Finding a personal housekeeper for your family is serious business. When hiring someone to look after your valuable assets and pets it’s imperative you take the right steps and find the perfect fit. Your housekeeper will be a part of your everyday life, so hiring the right housekeeper will make your life much easier, and hiring the wrong housekeeper can make it harder.
One of the biggest pieces of advice we can offer is to clearly define the requirements for your perfect personal housekeeper. Once you are clear on your requirements, and the type of housekeeper you’re looking for, you’re ready to start your search.
There are several ways to go about finding a personal housekeeper – we’ve listed the different options below so you can get a better idea of what option might suit you best.
Self-hire
With self-hiring a personal housekeeper you are completely responsible for the full process of finding a housekeeper – from getting a job specification sent out to selecting and vetting candidates, checking references and verifying qualifications, to setting up interviews. You can take our word that it is a lot of work – but you definitely do not want to miss out on any of these steps.
Yes, it can be time-consuming, but you are inviting someone into your home and it’s important to make sure they are safe and qualified for the job. Unfortunately, there are people out there faking CVs, making up references and creating false qualifications, so diligence and persistence are key in distinguishing the right from the wrong people.
Unfortunately, there are people out there faking CVs, making up references and creating false qualifications, Click To TweetTo start the process, you can create a detailed job specification and post this on websites like Gumtree. From there, the real work starts as you will have to go through all applications, making sure you select the right candidates to potentially take further in the process.
We always advise speaking to candidates and references. If candidates are overseas, a good option is to set up some Skype pre-interviews, to get more of a feel of the candidate and how they present themselves.
Find A Personal Housekeeper Via Your Network
Another option for hiring a personal housekeeper is reaching out to your network. You can use social media like Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter to find out if people know of any good quality housekeepers. And on occasion, candidates may find your post and get in touch with you directly.
While referrals are almost always higher quality leads than from Gumtree. You would still need to go through the self-hire steps outlined above in the self-hire section.
What Is A DBS Check?
CRBs (Criminal Bureau Service) is now known as Disclosure and Barring Service. For certain jobs, such as working with or near children or working with vulnerable adults, DBS checks are a MUST. If you decide to self-hire, ensure that any formal offers are pending a completed enhanced DBS. Ultimately even if you do not have children in the property, you want to ensure that the person you are hiring is trustworthy.
You, as the recruiter, cannot apply on your own for a DBS check. You have to request one by going through one of the registered bodies that can give access to DBS checks. Polo and Tweed are one of these registered bodies and we can help you with applying for a DBS should you need us to do so.
Work With A Professional Agency
Your third option for hiring a personal housekeeper is to work with a recruitment agency. An agency will take the hard work and pre-selection off your plate, saving you a considerable amount of time. We sift through the many applications for the job. Saving you many hours, and we use our extensive and detailed vetting process. All to ensure that only the best matched and suitable candidates reach you.
While using a professional recruiter will save you time and stress, there are still a few things to consider.
- Avoid housekeeper recruitment agencies charging a registration or other form of upfront fees. This tends to be a technique employed by agents. Who are trying to make a quick bit of money before they start the work. Without you knowing if the agency is actually going to provide you with the proper service.
- Always read the agency contract or terms and conditions, and understand them clearly before you sign. Once you enter into the legally binding contract. It will be difficult to debate this later if you are not happy with the service. A good agency will have a clear and straightforward service contract.
- Value personal contact with your recruitment agency. It’s critical that you can convey your housekeeper requirements to your recruiter. And filling out a form online just doesn’t cut it. You’ll be working closely with your agent to find the right fit. So it’s important that you understand each other and can communicate clearly. If you don’t feel comfortable with your recruiter, you should consider other options.
Why Choose Polo & Tweed
Hiring a personal housekeeper can be a lengthy process. But regardless of the timeline, you are on, we would be delighted to assist with any recruitment search or advice. (And indeed if you are in a hurry!) Why not get in touch with us today and start your search!