Our team at Household Staffing talks to clients from all over the country each month and one of the first things you’ll hear us ask is “what are you looking for in a candidate’s résumé”? Almost every time, our clients emphasize wanting to see longevity in each role.
While it’s certainly a positive sign when a candidate stays with a home or family office for the long term, the absence of that doesn’t – and shouldn’t – automatically reflect poorly on them. There are countless valid reasons a job might last only a year or sometimes even less.
If you’re a household employer and are looking for a reliable, trustworthy employee, it’s important to remember that not every short-term position is a red flag. Remember to take the time needed to understand the context before making assumptions.
Scenarios to Consider
Employer Relocation
Nicholas has held four estate management roles over the course of his 10-year career. He spent 6 years with the first family, 1 year with the second estate, 2 years with the third, and 1 year with the most recent.
In the role that just ended, the family was relocating overseas, and several household staff were not able or willing to make that move – Nicholas included. Looking closely at his work history, you’ll see that Nicholas was employed long-term in other roles and has the expertise that many principals look for in an estate manager.
Involuntary Job Loss
Lily has loved her role as an executive housekeeper in Boca Raton, Florida for the last six months. The family she works with told her that they may be relocating, but it wasn’t certain.
She was recently informed that the family will in fact be moving in the next two months, and that there wouldn’t be a need for her specific role in the new home. She was caught off guard with how quickly the relocation would happen and was left without a job through no fault of her own.
Short-Term Roles
In other instances, domestic staffing positions are genuinely intended to be short-term. This includes positions created specifically for the baby stage, roles that end when children start school full-time, temporary coverage for another staff member’s maternity leave or illness, or support during a period of heavy travel before the family settles down.
For example, Janice is a compassionate and creative nanny who has dedicated her career to helping families with new babies. She generally works in homes for three months to a year and when the baby is old enough and is ready to transition to a full-time nanny, she moves on to work with another family to help them establish new routines for their infant.
Boundary Overstep
Occasionally, the job simply isn’t what the candidate thought it would be. For example, Meredith applied for a personal assistant position for a businessperson in New York City. The trial and interview went well, but once hired, her boss started adding more responsibilities without additional pay.
The extra duties required her to work during the evenings and weekends occasionally, and she was also asked to travel more than she was originally told. This ended up being something that she wasn’t willing to work with, as it was sacrificing time with her own family.
She felt disrespected and taken advantage of and knew that she didn’t want to stay in this role for the long term.
Pandemic Disruptions
Another thing to consider when reviewing a résumé is the role that the pandemic played in the last few years. This time reshaped many people’s work history, as it was a time of uncertainty for everyone. Many jobs ended unexpectedly after just a few months because of sickness, city-wide shutdowns, and more.
There are many qualified and trustworthy domestic staffing candidates out there that had to take on a mix of temporary roles in order to be financially stable.
Changing Family Needs
Last, it’s important to keep in mind that many times, family needs can change unexpectedly. For example, Christine was working for nine months as a nanny to two kids in Portland, Oregon, when one parent decided to make the transition to part-time work.
This change cut Christine’s hours in half and she needed to find a full-time role to support her own family and bills.
The Reality
Life is expensive, and many candidates are doing their best to stay afloat and do what they love at the same time. Sometimes, those “perfect” roles aren’t there the first time. A candidate may need to accept a role that doesn’t align perfectly with their long-term goals, because they need income and stability at that moment.
It’s true that most candidates are not looking to job-hop — in fact, when we ask candidates what they’re truly looking for, most say they want to find a long-term family they can grow with for years to come. They want stability just as much as you, the client, does!
But sometimes short-term roles are all that’s being offered. And here’s the silver lining: candidates who have worked in a variety of homes, with different parenting styles, expectations, and environments, often bring a unique depth of experience.
Their adaptability, resilience, and broad perspective can make them some of the most well-rounded, capable, and insightful hires you’ll ever have.
We Can Help
Ready to find your ideal candidate? Contact us today to start the hiring process! We look forward to working with you and finding the right match for your home or family office.
