01 - The Situation
A family based in Western Europe, with homes in Western Europe, the UK, Dubai and the Caribbean, saw on LinkedIn that I was visiting and asked to meet.
They had spent several months trying to fill the role of travelling butler to the principal. This was a truly travelling position, moving with the family between their homes.
They had used one agency they had worked with for about two years, and a couple of others on an ad hoc basis.
02 - The Core Problem
Why the search had stalled
- The same CVs: they kept receiving the same candidates from the same agencies
- Junior consultants: they felt the larger firms passed the work to junior staff, and they weren't getting the attention of a senior recruiter
- A team on hold: without this role filled, they couldn't grow the rest of the team
03 - The Intervention
The family paid an engagement deposit and asked me to run the search.
I ran it personally, using my own network and a different approach from the agencies they had tried.
The candidate who was eventually placed came from my existing network. He was someone I had worked with during my years in the GCC, so I already knew the standard of his work before he was put forward.
04 - The Turning Point
Within a week, five candidates had been interviewed.
The top three went through three interview stages, and the family had a clear choice.
They chose him because he showed exceptional professionalism and was the right fit for the household. Most importantly, he got on very well with the principal. There was an obvious connection between them from the start, and a strong rapport.
05 - The Outcome
Within about four weeks, the chosen candidate had resigned from his role in his home country and started with the family.
The director of the private office gave him excellent feedback after his probation. Nearly a year on from the family's first enquiry, he is still in the role, the feedback is still excellent, and he is having a huge impact on the principal's life.
I have since placed staff across the family's global portfolio of homes.
06 - The Lesson
When a search stalls, sending more CVs from the same sources rarely fixes it.
A senior recruiter running the search personally, with a different network, can turn months of waiting into a few weeks.
This case study is based on the experience of a real client. For confidentiality reasons, their identity has been withheld. If you would like to speak directly with one of our clients about their experience working with us, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange an introduction.