Our Best Advice

JOB DESCRIPTION – Top Jobs

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 | Our Best Advice | Comments Off

Corning Gorilla Wallpaper Image. Photo: courtesy of Corning Glass

June 8, 2011. Job Descriptions always have a gray area since there is no way to fully know what’s entailed until you’re on the job. For instance, we place Butlers who work full time in that job description, who suddenly find themselves doubling up as occasional Cooks, but it wasn’t in the initial Job Order. Or a PA or Estate Manager who provides an occasional meal, or prepares them when the Chef is off. Job Descriptions are diverse, they’re tailored to each client as they wish. TIP: be truly flexible and open, don’t just say you are.

We’re famous for anticipating ahead our clients needs. We recommend an Applicant interview the job to see if there is chemistry and fit between the Employer and Employee, regardless of whether all the details are known. Work that a candidate doesn’t normally do, but has the skills to preform, can be fun. You won’t know until it’s undertaken, and your approach or powers of negotiation of how things will be accomplished is key. An attitude of enthusiasm that begins every day, and needing to be tuff but also open and play-full. I’m amusingly reminded of Corning Gorilla tuff glass campaign (wallpaper of this adorable primate here). See our SITEMAP for great TIPS, and share Our Best Advice. Below are some great summer TIPS.

We placed an Estate Manager Top Job. The Employee had beyond expert skills and experience. However, the client felt uncomfortable during the trial period (which we provide for free). It turned out the employee’s overzealous enthusiasm to straighten everything out “wrong”, was undertaken on fast track. By attempting to immediately take over the scope of the work all at once, it also resulted in taking away the clients control over their own preferences. The person was let go. The Client simply didn’t wish to wait for the employee to figure them out. Employers want employees to anticipate their needs. The employee lost a job despite their top skills, expertise, top references, and having one of the best resumes in the country.

In this instance it wasn’t so bad because the candidate will find another job, their skills are unquestionably prime for Luxury Estate Jobs, and they learned their lesson.  Of course, it could also be said the client failed to communicate their needs to the employee to slow things down, and things were lost in translation. Communication requires conscious approach by at least one party, not just the ‘right words’ or intentions. Don’t expect the boss to have it, or their representatives, or the person who supervises your work. TIP – No matter how good you are at your work, practice deepening your communication skills as part of continuing learning education. Don’t take it for granted.

Combinations of multiple skills can overlap with staff to take over some of their tasks on days off. This is important when a client has several homes and travels between them. Like a PA who’s able to double up as a Nanny when nannies rest. TIP – Nobody can work straight through a trip, regardless of how committed they are to the job. We encourage clients to have enough people on hand for rotating rest periods. Mistakes happen when people are jet lagged, that could be dangerous for childcare safety. Things need to flow easily and expertly, not geered to scramble in chaos, as many homes are adducted to today. A graceful life is part of having our serenity, your home should run beautifully.

There are Houseman-Butler positions that may require animal care, such as dog walking and grooming as a specialty added skill of the job. We’ve often suggested to clients to be willing to pay for an employee to learn specialty skills, rather then replace a member of their staff they’re happy with. Recently we placed a housekeeper with a new client who had to take care of an extensive group of animals the clients adore. The housekeeper absolutely loves (loves!) animals. It turned out great for both parties, and ended a revolving door. You might be a Chef who doubles up as a Butler to serve the meals, but you don’t like to serve.  Have a kitchen assistant to help with duties of preparing and cleaning up.  The Chef leaves immediately after dinner, and the kitchen maid continues her work to finish up. She comes in later the following day.

lava flow - fire and water embrace

The art of staffing is an Art of expertise, not just about filling job descriptions. We’re proud to say that ISA staffing is famous for our expertise to make our clients home run not just smoothly, but optimally. JOBS are as unique as our clients. If you have top expert skills and experience with top references contact our domestic help agency to find your dream Job. Our clients pay Top Salaries for the best domestic help workers. We’re famous as the best household help agency in the field. If you’re an Employer whose home is not run like a five star hotel, we’re famous as the best help agency to see you get that. We have the longest history as experts in luxury estate staffing.

Speaking of History, although we’ve had luxury food as part of our gastronomic scene for centuries, it’s well known by Chefs that not everyone has the same idea of what is luxury food. Tastes and times change. Ancient Egyptians are credited with introducing the world to foie gras, but today few homes serve it, as meals have become oriented towards health and fitness. Yet many clients in the past loved it and insisted it be on the menu, believed that having fat in our diets was quite healthy. Romans cultivated oysters as early as 100BC, today they’re not promoted as a healthy food. Although caviar first appeared around 1590 in England, sturgeon has been part of the culinary scene in the Middle East and Eastern European diet since pre-historic times. Tastes change but some remain classics. Try some of the classics out and see. I recently viewed videos of someone who’s considered to be one of the top nutrition experts in the world. He works with doctors and clients internationally. It was puzzling to see how dried out his skin was and how wrinkled the face with premature aging. How people can be so disconnected by what they promote, from the results on themselves, is beyond me.

the wisdom of Natalie Portman

I love vegan raw food (but I’m not a vegan), which is being promoted as an ‘ancient diet’. This is a myth.  Man has always consumed animal protein. The Native American Indian’s invented Beef Jerky to take on long horse trips and plains Indians used it to survive weather conditions while moving from one location to another. Not a good idea to cultivate a diet so extreme it’s no longer flexible and adaptable to conditions at hand, mother nature likes freedom and variability. I own up to trying different diets to experiment, and love the flexibility to try all of them as my body changes. Recently, a young lady in her twenties I mentor decided to go on a high protein diet and give up her vegan way. Natalie Portman gave up being vegan once she was pregnant, though she’s passionate about it. Be flexible. Similarly, a TOP JOB must cater to work for the needs at hand. Take a TIP from ancient times as to what luxuries are preferred. Don’t become  too attached to trends and fashion, the old ways can still work.

