Find a great Position in private service

Your Curriculum Vitae must be perfect – nothing else is acceptable.

When a prospective employer makes time to read the CV of a potential household staff member they will have made a ‘quiet period’ specifically to read the applications; it’s a fantastic opportunity for you to present your credentials – don’t blow your chance by sending a rushed and poorly presented, incomplete curriculum vitae full of spelling mistakes and typing errors….

The GreenBaizeDoor.com CV template has been created especially for household staff, combined with our general advice, you will have at hand the perfectly formatted Curriculum Vitae that will help you to secure the very best positions in private service – which can even be viewed online as a website!

STAND OUT FROM HOUSEHOLD STAFF APPLICANTS - SEND THE PERFECT CV.

1. The value of a neat, up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV), cannot be under-estimated
2. A good curriculum vitae cannot be written in 15 minutes – the best ones take hours to write – it really is an investment worth making
3. Include a profile or mini-biography which summarizes your talents and experience – Consider it like a snap-shot that offers the client a tangible idea of who you are and what you are capable of (Don’t use this to list all your previous jobs!)
4. Don’t write within your profile, “that you can provide more details if required” – this shows laziness
5. List all your jobs, and include all the dates, from when to when, you were employed, then include at least two lines under each job, listing your responsibilities as this helps to show the extent of your expertise and experience. Mention your specialties if you really excel at something
6. Include details of your educational experience and be sure to include information on related courses
7. Have a prepared list of references (with the person’s name, position and contact number) along with copies of letters of recommendation and certificates and qualifications ready to send the moment you are asked to provide them
8. If you have already had a security / background check then include the details on your C.V. as it may be seen as an advantage by certain clients
9. Sell yourself, but be totally honest about your household staff experience(s) and capabilities(s)
10. Understand that the client is comparing your C.V. to those of other candidates who also suit the job – the difference between being called for interview or not may be one spelling mistake too many!
11. You need your CV to stand out. A well thought-out and clearly written, detailed C.V. indicates professionalism and immediately puts you ahead of your rivals!
12. Whenever your address, contact numbers or work-status change, log on to GreenBaizeDoor.Com and edit your household staff CV accordingly
    
    
    

General Cover Letters
Whenever you apply for a job you must attach a cover letter to your resume and/or job application. A cover letter is important because it:

• Introduces you and your resume
• Explains why you’d like to work for that particular organization or household
• Promotes your candidacy for any given household staff job
• Can make the difference between securing an interview for the job or having your resume discarded

Keep in mind that many companies, households and staff placement agencies receive dozens, perhaps hundreds, of curricula vitae each year. The chances are that many of them will be impressive; so the competition will be stiff. A good cover letter can bridge the gap between your personal qualifications and many of the other impressive resumes they have collected.

Many companies and households now advertise online which require that applications are made via email. Here are the specific do's and don'ts for email cover letters.

• DO make sure you understand these rules and guidelines before you send an email cover letter
• DO always use standard letter writing protocol. Just because it's an email, doesn't mean you should abandon standard business letter writing guidelines. Make sure you include a salutation (Dear Sir or Dear Ms. Smith) and a standard closing (such as "Yours sincerely"). Leave blank lines between paragraphs. Avoid the use of emotions, abbreviations, wild colors, and other ‘fab’ techniques and shortcuts used in everyday emails
• DO keep your household staff email cover letter short – Focus on your key selling points. Most experts say that your cover letter should be two, maximum three paragraphs and under 150 words. The golden rule for email, is that it should fit on one screen, without having to scroll down
• DO take advantage of keywords. Use relevant keywords to the job you are seeking and focus on buzzwords and important skills. Noun phrases become more important than action verbs. Because your cover letter may be filed in a database, using critical keywords will enhance the likelihood that your cover letter and resume will be retrieved in a future search
• DO stick with plain styling. Write your household staff cover letter, then strip away all formatting once you've completed editing it by saving the file as "plain text". Some email packages allow you to manipulate font style, color, and size, but ensure that your email is sent in plain text, black font, normal size and typeface (10/12 point, Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, Times Roman) on a white background.
• DO check your line length. Make sure your lines are no more than 60 characters in length. Some email packages automatically do word wrap for you (much like word processing software), but you should check. You don't want your cover letter to arrive fragmented on multiple lines
  
  
• DON’T leave the subject line of your email blank, and don't waste it by only inserting the job number (unless that is requested). Instead, use the subject line to entice the reader to your cover letter. For example, for a position of Butler in a stately home, write something like: "experienced and well trained Butler for a stately home"
• DON’T email using a non-professional sounding email address – and it’s absolutely forbidden to use an address that includes a nickname
• DON’T write your cover letter as an attachment (unless requested to do so). Some companies actually block all emails with attachments; thus, your application would never even be received
• DON’T hit the "send" button without thoroughly spell checking and proof-reading your email. Don't rely on your email software's spell-checker. Take the time to really proof read it. A simple typing error could be the downfall of a brilliant cover letter. Avoid all mistakes.

