How a Confidential Household Search Works

Discretion begins before a candidate learns the household’s name.

Many households prefer a staffing search to remain private. For some, the reason is public visibility or security. For others, it is a departure that has not been announced or simply a preference that the home not be discussed. A search can respect that without withholding the facts a candidate needs. This is how Ellery approaches it.

The household is described, not named

From the first conversation until an introduction is agreed, Ellery describes the household through what the role requires: the general location, the way the residence is used, the schedule, the responsibilities, and any existing team. Household details are shared only to the level needed at each stage.

A candidate might hear that a position is for an Executive Housekeeper at a residence in Greenwich that is occupied for part of the year, with a small existing staff, a live-out schedule, and a particular standard of care. That gives an experienced professional enough information to consider the role without revealing the client’s identity.

Who knows what, and when

Within Ellery, household information is limited to the people involved in running the search. Candidates learn which household it is only when an introduction is agreed, and they receive only what they need to prepare for that conversation.

Information shared between a client and a professional must be relevant to the search or placement and consistent with the purpose for which it was provided. If an introduction does not proceed, the candidate is not told which household it is.

References concern the candidate

Reference conversations are used to assess the candidate’s professional history and suitability. Ellery confirms employment and professional references at the source and limits disclosure of reference information to what is appropriate for the search and applicable law.

The conversation focuses on the candidate’s work: the employment relationship, dates, responsibilities, performance, and whether the reference supports the work history presented. Client information is not shared unless it is relevant and needed for that conversation.

A confidentiality agreement, where required

Some households require a confidentiality agreement before a candidate learns their name. Where requested, it is arranged as part of the brief and completed before introductions.

The appropriate terms depend on the household, the role, the information involved, and applicable law. A household that requires an agreement should raise it in the first conversation so the process can be set before the search begins.

What “never disclosed” means

Ellery does not publish client names and does not use a search to promote the firm. The representative searches described on the homepage are illustrative: a role, a setting, and the questions that shape the search. They do not identify a client.

The same principle continues after placement. Personal information is handled for the search, introduction, placement support, recordkeeping, and legal obligations. A household’s identity is not turned into a public case study.

What confidentiality does not cover

Discretion is not secrecy from the people who need information to do their part. A candidate must eventually know who they are meeting. A client needs relevant candidate information. Verification requires speaking with former employers about the candidate.

Some searches may also require third-party background screening. When a screening provider is used, required disclosure and authorization are handled under applicable law. Other service providers may process limited information where necessary to support communications, documents, security, or the search. A confidential search still has written terms.

Before the search begins

If confidentiality matters to the household, it should be discussed in the first conversation. The household should say what may be described, what should be withheld until an introduction, whether a confidentiality agreement is required, and who on its side should receive candidate information.

Those decisions shape the role brief. The brief then governs how the household is described, when identifying information is shared, and who participates at each stage.

Frequently asked questions

Does Ellery publish client names?

No. Ellery does not publish client names and does not use a client search to promote the firm.

When does a candidate learn which household is hiring?

A candidate learns which household it is only when an introduction is agreed and receives only what is needed to prepare for the interview.

Can a household require a confidentiality agreement?

Yes. Where a household requires one, Ellery arranges it as part of the brief before introductions.

How are references and screening information handled?

Reference and screening information is handled in confidence and shared only with the people involved in the decision. Third-party screening begins only with the candidate’s authorization.