Our Best Advice has been brought to you by www.ISAstaffing.com a specialty agency in the domestic help field. Visit often for other great ideas, and browse Domestic Staffing Services to see Job Descriptions.

Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills. Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Woodland Hills, Topanga Canyon, Torrance, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Mareno, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Ventura County, California, New York, &  the greater United States…

Tags: Bel Air, BEVERLY HILLS, Bodyguards, Brentwood, Butlers, CHEFS, Cook-Houseman-Butler, Cooks, Domestic Help, domestic help agency, Estate Manager, estate staffing, gourmet food, Help, Hollywood Hills, household help, Household Staffing, Household Work, Housekeeper-Laundress, housekeeper-nannies, housekeepers, Houseman-Cooks, Housemen, job order, Jobs, Kitchen Maid, Luxury Estates, Luxury Foods, Maids, Malibu, Nannies, nanny, PA, Pacific Palisades, Personal Assistant Jobs, Personal Assistants, Santa Monica, Security, TIPS, top jobs, Top References, Top Salaries

JOBS – Attitude Keys

Sunday, May 29th, 2011 | Our Best Advice | Comments Off

Attitude Keys

To get great JOBS optimism and effective coping styles are most important along with top references and work experience. At ISA staffing we found the best jobs were gotten by those who had the most positive attitude. Turns out that for optimal aging, attitude keys are also most important. According to recent science reports this extends our lives most, rather than traditional measures of health and wellness. Here are TIPS to help you work your dream in household help or other job description in the domestic help field.

Smart Employers and Estate Managers hiring for the best jobs agree that changing your attitude goes first when you need to put your best forward.

This means you need to go beyond merely “thinking outside the box”. There is no box, only the one we put ourselves in. So take a TIP from us to learn the secret is that you make your own, and every day is a good one to explore, experiment, and pace to make work your meditation, not just a JOB.

Try the following Attitude Keys that science studies found most effective.

• Positive Thinking - Increase happiness through different types of positive thinking. Amplify you’re feeling of enthusiasm and silent affirmations before an interview. Share your positive thoughts with others, including children, and animals. Take an extra moment to express yourself and re-frame your language to begin a sentence with positive words.

• Practice Daily Improving Your Life - Following certain precepts found to be Attitude Keys works to increasing personal happiness. A happy vibe shows in our energy others can feel, you literally vibrate with greater charismatic radiance.
• Never Say Never and Always Omit Always. In other words, be flexible and flowing. There is always another optimal and creative way to work just looking to find you!

1. Be grateful – Write letters of gratitude to people who have helped you in some way. The study found that these people reported a lasting increase in happiness over weeks and even months – after implementing the habit. What’s most surprising, sending the letter wasn’t necessary. Even when people wrote letters but never delivered them to the addressee, they still reported feeling better afterwards. Gratitude brings contentment.

2. Be optimistic – Study participants were asked to visualize an ideal future. For example, living with a loving and supportive partner, or finding a job that was meaningful and fulfilling – then describe the image in a journal entry. After doing this for a few weeks, these people also reported increased feelings of well-being. Optimism is satisfying.

3. Count your blessings – People who practice daily writing down three good things that happened to them show significant boosts in happiness. The act of focusing on the positive helps people remember reasons to be glad. Being glad becomes part of your ability to share your blessings with others. Remember, anything can be a blessing, including things you believe weren’t at the time!

4. Use your strengths – Another study asked people to identify their greatest strengths, and then to try to use these strengths in new ways. For example, someone says that you have a good sense of humor. Try telling funny stories (even if you don’t have any make them up!), or jokes you’ve learned, or find cartoons and fun cards to send others to lighten up their load and your work environment.

5. Share your cheer - Lift up friends and work colleagues who may be down, or are having low energy that day. This habit seems to heighten great happiness. A great cheerful ‘can do’ light hearted attitude is a primary key for getting great jobs. It makes you smile, and people want to see that beaming around them. So beam!

6. Commit acts of kindness – It turns out helping others does also helps ourselves. People who donate time or money to charity, or altruistically assist people in need, report huge improvements in their own happiness. Kindness is one of the keys of our humanity. Practice this daily with the language you use too. If you commit acts of kindness with everyone you meet in your exchange with them, you’ll see your life wonderfully transformed for the better.

As the saying goes, just do it. And don’t forget to pass these TIPS to others. Send them Our Best Advice to enjoy.

Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills. Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Woodland Hills, Topanga Canyon, Torrance, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Mareno, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Ventura County, California, New York, &  the greater United States…

Tags: best jobs, Butlers, CHEFS, domestic help field, domestic help staffing, employers, Estate Managers, Estate Managers in Brentwood, Great Jobs, Help, household help, Household Maids, Household Work, housekeeper-nannies, housekeepers, ISA Staffing, Jobs, Maids, Nannies, Pacific Palisades, top jobs, work