And one last bit of advice; if you include your phone number (home or mobile/cell) don’t then have silly songs or a weird "Hello Darling!" message on the answer service! Also remember to tell roommate(s) or landlord(s) that you may be expecting a call – don’t let them spoil your chances!

If you are called for an interview it’s because your application struck all the right cords – think carefully now about how to proceed and consider the following points carefully:

Before the Interview

• DO research the family or organization that is offering the position, search the web for articles and/or speak to trusted friends in the business to see what they know.
• DO ensure that your CV contains the most up-to-date information
• DO Consider your strengths and weaknesses, and how they might apply to the position
• DO Consider any possible conflicts you might have with the position, i.e. holidays or days off you will need during your first three months of employment, money issues, etc.
• DO Dress in clean, professional attire, and be prudent with regard to excessive make-up, perfume or jewellery
  
• You may be told that the first interview will only last 20 or 30 minutes, however it is better to plan to spend longer – so put enough money in the parking meter and excuse yourself from work or engagements accordingly
• DON’T have any spelling or grammatical errors on your curriculum vitae
• DON’T talk to anyone and everyone about the interview or who it is with – or you may find that suddenly you have more rivals for the position than you thought!

During the Interview

• DO arrive on time (or no more than ten minutes early) and never late
• DO use a firm handshake and look straight into your interviewer's eyes. Greet your interviewer with confidence and repeat his or her name - for example, "Good morning, Mr. Jones" or "Hello, Ms. Smith, it's nice to meet you."
• DO listen carefully to the questions being asked and think about your responses to be sure that you are answering the specific question. If the interviewer poses a vague, open-ended question (such as "Tell me a little about yourself"), politely respond, "Where do you want me to start?" If the interviewer remains vague, you should use this as an opportunity to highlight something in your professional career that demonstrates your strengths and abilities, as they would relate to the job.
• DO get an understanding of the overall goals of the position and organization, day-to-day responsibilities and work environment by asking specific questions – don’t be afraid to take notes.
• Do if you feel that the interview went well, and you have interest in the position, end the interview by asking, "Based on our discussion, is there anything that would prevent me from moving on to the next step?" This is your opportunity to gauge the interviewer's interest in you, but at the same time don’t appear too pushy – it’s a fine line to balance.
• DON’T talk excessively. The interview is also a chance for you to learn about the position and see if it is right for you. Asking smart questions also creates a better impression than giving the interviewer unnecessary background on yourself
• DON’T feel the need to state everything you learned from researching the company and the interviewer - make use of the information as necessary
• DON'T EVER say anything negative about past employers – whilst the history of your past employers might be well known, never confirm it as fact. If you are asked a direct question on a past employer, which appears to be saying, “Well done, you worked for that horrid lady for 2 years!?”, answer with grace, example: “the family did expect incredibly high goals, but ultimately, under the watchful eye of the lady of the house, they threw the best parties in town which offered me the chance to learn many new skills and improve those which had perhaps become a little rusty - I enjoyed the challenge and learnt a great deal”
• DON’T ask about money or benefits on the first interview. If you are asked how much you currently earn, you should give a number that includes all bonuses, raises, etc. If asked how much you would require to consider the position, you might say, "I am currently earning £--.  And so am looking for an increase, but at this point I am flexible and will entertain competitive offers, but never give an actual figure
• DONT dwell on your negative qualities or experiences. End the interview on a positive note: focus on how you have addressed a problem or what you have learned from a mistake
• DONT leave without asking questions to get a better understanding of the position and the family or organization

Were you Nervous? Not only is it OK to be nervous about an interview but it is a normal feeling, so it’s essential for you to accept how you feel because telling yourself you should feel differently is unrealistic. What's the worst that can happen at an interview anyway? For most, it would be not getting the job – in that scenario it is worth considering that perhaps the job wasn't right for you anyway - Simply look at the process as a learning experience, build on it, and be a little stronger the next time.

After the interview 
Return all phone calls or letters from the employer. Even if you choose not to accept the position, respond out of courtesy, not least because your paths may cross in the future