Nasca

hen Allan Miller started as a butler 25 years ago， he had no idea what he was getting into. Now， when he talks to students about his career， they have no idea his job even exists.

Yet thousands of butlers work at private homes， resorts， and in consulting roles that look only a little like those portrayed in the television show Downton Abbey. Instead of polishing silver or greeting guests， the butler may oversee installation of a new heating system， pay all the household bills or orchestrate parties and events.

Or if a butler works in a hotel， he or she may fetch a favorite brand of beer or a pair of cufflinks， pack suitcases， help with wedding proposals and serve room service food. Butlers also cater to well-heeled guests at Ritz-Carlton and many other luxury hotels.

“Youre going to learn from the people you work for， learn about goal setting， time management and money management，” Miller says. “The job is much more intense in terms of multitasking and smart technologies.”

Successful butlers can earn handsome salaries， plus as much as a months paid vacation. Top household managers can earn up to $300，000 a year， says Susan， a principal with Feigon Hamilton.

Today women are working in the field， as are younger men. And many luxury hotels have added butlers to their ranks in recent years. More and more butlers will work in hotels and for companies.

Lisandro worked in hotel security before becoming a butler at a hotel in Puerto Vallarta， Mexico. He had to learn English and spent two weeks at a hotel training school in Mexico City. At first， ironing garments for guests was a little bit kind of hard for him. After seven years as a butler， he has mastered that skill， as well as creating a rose petal-covered bed for honeymooners. “We are ahead of our guests needs. We like to be there before they ask.”

倫·米勒25年前剛?cè)胄心顷囎?，完全不知道?dāng)管家應(yīng)該做些什么。如今，當(dāng)他在學(xué)生們面前暢談自己的職業(yè)生涯時，學(xué)生們甚至不知道，管家這個職業(yè)依然存在。

盡管如此，全世界依然有成千上萬的人在當(dāng)管家。他們有的打理私人住宅，有的坐鎮(zhèn)度假酒店，其職責(zé)與電視劇《唐頓莊園》中刻畫的管家大相徑庭。他們需要做的，可能是監(jiān)督工人安裝新的供暖系統(tǒng)，或者負責(zé)所有的家庭開支，張羅大大小小的宴會活動，而不是擦拭銀器、接待客人這類傳統(tǒng)的活兒。

如果是在酒店做管家，就得隨時滿足客人的需求，比如為客人訂購他們喜歡的某個品牌的啤酒、配一對袖扣、收拾行李箱、為客人張羅求婚儀式、服侍客人在客房用餐。還有的管家專為麗思卡爾頓酒店等眾多豪華酒店的富豪貴客服務(wù)。

“你會從你服侍的人身上學(xué)到很多東西。比如：如何設(shè)定目標(biāo)？如何管理時間？如何理財？”米勒說，“這份工作強度很大，你需要同時處理很多任務(wù)，并掌握智能家居技術(shù)?！?/p>

成功的管家不僅收入可觀，還能享受一個月的帶薪假期。據(jù)家政獵頭公司Feigon Hamilton的創(chuàng)始人蘇珊說，頂級家政管家的年薪可達到30萬美元。

現(xiàn)在，越來越多的女性和年輕男性也開始加入到管家這個行列。近年以來，很多豪華酒店也開始紛紛招募管家，日后將有越來越多的管家在酒店和公司就職。

利桑德羅以前是一名酒店保安，現(xiàn)在在墨西哥巴亞爾塔港的一所酒店擔(dān)任管家。為了當(dāng)好管家，他不得不學(xué)好英語，還在墨西哥城的一所酒店培訓(xùn)學(xué)校培訓(xùn)了兩周。一開始，為客人熨衣服這種事情對他來說“有點小難”。當(dāng)了七年管家之后，他不僅掌握了這項技能，還能為度蜜月的新婚夫婦布置鋪滿玫瑰花瓣的婚床?！拔覀兡芟肟腿怂?，提前為他們考慮好所有的事情。客人還沒開口，我們就已經(jīng)準(zhǔn)備好為他們服務(wù)了。”endprint