Frequently Asked Questions

We carefully consider your strengths to find you great opportunities and jobs that will be the right fit for you.

A longer explanation: We have been in business for 30+ years in the San Francisco Bay area and have made more successful matches of highly qualified domestic professionals in clients’ homes than any other agency.

We consider our candidates to be “gold” and we really care about finding the right job for you. It’s the only way we can continue to keep our clients satisfied and continue the level of repeat business that we are fortunate to have. Our loyal clients demand the best staff in the business, and working with the best-qualified candidates is the way we deliver.

Typically, these positions are not advertised. We offer a premium, high-touch service not only for our clients, but for our candidates as well. Here’s what we’ll do to make your job search a success:

• Invest the time in getting to know you
• Understand what you are looking for in your next job
• Understand the unique contributions you bring
• Guide you through the job search and interview process.
• Provide guidelines for successful interviews
• Help you to communicate your experience in the most positive way
• Depending on the type of position, help you to improve your existing resume or create a resume that we will present to clients
• Create a profile for you that we will use when we present you to clients to show you off in your best light

As the needs of families change, they may not need the services of an employee at a certain point. We love finding new placements for employees who have had successful and rewarding positions with our clients.

It’s in everyone’s best interest to make that you are happy in your position. We are always available to answer any questions that may arise and will check in with you and your employer to make sure everything is working out successfully in your new position.

There is no fee to you to register with Town + Country and if an employer decides to make a job offer to you, the agency fee is payable by the employer.

Most of our clients look for candidates with at least three years of in-home experience. Occasionally there are exceptions, for example when a client is looking for someone with a particular skill.

You must be eligible to legally work in the United States. Nearly all positions require that you have a driver’s license.

We do a thorough background check of all candidates prior to finalizing employment agreements. Background checks include a driving record check, Social Security scan and a criminal background check. If you are seeking a childcare position, we also request CPR certification, a TB test and, after you and the family have agreed on employment terms, we will help you make your application to TrustLine, California’s registry for in-home childcare providers.

Prior to any placement, we will do a thorough reference check with your previous employers and obtain excellent references for all prior positions.

Many of our searches are conducted on behalf of returning clients who have conducted searches with us before. Some of these clients have relied on us for many years.

A candidate may search for as short as a week or as long as several months. Your Placement Counselor will be able to provide guidance about how long your particular search may take.

While live-in candidates live with the family, they still work a set schedule. Some candidates live in separate cottages; other candidates live in the employer’s primary residence. The level of integration into the household varies and depends on the specific living arrangements and the candidate and employer’s style.

Our clients seek qualified Childcare professionals, Housekeepers, Personal Assistants, Chefs and Estate Staff in:

• San Francisco
• The Peninsula – Santa Clara County – including Campbell, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Saratoga and Sunnyvale – and San Mateo County – including Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, San Carlos, Portola Valley and Woodside
• The East Bay – Contra Costa County – including Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Orinda and Walnut Creek and Alameda County – including Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and Piedmont,
• Marin County – including Kentfield, Mill Valley, Ross, San Rafael, Sausalito and Tiburon
• Wine Country – including Healdsburg, Napa, Sonoma and St. Helena
• Monterey County – including Carmel, Monterey and Pebble Beach
• And Beyond – We have successfully placed Candidates in Texas, Nevada, Colorado, New York and many other places. We are happy to start a search and recruit on your behalf.

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If you have trouble filling out the form, you can call the Town and Country office that is most convenient for you.