Finding the perfect team of domestic staff for your home is a gift. If you have experienced the beauty of having people who work well together to keep your home running seamlessly, you work hard to ensure your employees stay for the long term.
However, sometimes certain situations arise that will require a staff member to move on. For example, the employee may need to move closer to family, the children in your home have grown up and don’t require the same level of care, or they have decided to make a career shift.
Regardless of why they’re leaving, it’s important to offer a strong letter of recommendation that they can use for their professional portfolio. These can be used for prospective employers and are a powerful reference tool for their future.
Your Letter of Recommendation
Why Write a Letter of Recommendation?
Whether it’s your estate manager, nanny, butler, personal assistant, or other household staff, if your employee is leaving on good terms, it can really help them to have a letter of recommendation to show in future interviews. This can give potential employers a glimpse into the job they did for who, how they performed, what their strengths are, and more.
What Information Should Be in a Letter of Recommendation?
Introduce yourself and your relationship to the staff member. Discuss how long you employed them, whether they lived in or lived out, and include any details about their specific role with you.
For example, if you’re writing a letter for a nanny, include information about the types of duties she had, discuss how your nanny addressed or handled difficult situations with the children, and any other strengths that the nanny has.
For a personal assistant or estate manager, be sure to discuss their ability to juggle multiple tasks and describe their leadership style and willingness to work independently.
Don’t be afraid to identify traits that made your employee stand out, too. Offer examples as much as possible. Providing key details about your employee’s personality and dedication gives other employers a good understanding of that person’s talents, skills, weaknesses, or strengths.
How Should I Close the Recommendation Letter?
When you’re wrapping up the letter, it’s up to you if you want to discuss why the employment ended. You don’t need to get into specifics, but this gives you an opportunity to wrap up any final thoughts about the employee.
For example, you could share that you and your family will miss having them nearby, that they were a great fit for your household, and whether you want to work with them again if the need arises. Provide contact information in case the person reading it wants to discuss your experiences in greater detail.
A letter of recommendation can be as long as you’d like it to be, but keep in mind that they are generally kept to one page. Keeping it concise while highlighting the best parts of your employee’s time with you is key. It’s a great way for others to ‘get to know’ the person before actually working with them.
Ready to hire new household staff?
We understand the void that comes when an outstanding domestic employee vacates a role. But never fear – our experienced team at Household Staffing can help you find another equally as wonderful professional to work in your home. Our approach not only focuses on credentials and experience, but with compatibility.
We get to know our candidates and their personality, communication style values, and more. That’s why our domestic staffing match process is so successful – it’s not just a match on paper, but it’s a match for a real-life working situation.
So, contact us today to get started! We look forward to working with you and finding the right match for your home or family office!
