What if there was a way to get an impressive but honest answer during an interview? At My Household Managed, we have compiled a list of 5 unique questions to ask domestic staff so that you can get to the heart of what truly matters to the candidates in your job search, without the fluff or rehearsed answers.

As experienced professionals, we understand that it is important to hire the right private service professional the first time to avoid costly mistakes. Whether you are a family or high net worth individual considering using an agency to hire a domestic employee for your own home, or even if you are work for a family office and have been tasked with hiring additional staff, these 5 questions can help you narrow down the most impressive candidates suitable for the role. On the other hand, if you are a private household employee and curious about what kind of questions you may be asked the next time you start your job search, read our suggested questions with examples of what and what not to say during an interview for your dream domestic staff role.

How to Really Find Out the Strengths and Weaknesses of a Candidate

Perhaps your go-to question is: “Tell me about yourself, what are your strengths and weaknesses?” Here’s why we don’t like to ask this surface-level question at My Household Managed.

If you’re the person hiring, you can expect uninspiring answers learned about the candidate, and with no specific information about the role in hand. If you’re a candidate, you know all the tricks to skate around the heart of the question to present yourself in the best light possible, and without having to change your answer between applications.

Rather, in this guide we will show you how to get to the heart of finding out the real personality and experience of the private service professional on the other side of the interview, because your time is valuable.

Our Tried-and-Tested Top Questions to Ask During an Interview

Q1: If you were in full control of your schedule, how would you spend a day working in our household?

Why this question is important:

This question gives you a sense of the household employee’s time management skills and it will also give you an understanding of the type of tasks they enjoy doing.
A household employee might walk you through the schedule that they have in their current role and a good candidate may inquire about how the requirements of your home will differ, so they can tailor their response based upon your needs (size of your home, staff, adults, children, systems, and specialty items present in the home or estate).
This tells you how much research the candidate has done regarding your job description and how well they can anticipate what might be involved in the role
If your job description is more vague, or if the candidate uses a hypothetical scenario describing their ideal role you can get an idea of whether or not their dream role aligns with your household.

What a great response looks like:

It is always a good sign when someone understands that your family and household’s unique requirements come first and the candidate demonstrates their ability to be adaptable, while also providing examples of their unique approach and preferences with domestic tasks.

Q2: What do you think is the most difficult aspect of working as a (job title)?

Why this question is important:

This will give you an idea of how experienced the private service professional is in the role and their understanding of the requirements of the job title.
It will also give you an idea of potential problem areas down the line. A person that finds it challenging to train staff may not be the best fit if you are looking to have your house manager assist with establishing new operating procedures for the home.

What a great response looks like:

The best response to this question is when the candidate is realistic about what truly makes this role difficult, rather than underselling the difficulty of the role or overinflating their confidence in their ability.

Q3. What do you think is the most difficult aspect of working in a private household?

Why this question is important:

A job-seeker will be able to emphasize any experiences they may have had with their previous or current employer and challenges they may have faced, whether it was by fault of their own or external circumstance. This will shine a clear light on their values (ex: independence, flexible schedule) as well as how they find solutions.

Some examples that you might hear from your candidate could include: a boss that micromanages, little development in the role or lack of formal training, a constantly changing schedule or late nights and weekends.

Take note of the types of example that the candidate sees as a challenge and which aspects of themselves that they highly regard. Identity which problem areas they were able to overcome and adapt to using their unique skills, and which challenges became a “deal breaker”

NOTE: When asked this question, many job-seekers will unconsciously try to avoid it by stating that they do not find any aspect difficult. In this case, ask the candidate if they have a specific example of a mistake they made, what the result was, and how they overcame it or what they learned from it. As an employer, expect that mistakes can sometimes happen and it is more important to see how a candidate deals with a problem when they occur.

What a great response looks like:

The best response to this question is when a household employee can adapt to a challenge and provide a specific personal example of how they solved a problem or provided a solution.
For example, “The most difficult challenge of working in a private household is being able to read the room and know when to step in or step away. When I first began in my career, this concept was new to me, but I learned how to navigate this by doing XYZ.”

Q4: Which household duties listed in our job description excite you the most?

Why this question is important:

It is an opportunity for the household employee to highlight their unique skills and experience, and that they have done their research on the position you’re hiring for.

What a great response looks like:

A green flag is when the house manager is excited about the job duties, and can provide specific examples, rather than mentioning the generous pay and benefits.
For example, a house manager may have previously worked in the same area of Florida where you spend your winters and that you mentioned in your job description. A potential nanny or housekeeper may have previous experience as an event planner or chef and would love to assist with any social events that you may host at your home.

Q5: What household duties listed in our job description excite you the least?

Why this question is important:

Some house managers do not prefer to walk pets, transport children, or assist with light housekeeping or meal prep. While it is important to understand that each candidate’s preferences are completely valid, it might mean that they are not the best fit for your household if they do not prefer a task that is a main component of your job description.

This question might also bring up the opportunity for a candidate to discuss previous employment where their flexibility and inability to say “no” was taken advantage of (eg: a house manager being asked to take over the role of full-time nanny, housekeeper or accountant, without an interest in doing so).

Sometimes, a private service professional will emphasize that there is no task too big or small for them to handle, which is great to hear! If they do have specific items that they do not prefer, do appreciate that it is in your best interest as they are outlining these things from the beginning, to prevent problems down the line, and are clearly good at communicating with you early-on.

What a great response looks like:

When a candidate states that they are comfortable performing the duties as outlined in your job description, while being transparent about areas they may be less confident in.

When you work with a domestic staffing agency like My Household Managed to hire household staff , we provide you with a comprehensive list of more than 20 sample interview questions for the particular job title you are looking to fill. These questions are meant to give you a starting point if this is your first hire, and we welcome you to create interview questions of your own.

Once our household recruitment agency finishes the screening and interview process of our own, we will present you with 3-5 of the best of the best candidates that meet your qualifications. We are focused on exceeding your expectations, so you can focus on determining which candidate’s personality and lifestyle aligns best with your household.

If you would like help in hiring new household staff , submit an application with My Household Managed.

If you’re looking for a new position as a professional house manager, estate manager, or other household employee, apply at My Household Managed.