Butler

Job Description:

Butlers carry out personal and household tasks for their employers.

Job Category:
Food & Drink

What you will do:

In this role you could:

  • manage diary appointments, book restaurants and travel
  • represent your client at meetings
  • manage the household and staff
  • set formal dining tables and serve food and drinks
  • chauffeur your client to appointments
  • look after guests
  • manage a wine cellar
  • cook and prepare meals
  • take care of pets
  • organise activities on country estates

Skills:

You’ll need:

  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

As well as:

  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • active listening skills
  • customer service skills
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • leadership skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to work well with others (teamwork)
  • concentration skills
Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You could get into this job through:

  • applying directly
  • specialist courses run by private training organisations

Direct Application
You can apply for work directly or through a housekeeping agency if you have:

  • experience of the hospitality or personal services industries
  • the ability to speak a second language, if you’re looking to work with clients whose first language is not English

Other Routes
You can get a qualification in butler skills which may improve your employment chances. There are private courses that teach traditional and modern professional butler skills, like:

  • valeting, including clothing and shoe care
  • setting a formal dining table and providing a waiting service
  • social and dining etiquette
  • international etiquette and protocols
  • confidence and deportment

Working Hours and Environment:

You could work at a client’s home, in a hotel or on a cruise ship.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience, you could become a head butler and supervise and train people new to the role.

Once you have a wide range of experience and contacts in the industry, you could look at setting up your own business, like a butler training school or a butler recruitment agency.