Lake Forest, IL: Temporary Housekeeper for Summer- 2 openings

Temporary housekeeper positions open for 5 weeks beginning in July through late August in Lake Forest. The two shifts available are:

1.) Monday-Friday 9am-5pm with flexibility for overtime
2.) Saturday-Sunday 9am-5pm with flexibility for overtime

Requirements:

Fluent in both English & Spanish (for communication with current staff)
Able to commit for entire 5 weeks
3+ years experience of housekeeping, preferably in a formal household
Able to cook & prepare meals (simple dishes but must have cooking abilities)
Drive or have reliable transportation to and from Lake Forest daily.

As always, all candidates of Alter Ego Concierge must be legal to work in the United States and have excellent references. Please email info@alteregoconcierge.com to apply or visit us online at Alter Ego Concierge.

Personal Security Forum

When we received an invitation for a personal security forum on June 10, Caitlin jumped at the opportunity to go as personal security is one of our primary concerns as a domestic staffing agency. HUB International, an insurance/risk management/wealth management firm, was the host and they have always set themselves aside in their industry for taking such extraordinary steps to educate their clientele on protecting themselves and their assets. We regularly receive such emails and would not turn down an opportunity to learn more, especially from HUB International.


Mike Guidry of The Guidry Group and Dr. Thomas Hargrove were the guest speakers, and could not have been better choices to present on Hostages, Kidnapping, Ransom, & Extortion. Dr. Hargrove was a kidnapping survivor himself, having been held hostage for 11 months by Colombian Narco-guerrillas of FARC, which is the most dangerous terrorist and drug organization in Latin America. Mike Guidry is a security expert and the President of The Guidry Group, a security company geared towards protecting, consulting, and training both corporate and individual clients throughout the world. 


In addition to normal preventative measures one might normally take, such as carrying travelers checks and wearing special clothing to disguise passports and credit cards, Mr. Guidry and Dr. Hargrove enlightened us with ways we may never have realized we were making ourselves targets. 


For one, when you arrive in your destination city: DO NOT have your driver or car service list your name and/or company on a sign waiting for you. This is just an alert letting terrorists know that you are in town, and is an easy way to make your identity even more publicly accessible.


Second, DO NOT attempt to go in unfamiliar territory. Simply put: do not take the scenic route and always stay with a group if possible. Do not walk in isolated places at night, even if you are in a group.


Look into K&R insurance for yourself and your family- but don't broadcast that you have it. This too will make you more of a target.


Thanks to HUB International, Mike Guidry of The Guidry Group, & Dr. Thomas Hargrove for an interesting and informative presentation. If you would like contacts regarding K&R insurance or others from HUB, feel free to email us and we'll be happy to put you in touch.

Why Use A Nanny Agency?

To us, this has obvious answers and we feel like we can go on forever! It's always nice to have an outsider's opinion, though, which is why we would love to share this great article we found on Buzzle: Why Use A Nanny Agency?


We would love to hear what you think! Have you used a nanny agency in Chicago or on the North Shore before? What was your experience? Were there any approaches you wish would have been taken or done differently?

Simply Magnificent

We're thrilled to announce that our founder, Caitlin Hofherr, is the newest contributor at Simply Magnificent, the blog for the Ritz Carlton luxury residences in Chicago. Caitlin will be joining as an expert in luxury goods and lifestyle management. If you have any story ideas to submit or questions for Caitlin, we would love to hear from you! 


Below, an excerpt from her first article...for the full article, check out http://bit.ly/c1F23M

Food Life: What's Hot This Summer

"Summer is undeniably the best time to live in, visit, and take advantage of Chicago. Between shopping along the Oak Street boutiques, grabbing a drink at any one of the Gold Coast’s abundant sidewalk cafes, and strolling along our beautiful lakefront, it’s no wonder Chicago flourishes in the summer.

Chicago’s summer atmosphere is always geared towards parties—getting together with friends, socializing, and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Personal chefs are quickly reinventing the entertaining landscape with creative culinary concepts to make this summer’s soiree more elegant & memorable than ever before.

Destination Dinners: Personal Chefs are being called upon to travel near and far, and sail the high seas to create an extraordinary dining experience no matter what the location. Entertaining takes a whole new level this summer when a restaurant experience can be enjoyed in any setting..."

Father's Day

Another Father's Day gift, another tie. Bill Cosby said it best: "Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope."


We challenged you on Mother's Day to get creative this year, and why should our fathers be any different? Alter Ego Concierge is always pleased to celebrate parents of any age & every interest with these unique gift ideas:


Grill Out: Give Dad a night off this grilling season and truly entertain his culinary palette! Our chefs offer unique approaches to your average dinner party or guy's night with twists such as a beer tasting menu or a Mexican fiesta. 


Personal Assistant For A Day: Could you imagine if Dad was actually able to enjoy his round of golf in peace? Our assistants will mark off Dad's to do list, from the oil change to paying the bills, Dad will finally have his hole-in-one.


HandyMan: Our housemen can take care of those pesky gutters, lightbulb changes, lawn mowing, and all the other daunting tasks Dad handles year round. Beware: he may be looking for one of these guys YEAR ROUND too!


For help on picking out the perfect Father's Day gift for your own Ward Cleaver, gift us a call at Alter Ego Concierge. 

Chicago & the North Shore: Eldercare & Senior Assistance

The summer months in Chicago can be brutal (much like our winters!), and it's an extremely important time of year to check on your elderly loved ones and neighbors. Alter Ego Concierge wants to remind you of our eldercare services, available to those who are immobile and to those who may just need an occasional extra hand.

Some of our services include, but are not limited to:

• Errands & housework
• Transportation
• Care, visits, & companionship
• Health management & medication distribution
• Housekeeping & meal preparation (including grocery shopping)
• Pet care
• Household assistance- bill paying, scheduling repairs, etc.

We firmly believe that all Alter Ego Concierge staff & candidates maintain the utmost integrity, professionalism, and positive demeanor. If you have any questions or need help finding good care for your loved ones this summer, please do not hesitate to call us at 312.802.2337 or email info@alteregoconcierge.com.

Should You Give Your Nanny A Cell Phone?

While this is not necessary a black and white answer to a debatable topic, we certainly have our opinions!

There are many advantages to giving your nanny a cellphone to help benefit the both of you. Giving your childcare provider a cell phone can keep her work related business and personal business separate, keeping her organized and right on task. It can help to eliminate personal phone calls and text messages so that more time is being spent doing the duties that she was hired to do.

With that being said, if your childcare provider is going to be using her own personal cellphone for work related purposes it is only customary to provide her with her own cellphone for when she is working or to compensate her for part of her cellphone bill. All of this can be done on any budget with "pay-as-you-go" cell phones that can be bought at discount super stores like Target or Walmart.

Have a different opinion or any insight to share? We would love to hear it! Comment below or catch up with us on Twitter at @AlterEgoC and @AECMallory