For Households
Beginning a private search.
The practical questions families ask before inviting a search partner into the life of the home.What types of private household professionals do you place?
We place experienced professionals across care and education, household leadership, private service, principal support, travel, and protection. Searches may include nannies, governesses, private educators, estate managers, directors of residences, private chefs, executive housekeepers, personal assistants, domestic couples, chauffeurs, and other roles shaped around a household’s actual needs.
Explore the roles we place.Where does Silverthorne provide estate staffing services?
Silverthorne is based in North Carolina and understands the state from the Blue Ridge to the coast, including Asheville, Charlotte, the Triangle, the Triad, Wilmington, Highlands, Cashiers, and surrounding communities. Our reach is national, and we may conduct broader searches or consider relocation when the household and role require it.
How much does a private household staffing search cost?
A $600 non-refundable engagement fee is due with the signed Client Search Agreement and is credited toward the placement fee after a successful hire. The placement fee is 21% of the selected candidate’s first-year gross annual salary. The signed agreement contains the complete terms.
Review client fees and placement terms.How long does a typical private staffing search take?
Every search moves at a different pace. The role’s scope, location, compensation, schedule, relocation needs, and the availability of genuinely aligned professionals all affect timing. We define expectations at the beginning and communicate candidly throughout; the work is directed toward the right introduction rather than a predetermined volume of résumés.
How do I know which household role I need?
We begin with the responsibilities rather than the title. The household’s residences, routines, existing staff, travel, reporting structure, and the decisions someone must own help determine whether the need is best met by a nanny, family assistant, house manager, estate manager, private chef, or another appointment.
Compare household staffing categories.What is included in Silverthorne’s search and placement service?
The engagement includes a careful study of the household, development of the position brief, targeted outreach, candidate assessment, contextual reference work, and guidance through introductions, interviews, a paid working trial when appropriate, terms, and onboarding. The complete scope and provisions are set out in the signed Client Search Agreement.
Review what the engagement includes.Who employs the professional after placement?
The household employs the selected professional and is responsible for payroll, taxes, insurance, workplace practices, and compliance with applicable employment law. Silverthorne conducts the search and supports the placement, but does not become the employer of record.
Can Silverthorne help establish compensation and employment terms?
Yes. Compensation is considered alongside the role’s scope, schedule, location, travel, accommodation, time off, and the experience required. We help the household develop a coherent appointment and navigate the offer conversation; the household remains responsible for obtaining its own legal, tax, payroll, and insurance advice.
Our Process
A search conducted in context.
The work behind each introduction, from understanding the household through the first weeks of employment.How does your private household staffing process work?
We begin with a confidential conversation and a careful study of the household, then define the role, authority, schedule, compensation, and conditions for success. A targeted search follows. Candidates are assessed in context, and we guide introductions, interviews, a paid working trial when appropriate, terms, and onboarding.
How are candidates vetted and background checked?
We consider proven experience, the real scope of previous responsibilities, references in context, communication, temperament, discretion, boundaries, and working style. Candidates advancing toward placement complete a comprehensive, consent-based background investigation appropriate to the role and the household’s safety requirements.
What is a paid working trial?
When appropriate, a working trial gives the household and candidate a structured opportunity to experience the role in practice before a long-term commitment is made. Expectations, timing, responsibilities, and compensation are agreed in advance, and the household pays the candidate fully for all trial work.
What happens if a placement ends within the first 60 days?
If a placement ends within the first 60 days, Silverthorne may resume the complete placement process to identify a replacement professional, subject to the eligibility conditions in the signed Client Search Agreement. Placement fees are non-refundable. We encourage early, direct communication so concerns can be understood before they become avoidable endings.
Are household searches and inquiries confidential?
Yes. Privacy is treated as part of the work itself, from the first inquiry through candidate introductions and employment. We share household and principal information carefully and only as the search requires. Additional confidentiality obligations may be established in the signed agreement or a separate nondisclosure agreement.
How many candidates should a household expect to meet?
We do not promise a predetermined number of résumés or introductions. The purpose of a targeted search is to identify genuinely relevant professionals and present each one with enough context for a considered decision. The number will vary with the role, market, location, compensation, and the household’s requirements.
What happens after a candidate accepts the position?
We help confirm the agreed responsibilities, compensation, schedule, start date, and practical expectations so the placement begins with clarity. The household then completes its employment, payroll, tax, insurance, and onboarding obligations. Silverthorne remains attentive through the early placement period and encourages direct communication when questions arise.
For Candidates
Entering the candidate network.
What private-service professionals can expect when considering an opportunity represented by Silverthorne.Do candidates pay placement or application fees?
No. Silverthorne never charges candidates a placement fee. Candidates are considered for opportunities based on experience, professional standards, alignment, and the requirements of each household, not on an ability to pay.
How do I apply for a private household position?
Begin by reviewing the opportunities published on our
Available Positions page. If a position aligns with your experience, follow its application instructions carefully. Professionals who do not see an appropriate current opening may also
join the private Silverthorne Candidate Network to be considered for future confidential searches. Candidate information is reviewed with discretion and is never published as part of a public résumé directory.
What qualities does Silverthorne look for in candidates?
Technical ability and relevant private-service experience matter, but they are only part of the assessment. We also look for sound judgment, emotional intelligence, discretion, strong communication, appropriate boundaries, flexibility, consistency, and genuine pride in the work.
Do I need previous private household or estate experience?
Many searches require proven experience inside a private household or estate, particularly when a role involves significant autonomy, household leadership, infant care, travel, valuable property, or highly confidential information. For some appointments, closely related professional experience may also be relevant. Each position listing explains the experience and qualifications the household actually requires.
What references and screening are required?
Candidates should provide a complete and accurate employment history and professional references who can speak meaningfully about their work. With the candidate’s consent, Silverthorne verifies relevant references and candidates advancing toward placement complete screening appropriate to the responsibilities and safety requirements of the position.
Are candidate working trials paid?
Yes. Any working trial arranged through Silverthorne is paid by the household. The schedule, responsibilities, duration, and compensation are agreed in advance so both candidate and household understand what is being assessed. A working trial is not a request for unpaid labor.
How does confidential candidate representation work?
Candidate materials are handled discreetly and are not published or distributed as part of a circulating résumé roster. Information is shared carefully in connection with a relevant opportunity and the requirements of the assessment process. We ask candidates to extend the same discretion to the households, principals, and opportunities they may learn about.
