Our Best Advice

JOB DESCRIPTION – Top Jobs

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

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.

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.

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.

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