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ALEKSANDRA KARDWELL Helping You Find the Right Help By Lauren Bens How do you perfectly match professional domestic help with the right client/family? The key to creating great domestic matches that last is to truly listen to the individual needs and preferences of the household employers and candidates who work with us. At Hamptons Employment Agency, Inc., the award-winning domestic staffing firm that I founded in 2011, we’ve always been concerned with creating excellent matches that last. Our success has, to a large degree, come from striving to make sure that we place great employees with great employers.
domestic employers send their staff to our professional trainer, who has been a Professor of Culinary Arts for over 30 years. The training can also be done at an employer’s residence. The program covers topics such as serving-ware needed, place settings, pre-meail setup, order of service, and beverage service. Tell us about your book you published last year. In spring of 2019, I published my book, How to Find, Hire, and Keep The Right Domestic Professionals: The Household Employer’s Guide to Hiring Great Employees
What inspired you to start this business? Any additional background info would be great as well! Prior to founding Hamptons Employment Agency in 2011, I worked in household environments in various roles. As I gained more experience, I began to pair domestic professionals with employers. This ultimately blossomed into my business, which is now in its ninth year. My residential work experience has been a great advantage. The knowledge and skills I acquired have given me the perspective required to be able to make great matches that last. What are the most popular requests you receive? We receive requests for the full range of domestic positions. Right now, the jobs that we are seeing clients looking to fill most frequently include chef, couple, housekeeper, nanny, and tutor positions. In this time of COVID-19, many household employers are seeking staff members who will be live-in in order to limit everyone’s exposure to the Coronavirus. Household employers also are asking new employees to get tested for the Coronavirus, and some employers are doing random testing after employees start work. You have numerous offices around the country - how did you become so popular/what sets you apart? I think what really sets Hamptons Employment Agency apart from other firms is that we truly want to create great matches that last. We put clients and domestic professionals first, and strive to make sure that everyone is happy when we make a match. Fit is so very important in this field, and it’s critical for both clients and candidates to see their working relationship as a good one. Because of our strong reputation, we have managed to grow substantially by word of mouth. What are your clients looking for when they hire domestic help? While each client has their own unique needs and preferences, there are a number of things that virtually all discriminating household employers are looking for. First, clients like to see domestic professionals who have a track record of working in long-term residential positions. This fact in itself speaks a lot about a domestic professional’s ability to excel in a household. Personal characteristics are very important as well – trustworthiness, conscientiousness, flexibility, and a positive attitude are all key. Do you train those looking to be hired? We currently offer one training program, our intensive Formal Dinner Service Training Program, which typically runs four hours. With this program,
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Who Will Stay for Years. I would describe the book as a comprehensive guide that principals and their representatives can use to make great domestic hires that last. The book covers a range of topics, including screening resumes and interviewing, making the job offers, onboarding new employees, and keeping great staff members. hamptonsemployment.com