There are many different types of housekeeping jobs to choose from. Private housekeeping for individual homeowners or working for a company with a larger housekeeping staff, such as a hospital, hotel, or even a cruise ship, to name a few examples. There are entry-level, supervisory, and managerial positions within the profession, which are typically based on years of experience or years with the company. Housekeeping jobs for those with no experience are typically available, and on-the-job training is provided.
One of the most lucrative housekeeping jobs is private housecleaning. A housekeeper may work for a single family and may even live with them. In other cases, a housekeeper may not live with the family and may clean a number of homes in a day or a week. A housekeeper’s job typically entails keeping the entire house clean, and it can be a physically demanding job that requires a lot of bending, reaching, and lifting heavy items. Anyone interested in working as a housekeeper in this capacity should start building a list of references as soon as possible. This will increase their chances of being hired.
A company that employs housekeepers may offer a variety of housekeeping positions. Although the pay may be slightly lower, the work may be more secure and have better hours. Hotels, for example, are large employers of housekeepers; each housekeeper may be assigned a series of rooms per day and expected to complete the work in a specific amount of time. Hospitals, assisted living facilities, and cruise ships may all function in the same way. Cleaning staff may be hired by large offices, which will often require them to work late at night when the office is closed.
A housekeeping crew is usually organized in a hierarchical structure. The majority of the staff will be entry level housekeepers or those who have recently started. Shift supervisors may be in charge of supervising entry-level employees for each shift and inspecting each area to ensure that it is clean to specifications. Managers may be in charge of hiring housekeeping staff and overseeing the cleanliness of the entire structure. People who succeed in entry-level housekeeping jobs and demonstrate leadership abilities will typically be able to advance quickly to supervisory positions.