What Is a Majordomo and Should You Hire One?
What Is a Majordomo and Should You Hire One?
According to Wikipedia, a majordomo is a person who holds the highest position of authority of household staff and who is responsible for making arrangements, speaking, and taking charge for another person—i.e., their employer.1
The majordomo meaning essentially translates to “chief of the house.” There are also different spellings of the word Majordomo, such as mayodomo (Spanish), maiordomoa (Italian), and major domo (English).2
While the term is not used much today, it is essentially the same type of household staffing position as a steward, head butler, or household and estate manager.
Benefits of Hiring a Majordomo
Large households and estates that rely on multiple staffing positions benefit the most from hiring a majordomo. The majordomo can manage most of the day-to-day responsibilities of the household. This allows their employer the freedom to concentrate on other things, such as their business or their family.
The majordomo is normally empowered to speak, make arrangements, or take charge of other household staff. They often screen guests and visitors and schedule appointments for their employer. They can also initiate various negotiations on projects, repairs, and other such maintenance and upkeep required for the estate.
They frequently work directly with their employer to ensure their wishes are being carried out, much like a personal assistant. Additionally, they can be tasked with hiring, firing, assigning jobs, tasks, and responsibilities for other household servants, housekeepers, chefs, private drivers, landscapers, and so on.
Who Would Benefit the Most from a Majordomo?
While large households and estates benefit greatly from having a majordomo, smaller households can equally benefit from having a majordomo serve as the leading servant or butler.
People who like having a single person manage all aspects of their household so they never have to worry about cooking, cleaning, running errands, or taking care of other household tasks also benefit from having a majordomo.
If you travel frequently for business or pleasure, you may want to hire a majordomo to ensure your household is looked after and cared for while you travel.
In other cases, you may want your majordomo to travel alongside you to make travel arrangements, book accommodations, manage appointments, and handle other aspects of your travel, such as making dining reservations.
In households with children, where both parents travel frequently, and the children remain at home, a majordomo could be beneficial. They can ensure your nanny is properly caring for your children and your children are getting to school on time and not missing out on any social activities and events.
As you can imagine, the benefits you gain by hiring a majordomo will depend on your specific needs and requirements. Most majordomos are live-in staff or live nearby the household estate, so they are available 24/7.
How to Hire a Majordomo for Your Household
Finding a qualified majordomo you can trust and rely on is not an easy task to do by yourself. It can be difficult and time-consuming to find the perfect person that is capable of handling your specific needs and requirements.
Furthermore, you have to advertise the position, review resumes, conduct interviews, and perform background checks on each candidate you are considering. A much better way to find the right majordomo for your household is to get assistance from a household staffing agency.
The staffing agency works with you to determine your needs and requirements. Next, they review their available candidates to find the ones that are the best match. The agency also takes care of background checks and screening of the candidates.
Once they have matched candidates, they will supply you with their resumes and references. All you need to do is schedule interviews and select the candidate you feel will best integrate into your household. Furthermore, the process can be completed relatively quickly if you are looking to hire a majordomo as soon as possible.
For help finding the right majordomo for your household, please feel free to contact Staffing at Tiffanie’s at 866-484-5550 today! We can assist you with finding the right candidates for other household staffing needs, including housekeepers, nannies, chefs, and more.
Sources: