Tell us what you need.
One conversation about your household, lifestyle and expectations. We prepare the brief for your approval.
You approve the briefPrivate household staffing in La Jolla & San Diego · Our process
Private household staffing,
done properly.
Our estate-management experience informs every introduction. Learn more about Pim’s background.
For private households and the professionals who serve them.
The Handgraaf Standard
How every recommendation is evaluated.
Capability Discernment Discretion Verification Stewardship
How the Standard is applied
Capability. Relevant experience, credentials and practical ability.
Discernment. Judgment, communication and household fit: knowing when to act, ask, escalate or give space.
Discretion. Respect for private lives, information and professional boundaries.
Verification. Handgraaf personally speaks with relevant references, verifies employment and credentials, and arranges authorized screening appropriate to the role.
Stewardship. Care for the household, its people, assets and reputation.
The Standard governs how Handgraaf evaluates. Our Process explains when each step occurs.
For families
People chosen for the way you live.
We learn the role, the household and the working relationship you want to build. Then we search, assess and introduce with care.
Meet our recommendations.
A considered shortlist, with evidence of ability, judgment and fit with your household and way of life.
You meet the candidatesChoose and begin.
We coordinate the agreed screening, paid trial where suitable and handover.
You make the hiring decisionWhat we verify and assess
Experience & references
Handgraaf personally speaks with relevant professional references and verifies employment and credentials, making any gaps clear.
Judgment & ability
Structured interviews and agreed exercises assess practical ability, discretion, social judgment and response to changing priorities.
Appropriate screening
After a conditional offer and separate written authorization, Checkr conducts background screening suited to the role and applicable law. Candidates receive a copy of any report and a chance to respond before any decision based on it.
Trial & handover
Where suitable, a supervised trial with agreed duties and feedback. Handgraaf pays trial hours at no less than the applicable wage and includes them on your monthly invoice, followed by clear onboarding responsibilities.
Ability, made visible
See how they think.
See how they work.
References, scenarios and a suitable trial help reveal ability, tact and judgment. Explore an example for your role.
Illustrative practical exercise
A sound decision. The right moment.
During a fictional family dinner, a vendor needs approval, a guest has a request and a developing leak is reported. Explain what you handle, defer or escalate, and draft the principal’s update.
What we look for
- Proportionate action and approval limits
- Tact, timing and respect for private life
- Clear updates in the principal’s preferred format
View an example candidate summary
HPRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
Illustrative candidate · Not a real person
Illustrative candidate · Not a real person
Candidate assessment summary
Estate manager
- Employment history
- Verified
- Professional references
- Completed
- Capability exercise
- Reviewed
- Discernment & lifestyle fit
- Trial observations needed
- Background screening
- Pending appropriate stage
Assessor’s observation
Prioritized the leak, delegated the guest request and deferred a routine approval. Explained when a discreet interruption was necessary. A trial should explore response to feedback and the household’s preferred level of interaction.
A clear recommendation, with strengths, open questions and onboarding priorities.
Before you begin
A few practical details.
What does the fee cover?
Your proposal identifies the search scope, included checks and assessments, placement fee, payment timing and any additional expenses. Trial arrangements and follow-up are agreed before you proceed.
How does a trial work?
Where suitable, a trial combines a household introduction with observed work. Handgraaf pays the candidate for trial hours at no less than the applicable wage and bills them on your monthly invoice. Duties, supervision, duration and feedback are agreed in advance, so both parties can assess the relationship.
How do you protect privacy?
We use fictional scenarios for assessments and share personal information only as needed. Client identities and private household records are not used as recruitment material.
What support follows the placement?
We coordinate the agreed handover and help clarify household expectations. Handgraaf’s published placement guarantee is 30 days; your agreement sets out the applicable replacement terms and follow-up. Review our staffing services.
Is there a fee for candidates?
No. Private-service professionals do not pay Handgraaf to apply or to be considered for a role.
What happens to my information?
We store it for recruitment purposes and share relevant details only when considering you for an appropriate opportunity. You may contact us with questions about your information.
Will you contact my current employer?
Only with your permission. We understand that a search may need to remain private.
What does private estate staffing include in San Diego?
Handgraaf recruits, vets and places estate and household managers, butlers, chefs, nannies, housekeepers, chauffeurs, security professionals, groundskeepers and yacht crew across La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar and wider San Diego. The process covers the role brief, shortlist, interviews, references, practical assessment, consent-based screening after a conditional offer, a paid trial where suitable and onboarding. Handgraaf also offers estate management and The Keep.
How does Handgraaf vet household staff?
We verify relevant employment, credentials and professional references, then use structured interviews and role-appropriate practical exercises to assess capability, discretion, social judgment and response to changing priorities. Screening suited to the role happens only with separate written authorization after a conditional offer. Where suitable, a supervised trial, paid at no less than the applicable wage, provides agreed duties and feedback before onboarding.
What does an estate manager do for a primary home?
An estate manager serves as one point of contact for the home, coordinating projects, vendors, household staff, the maintenance calendar, system inspections and events. Handgraaf’s primary-home management service also includes 24/7 emergency response, helping the household handle urgent issues while keeping routine operations organized and accountable.
How do I find private household jobs in San Diego?
Review the current openings on this page and apply once to introduce yourself for suitable private-household roles. Candidates never pay a fee. You can also join job alerts on Handgraaf’s main Job Board to hear about new opportunities.
Begin a conversation
Tell us what your household needs.
Share the essentials. We will follow up personally and discreetly.
+1 858 280 5281For private-service professionals
Your work deserves a thoughtful introduction.
Every candidate is evaluated against the Handgraaf Standard.
What you gain
- Access to roles that may not be advertised elsewhere.
- Households that value private-service professionals.
- An agency that represents you honestly.
- No fee to candidates.
The candidate’s process
Clear at every stage.
- 01
Apply
Tell us about your experience, interests and availability.
- 02
Conversation
We discuss your work, judgment and what you want next.
- 03
References & assessment
With your permission, Handgraaf personally verifies relevant professional references and may use a fictional, role-specific scenario.
- 04
Household introductions
We share suitable opportunities and arrange introductions with care.
- 05
Conditional offer & screening
With separate written authorization, Checkr conducts role-appropriate screening after a conditional offer. You receive a copy of any report and a chance to respond. A paid trial may follow where suitable; Handgraaf pays you directly for trial hours at no less than the applicable wage.
- 06
Onboarding & confidentiality
Before confidential access or work begins, the selected professional completes the required NDA or confidentiality documentation. House standards and The Keep make expectations clear.
Current openings
Private-service roles.
Selected opportunities from our Job Board. Join its email alerts to hear about future roles.
Current opening
Property Caretaker
- Location
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA, USA
- Type
- Full-Time
- Accommodation
- Live-In Schedule Full time, 5-6 day work week.
- Compensation
- Negotiable based on experience. APPLY FOR THIS ROLE →
Candidate application
Introduce yourself.
Your information is treated with care. There is no fee to candidates.
Any background screening happens only with your written consent after a conditional offer.