PORTICO INC.

Let’s face it, Private Service is not necessarily on top of every young kid’s list when they are asked by Uncle John what they want to become when they grow up. Sadly, if little John Jr. or little Mary were to answer “I want to be a Household Manager,” Uncle John would probably have a quizzical look on his face. That quizzical look is unfortunate because Household Management is a profession with a long and distinguished pedigree and presents fantastic opportunities for those who pursue it. 

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The failure to communicate the nature of Private Service as a professional field and the unique benefits of pursuing a career as a Household Manager rests with those of us who have been working in the field for so long. We are so used to practicing discretion, that we do little to promote what we do and the fun we have doing it. The result is a confused and uninformed public who have little to no understanding – other than what they see on popular television – of why someone like little Mary or John Jr. might choose to become Household Managers.

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Here is my small effort to alter that pattern and provide some much needed advocacy for the Household Managers of the world. I call my contribution “Seven Reasons to Become a Household Manager."

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1. As a Household Manager, each and every day will be a different from your previous day. A career that provides constantly varying experiences, opportunities and challenges is not very common in today’s world where most people expect little change when they walk into their office, factory, restaurant, etc.

2. Household Managers are exposed to worlds that would otherwise be closed to them. Opportunities like flying within the luxury cabin of a Gulfstream 650 or working in an environment with exquisite fine art do not come about very often.

3. As a career, professional opportunities for a Household Manager are constantly unfolding. There is no glass ceiling. Both genders succeed in the field and it is a profession that places a premium on maturity and wisdom, so if you are in your 50s, all the better for you. Basically, the better you perform, the more opportunities and earning potential will come your way.

4. House Managers speak regularly about the satisfaction of doing good for others and contributing to the betterment of a home and family.

5. Some Household Managers are presented with opportunities for travel. They might find themselves preparing a villa in the south of France for their employers’ arrival or escaping winter to conduct staff interviews for a home in Palm Beach. The world opens itself up to those who work in Private Service.

6. The absence of empowerment to solve problems is one of the great frustrations in today’s working environments. This is not so for a Household Manager. Empowerment comes with the job and rewards follow to those who successfully use their empowerment to solve problems for the betterment of their employers.

7. In a world that undervalues soft skills like comportment, etiquette, personal presentation, listening and top notch communication skills, kindness and caring, informed decision making, an enthusiasm for taking on responsibility, heightened service attitudes, etc., Household Managers will discover a profession that places a high premium on such skills and rewards Managers for their effective use.​

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I could go on and on and probably on some more, but I am frequently told that I do exactly that far too often, so I will close by saying that becoming a fireman, a pilot, a doctor or a lawyer are all good decisions for some people. It could be, however, that for some others – like John Jr. and little Mary – Household Management is a better decision.

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© Portico Inc., 2023