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How to hire a butler

Butler hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring butlers in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a butler is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per butler on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 12,215 butlers in the US and 1,686 job openings.
  • Las Vegas, NV, has the highest demand for butlers, with 9 job openings.
  • Butler, PA has the highest concentration of butlers.

How to hire a butler, step by step

To hire a butler, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a butler:

Here's a step-by-step butler hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a butler job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new butler
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a butler, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A butler's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, butlers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    The following list breaks down different types of butlers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of ButlerDescriptionHourly rate
    Butler$12-51
    ValetA valet is responsible for parking customers' vehicles safely in secured premises. Valets' duties include greeting customers, assisting them in carrying their luggage, following special parking instructions of the guests, and promptly returning vehicles after checkout... Show more$10-23
    House SitterHouse Sitters are individuals who manage their clients' homes while these clients are away. Clients connect or engage with house sitters days or weeks before their planned trip... Show more$11-51
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Wine
    • Cleanliness
    • Fine Dining
    • Beverage Service
    • Room Service
    • POS
    • VIP
    • IV
    • Guest Satisfaction
    • Front Desk
    • Excellent Guest
    • AAA
    • CPR
    • CAD
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage the register in accordance with POS guidelines.
    • Assist clients with purchasing groceries, household items, and clothing.
    • Act as a liaison between management and sales team with high-profile VIP guests.
    • Provide upscale, personal VIP service to qualify guests in invite guest lounge.
    • Receive, log and track all deliveries of luggage, packages, flowers, and groceries for villa guests.
    • Maintain cleanliness, sanitation and organization of assign station and service areas.
    More butler duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your butler job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A butler salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a butler in Utah may be lower than in Pennsylvania, and an entry-level butler usually earns less than a senior-level butler. Additionally, a butler with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average butler salary

    $52,202yearly

    $25.10 hourly rate

    Entry-level butler salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 30, 2026

    Average butler salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$66,166$32
    2New York$64,576$31
    3Maine$60,201$29
    4Maryland$57,946$28
    5Indiana$57,573$28
    6North Carolina$55,223$27
    7Nevada$53,001$25
    8Florida$50,532$24
    9West Virginia$49,895$24
    10Ohio$48,401$23
    11Georgia$48,400$23
    12Alabama$47,631$23
    13Virginia$46,088$22
    14Washington$44,856$22
    15Arizona$43,865$21
    16Tennessee$43,128$21
    17Oregon$42,816$21
    18Kentucky$42,116$20
    19Texas$41,438$20
    20Illinois$41,341$20

    Average butler salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Crescent Heights$155,910$74.961
    2Michigan State University$66,814$32.12
    3Kohler Co.$61,014$29.33
    4REOPCO$54,542$26.221
    5Brinker International$51,685$24.85
    6Fairmont Schools$50,097$24.09
    7Monarch Casino & Resort$45,835$22.041
    8Americorps$45,670$21.96
    9Ocean Casino Resort$44,449$21.37
    10Atlantis Casino Resort Spa$42,622$20.49
    11Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania$41,038$19.73
    12Canyon Independent School District$40,839$19.63
    13Wynn Resorts$40,265$19.361
    14SAFEbuilt$38,999$18.75
    15Biltmore$38,397$18.46
    16Pyramid Hotel Group$38,242$18.39
    17Excellence$37,742$18.15
    18Chipotle Mexican Grill$37,616$18.08
    19Choctaw Casinos & Resorts$36,924$17.75
    20Hyatt Hotels$35,866$17.244
  4. Writing a butler job description

    A good butler job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a butler job description:

    Butler job description example

    • Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by facility environmental systems.
    • Must be able to sit and exert well-paced mobility for up to 8 hours in length.
    • Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other locations of the property on a timely basis.
    • Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space.
    • Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
    • Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and other employees.
    • Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
    • Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment.

    QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:

    Education: High School Diploma Required

    • Experience Required: At least 4 years experience in a major resort property with proven superb customer services skills as a Butler, Maitre d’, or Food Server in a Five Star or Luxury Resort environment.
    • Knowledgeable and proficient in all aspects of F&B and personal valet services.
    • Basic computer skills.
    • Ability to function under time constraints and carry out standard housekeeping practices such as turn down services.
    • Excellent customer service skills.
    • Have interpersonal skills to deal effectively with all business contacts.
    • Professional appearance and demeanor.
    • Work varied shifts, including weekends and holidays.
    • High school diploma or equivalent.
    • Able to effectively communicate in English, in both written and oral forms.

    Grooming: All employees must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance per Company standards.

    INTENT AND FUNCTION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

    All descriptions have been reviewed to ensure that only essential functions and basic duties have been included. Peripheral tasks, only incidentally related to each position, have been excluded.

    Requirements, skills, and abilities included have been determined to be the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions. In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities, and requirements delineated be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer.

    Powered by JazzHR

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  5. Post your job

    To find butlers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any butlers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level butlers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your butler job on Zippia to find and recruit butler candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit butlers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new butler

    Once you've selected the best butler candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a butler?

Recruiting butlers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for butlers is $52,202 in the US. However, the cost of butler hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a butler for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $51 an hour.

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