janitor

What does a janitor do? Janitors clean virtually every room in the building, including hallways, restrooms, kitchens, classrooms, gyms, and offices. Your employer might assign you to one floor or section or hire you to clean the entire campus. After a few weeks, you'll probably fall into a routine, but janitors frequently deal with spills, accidents, and surprise repairs.

Indoor janitorial responsibilities include:

• taking out trash and recycling
• washing windows
• mopping and sweeping floors
• vacuuming carpet
• cleaning restrooms
• sanitizing high-use surfaces
• dusting furniture
• scrubbing walls
• cleaning up spills

If you work outdoors, your duties include:

• raking leaves
• mowing lawns
• trimming shrubs
• picking up litter
• shoveling snow and ice
• defrosting surfaces
• watering plants

Janitors often work with harsh chemicals. To keep yourself safe, you'll wear glasses, goggles, and other protective gear. You'll also mark wet floors and other hazards with signs to keep everyone else safe. When you find a major hazard that you can't resolve yourself, such as exposed wires, you'll notify your supervisor before an incident occurs.

Many janitors work at night so that they can clean the facility before customers and employees arrive in the morning. If you work overnight, you'll lock the doors and windows before you leave to protect the property from burglars.

Day shifts involve cleaning the building without interrupting the workflow. You'll have to accept that people will make messes in the areas that you just cleaned, but most visitors try to respect your efforts.

Typically, janitors work in professional environments, such as theaters, malls, gyms, schools, and churches. You'll clean the entire property, but you'll spend extra time in cafeterias, bathrooms, hallways, and other high-traffic areas. Your environment is generally well-lit with heat and air conditioning although you may spend time in stairwells and basements.

If you work outdoors, you may experience high winds, sun exposure, and extreme temperatures. You'll see a lot of people, but they usually don't interact with you directly. The exact environment varies according to your location. For example, schools are noisy and full of activity while office buildings are quieter.

You might work alone if your employer owns a small business. Large businesses may hire multiple janitors that coordinate with each other. Your colleagues may include other maintenance workers, such as plumbers, electricians, housekeepers, and carpet cleaners. You'll also interact with supervisors and other people that the business employs.

Your colleagues may include representatives from cleaning supply companies. If your employer doesn't order supplies on your behalf, you'll contact the manufacturers when you're running low.

Many janitors have full-time positions, but the hours vary according to your job site. Some janitors work during the day to perform maintenance and clean up messes. Others clean the building after it closes, which could mean working overnight. Many 24-hour businesses schedule shifts during all hours that they are open.

Instead of cleaning up after everyone leaves, some facilities hire you to arrive around 4:00 a.m. and clean the bathrooms, hallways, and other areas before people arrive. Your shift ends in the middle of the day.

If you're just starting out or looking for a side job, some employers hire part-time janitors. You'll fill coverage gaps, which could mean working on nights, evenings, and weekends. Some businesses hire seasonal janitors during the holidays.

Your supervisor could give you a single shift, such as overnights or early mornings, or rotate shifts throughout the week. Some employers look for on-call janitors who can show up during emergency situations.

Janitors have secure careers and frequently work in the maintenance industry until they retire. You can move to bigger cities and different industries to seek higher-paying jobs. If you like your employer, you could apply for new positions in the same building, such as a secretary or teacher's assistant.

Working as a janitor could expose new talents. For example, if you enjoy working with HVAC systems, you might consider an entire career as an HVAC installer. Some janitors become landscapers because they discovered a knack for raking, trimming, and gardening. Other options include becoming a plumber, carpenter, architect, or electrician.

Large operations need janitorial supervisors who manage a team of custodians. If you advance to this position, you would write schedules, assign responsibilities, oversee your team, address issues, and ensure that your workspace meets safety regulations. Janitorial supervisors need strong leadership and communication skills.

Working through Randstad offers you a range of benefits:

• being paid weekly
• flexibility
• always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
• many training opportunities
• a range of jobs in your area

Want a permanent contract? But you wonder why it would be interesting for you to work with a staffing company? A temporary job as a janitor is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that janitors face exposure to harsh chemicals, potentially dangerous equipment, and hazardous situations. Fortunately, federal law requires employers to comply with OSHA guidelines, creating a safe environment for janitors. You'll use your own safety knowledge when working with chemicals and heavy machinery.

Janitors work in various businesses, clinics, and non-profits, including churches, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, offices, laboratories, and small businesses. Some janitors work for government agencies. Elementary schools, high schools, and universities often employ multiple custodians.

Many janitors don't need a formal education--in fact, some employers don't request a high school diploma. Instead, they focus on your skills, experience, and work ethic. However, you can pursue college courses and certifications if you're considering a serious career as a janitor.

Most janitors aren't wealthy, but you could try a different industry or a bigger location if you're not satisfied with your salary and benefits. If you enjoy leading a team, search for a janitorial supervisor position so that you can boost your salary without leaving your field. The higher pay reflects the added responsibilities.

Janitors aren't salespeople, but they still interact with people every day, including their supervisors, colleagues, and passing visitors. You'll have to work with a team and supervisor if your employer owns a large building. Introverts might prefer overnight jobs where janitors clean the building after everyone is gone.

Applying for a janitor job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our janitor jobs for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV. If you do not have a resume, no worries. Just check out our resume builder. This state-of-the-art tool will help you to create your own resume. Need help with your application? Check out all our job-hunting tips!