Irving Scott always evaluates highly a candidate who shows an active interest in keeping skills up to date. Candidates who keep up with industry changes, who are keen to improve productivity in their area of expertise, and those who have a genuine interest in maintaining their CVs fresh and relevant, are those that we naturally turn to when clients seek the best person to cover a vacancy.
Housekeepers and butlers welcome opportunities to learn new skills throughout their careers. Here at Irving Scott we keep abreast of market changes as well as taking note of upcoming demands and influences so as to advise clients and candidates accordingly. Although everyone is aware that career-related education is prized by employees in their desire to further their careers, we can testify to the fact that these courses are, indeed, beneficial to the principal too because they create deep loyalty between staff member and household.
Advantages of on-the-job training
The main advantage is that standards are always maintained. In the ever-changing global environment of 21st century luxury living, keeping up with food and beverage trends is essential. Having a butler with comprehensive knowledge of wine lists or a housekeeper with specialist glassware care understanding ensures that entertainment requirements are met no matter what the circumstances.
Meanwhile, following the advances in ergonomics and prioritising this area can provide multiple benefits beyond that of time saving. Health and safety is always a priority. Keeping up to date with regulations and best practices is a common sense investment. Injury-free personnel mean happy personnel!
What skills are sought?
A valued and successful housekeeper or butler will have already proven their time management skills, their people skills and their high standards of performance over a wide range of tasks. Our clients therefore often turn to us for recommendations of service providers who can teach specific skills to their esteemed team leaders.
Specialist skills for housekeepers include bespoke instruction on the care of surfaces and insight into cleaning products (chemical and non-chemical) to use on valuable clothing and jewellery. Housekeepers often benefit from modern etiquette guidance when preparing to receive house guests from a different culture; one-day training in advanced laundry skills is cherished; having insight into related subjects such as wardrobe management, bookkeeping, green issues and security is also a bonus.
Specialist skills for butlers include complex table service scenarios; quintessential English customs for butlers who join service from other countries; protocol skills and property management training. Butlers often have language skills that can be perfected by bespoke workshops providing them with the vocabulary they require.
Service providers we like
As we mentioned in a previous article, George Telford Hospitality Training has consistently provided our clients and candidates with the training they seek. We also recommend The Butler Valet school and The International Butler Academy.
