Many of us have seen Downton Abbey and wondered how it really felt like inside these grand houses between those who lived upstairs and the ones downstairs. Turns out you can still find out. In fact, according to current butlers, some of the day-to-day tasks are still quite similar while other modern elements have created new ones.
A World that Still Exists
Yes, the world had changed throughout the last 100 years, but most of the great houses of England still stand tall and are either occupied by aristocrats or new billionaires. Whichever is the case, these houses still need a butler, a housekeeper and a cook. Even a driver for those who are either most fortunate or simply don’t want to be bothered driving.
It is also true that many people enjoy being part of these houses. They are a luxury world which offers comfort, and today, quite a nice pay check as well for those with experience. Being a butler can be a very exciting job for anyone who loves to plan and organize, which partly explains why individuals from various backgrounds often enquire on how to get into this world. If you are so inclined, you can start by looking here for butler jobs and vacancies.
What Has Changed throughout the Years and what Remains the Same
Working as a butler means being close to the family you serve, in a respectful environment which works both ways, just as it used to be. It also implies that you start with the basic tasks of packing suitcases, laying tables and all other daily actions taking place inside a house, which haven’t changed either.
You cannot enter this profession directly as a butler. You’ll need to go through the various roles which will provide you with the experience you need to be responsible for a household. The expectations that a family has towards its household staff are also the same as before, from the way they perform to the attire they wear. This job is about tradition and anyone looking to enter this world needs to respect that.
What did change is the number of staff working in a household. The cost of reliable individuals has grown much higher. Therefore, today the team needs to be able to multi-task. And although technology has helped in different parts of the job, nowadays a butler also has to know how to fix a laptop and use common software to help out anyone in the family when a computer issue arises.
