Remains of the Day

The career has changed since "Remains of the Day" or "Gosford Park". The staff can either "live in" or "live out" and the hours are generally 8-6. But the duties are still the same: manage the staff, housekeeping & maintenance, event planning, service for meals and entertainment, personal care, food and cellar stock, transportation (some chauffeuring) and travel when necessary. The duties depend on the employer. If they have multiple facilities, the estate manager is responsible for the staff in each house, boat, plane, etc.

Since I am starting out relatively fresh, I would expect to start with a small family with a relatively small staff of 1 or 2 plus me. Some resorts and hotels are also providing private service for their high-end guests. The pay is less there, but the tips seem to more than make up for it. I have read about a few household managers running staffs of 25 in 2 residences of 10,000 to 30,000 square feet. Most of these guys, though, are retired military senior stewards or officers.

Next up, training...