to the hectic life of (for example) a bride-to-be, a large family or a busy charity events organiser with a husband who is overseas much of the time. Some larger families will have a separate PA or House Manager to take care of some of the more important elements of their calendar, but a Housekeeper with an understanding of this way of working is going to settle in far easier to this growing way of family life, than someone who doesn’t know how to turn on a computer.
If you want to be in with a chance of getting interviewed for the most special positions, you need to brush up on your extra skills. Think what makes you special - what skills you have that identify you as different from others. These now include being able to communicate and be instructed via computers. Get yourself to the top of the candidate list by getting someone to teach you how to diarise on outlook, or do a quick course on the basics through your local library or college.
To talk to our specialist recruitment team, call 020 3857 9938 or contact us here with your needs.
