Chauffeur recruitment
Massey’s Agency specialises in providing permanent chauffeurs in both the corporate and private household sectors. We can also provide chauffeurs with personal security experience (often with an ex-services background) if required. As these are, in most cases, live-out jobs and we are London-based, we are unable to extend this service outside the London and Home Counties area.
In general, a chauffeur’s job is to drive and maintain cars, help their passengers to get in and out of the car, carry packages and luggage, run errands and, most importantly, liaise with the employer or his/her PA to ensure that the daily schedule of appointments is met in a timely fashion. They are also responsible for keeping their employers’ cars in good condition (washing, waxing and polishing), carrying out basic car maintenance (checking tyre pressures, oil and water levels) and ensuring the cars are regularly serviced and maintained. Many are engaged to take care of the personal security of their employer and his/her family.
In the corporate sector, they often spend time on basic office duties and act as the company’s courier. Increasingly, chauffeurs are being sought that also have computer skills.
In a private household situation (and often in the corporate sector too), they may have additional duties such as driving children to and from school and after-school activities, carrying out minor household repairs, maintaining gardens and driveways and exercising pets.
Massey’s Agency insists that all candidates for chauffeur jobs have at least four years’ experience as formal chauffeurs (not hire car or mini-cab drivers, for example) with at least two of those years with one employer. All chauffeurs are personally interviewed by our experienced recruitment consultants and their recent references independently checked (the vast majority by telephone). During these interviews we look for smart, well-presented candidates who are discreet, take a pride in their jobs and the cars they drive and who will be an ‘advert’ for their prospective employer. We inspect their licences and qualifications - many have acquired advanced driving, Rolls Royce chauffeur training, defensive driving and anti-hijack certificates. We also question them closely on any declared traffic infringements or minor accidents. They must also have a good knowledge of UK roads and, in particular, London.
Chauffeurs’ wages vary considerably and depend, of course, on the number of hours they work and the flexibility the employer demands. Some chauffeurs accept a fixed wage including an estimated amount of overtime; thereby taking the risk they will not be asked to work excessive overtime hours. Others receive a basic wage for a standard working week and are paid overtime pay (usually 50% greater than their standard hourly rate) for the extra hours they work. In view of this we, at Massey’s Agency, adopt the policy of not disclosing to candidates the wage the client is prepared to offer and, instead, inform the client of the wage the chauffeur is seeking.
Having discussed the client’s requirements and established a job description and candidate profile, we search our extensive database of checked chauffeurs. We aim to send CVs of at least two well-matched chauffeurs within 24 hours of receiving the client’s enquiry. And we do mean ‘well-matched’. Not for us the practice of sending sheaves of CVs in the vain hope that one might be right. If we have no suitable candidates, we say so.
In conclusion, you can be assured that Massey’s Agency, with its experience of recruiting house-hold staff for more than 160 years, has brought its skills and professionalism to the recruitment of chauffeurs.
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