Table of contents
Being a housekeeper can offer a very rewarding career. Do you take pride in keeping your home clean and tidy? Do you enjoy keeping things organised and presentable? Are you familiar with manual work? If so, then this could be the career for you! Here we talk about housekeeping from the perspectives of both the employer and the employee.
What is the role of a Housekeeper?
Some make the assumption that a Housekeeper has the same duties as a Cleaner. Now even though you will more than likely have cleaning tasks, there are far more responsibilities involved throughout the working day of a Housekeeper. You may be asked to make school runs, for example. Or take care of grocery shopping, online tasks, general maintenance, and cooking. You may even be required to look after children or the house cat! It is advisable to ensure there is a structure to your daily tasks, as taking on too much may jeopardise the standard of your work. It can though, be a very fulfilling job with such a variety of responsibilities.
What to expect when looking for a Housekeeper
When on the hunt for a Housekeeper, it is important to manage expectations. If you require a high standard of cleaning and upkeep of the house, that can already be quite time-consuming. Other tasks you may hope for them to carry out such as picking the kids up from school or preparing breakfast for the family may be too much to accomplish within the hours of work you have agreed with them. When you take on a Housekeeper, think carefully about which tasks you want to prioritise, and how many hours per week will be realistic in order to complete them to the standard required.
If you are searching for a job
It is a good idea to manage expectations on your side as well. Focus on what you are good at. You may end up regretting promising your employer that you can perfectly carry out ten different jobs around the house in a day’s work! You´ll be surprised by how time-consuming just one or two can be. Be willing to help in any way possible around the house, but emphasise your specialisms. After all, you will enjoy your job far more if you are doing the things you are good at.
How to get the skills
If you are wondering how to become a Housekeeper, there are two simple ingredients to becoming a very employable one.
Training and experience.
In terms of training, various reputable providers will provide you with a comprehensive training course. Once you complete it you will receive the qualification certificate, which is very desirable for any potential employers. Do not confuse a cleaning course with a housekeeping one. The two are very different and a course in cleaning will not equip you with the necessary skills to take on a job as a housekeeper.
As for the experience, well we all have to start somewhere, right? You can start by practicing! It is good to start with your own home and get to grips with maintaining a high standard of upkeep in your house. Practice all the new skills you have learned until you feel confident about taking on paid work elsewhere. Then, you can start offering your services to local households for example, or a hotel. It may only be a few hours of work at first, and perhaps just general cleaning, but as your responsibilities slowly and surely increase, you will be able to build up your portfolio to the point where you will be a desirable candidate for a full-time housekeeping role.
Finding the real job
Once you feel you have had some good experience with some part-time local work, you can start looking for your new housekeeping role. There are several ways of going about it, however, our advice would be to go through a reputable recruitment agency. If they specialise in the industry, then even better. They will take your CV, find out what you are best at and they will understand exactly what it is you are looking for. They will try and find a match for you and will sell your skills and credentials to their clients. They will also assist you when it comes to your applications, interviews, and trial shifts.
Alternatively, you can search for jobs online. Be sure to find out exactly the job you are applying for. If you are interviewed on the phone, try and get a clear understanding of the hours, the tasks, and the salary. Some households searching for housekeepers request very sporadic and somewhat unrealistic hours. They will more than likely explain their daily routines and commitments to help give you an understanding of why and when they will need you. If necessary, try to carefully explain yours so that you come to an agreement that suits both of you.
Good luck!
