Butler's Job Description
Butlers traditionally played the role of unflappable, unemotional pillar of the household, deeply connected to all the needs of the home and the homeowner. Modern butlers often cast aside anachronistic behavior requirements in exchange for dynamic efficiency deployed at a moment’s notice to satisfy an ever-busier elite class. The requirements of the job vary by household from the duties of a major domo to the less taxing job of valet.
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History
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The name “butler” is derived from the French word “bouteillier,” which in turn comes from the Latin “butticula” or “bottle.” The French butler’s principal duties included those of a sommelier in charge of the house’s wine cellar. By the mid-1800s, the butler had evolved from a focus in the pantry, ewery (shaving area) and wine cellar until he became more of a house manager. Changing times almost killed the profession through much of the 20th century, but the modern era has resurrected the butler in new ways including the prevalence of what is often referred to as a “personal assistant” or “lifestyle manager.”
Butlers in America
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Domestic servitude in the early United States was a task relegated to slaves. Often, slaves who worked indoors as maids, cooks and eventually butlers were treated with more deference than those who worked outside. They often became trusted members of the household with special privileges bestowed upon them leading to a sharp division between slaves of the house and those of the fields.
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Modern Duties
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Today’s butler can be male or female, though males still dominate the position. They are often a do-everything version of the traditional butler running not only the house but the business of life for their employers. A quick scan of a modern want add for a butler may include requirements including cooking, cleaning, household management and even driving the kids to school and shopping. The modern incarnation of a butler, at least in middle and upper-middle class households, is a Jack (or Jill) of all trades. Traditional butlers exist primarily in the homes of dignitaries. The White House in the United States and Buckingham palace in England continue to employ a full-time butler staff with one, designated head butler.
Salary
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Modern-era butlers can expect to earn anywhere from $50,000 to $120,000 per year for general duties based upon experience and level of responsibility. It’s not uncommon for managers of multiple households to earn up to $250,000 per year. A butler job often comes with full benefits and it can be either a live-in or live-out position.
Related Positions
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The butler, whether it is designated in his title or not, is usually seen as the head of the house staff. Other employees that may fall under his charge are the footman or underbutler who assists the butler and performs most of the manual duties, the nanny who oversees the children and the private chef who prepares all the meals.
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References
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