Recruitment in a private household often sits with someone who already has a full and varied role. A House Manager, Estate Manager, Private PA or Chief of Staff may be overseeing the team, the property and the family’s day-to-day needs. When a vacancy arises, finding the right person can become another substantial responsibility.
There are good reasons why families choose to recruit in-house. The person managing the search may know the household better than anyone else. They understand the family’s routines, standards and preferences, and may already have trusted contacts. For some roles, that direct approach works very well.
But a search takes time. There is a brief to define, candidates to find and assess, conversations to arrange and decisions to coordinate. That work can be demanding when the internal team is also keeping a household or estate running.
When might extra support help?
A specialist agency may be useful when a role calls for a particular skill set, the search needs to reach beyond the family’s existing network, or the person coordinating recruitment has limited time. This can be especially relevant for discreet, international or more complex searches, or when several appointments need attention.
An agency can help shape the brief, identify potential candidates and manage early conversations. The internal lead still brings essential knowledge of the household and can guide the search; the family remains involved in the decisions that matter to them.
A partnership that works alongside the household
Good recruitment support should make the process clearer and more manageable. It starts with listening carefully to the person who knows the household: what the role involves, how it fits with the existing team and what the family needs from the appointment.
A focused shortlist can then give the family a considered choice of people whose experience and approach match the brief. The aim is to support the internal team’s work and help the family make an informed decision.
At The Family Concierge Collective, we make personal introductions to carefully selected household and yacht professionals. Candidates are employed directly by the family. We work with the people responsible for the search, while the family retains control of the appointment.
Choosing the right route
There is no single approach that suits every household or vacancy. In-house recruitment may be the right choice for one search; specialist support may be helpful for another. The useful question is whether the person managing the process has the time, reach and support they need to find the right person while continuing to look after the household.
If you are planning a household search and would like to discuss how we could support it, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Written by Debbie Willmott, Co-Founder of The Family Concierge Collective