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What are the Different Types of Housekeeping Jobs?
There are a number of different types of housekeeping jobs that are available. These may include private housekeeping for individual homeowners, or working for a business that employs a larger housekeeping staff, such as a hospital, hotel, or even a cruise ship, just to name a few. Within the profession, there are entry level, supervisory, and managerial roles as well, typically based on amount of experience or number of years with the company. Entry level housekeeping jobs are typically available to those without any experience, and on the job training is offered.
Private housecleaning is one of the most lucrative housekeeping jobs. A housekeeper may be employed with a single family, and may even live in the home with the family. In other cases, a housekeeper will not live with the family, and may have a number of different houses that he or she cleans in a day or a week. It will typically be the job of a housekeeper to maintain the cleanliness of the entire house, and it may be a very physically strenuous job, including a lot of bending, reaching, or lifting heavy items. An individual wanting to work as a housekeeper in this capacity should begin building a list of references, which will make it more likely to get hired.
A company that hires a staff of housekeepers may offer a number of different housekeeping jobs. The pay may be slightly less, but it may be more guaranteed work with better hours. Hotels are large employers of housekeepers, for example; each housekeeper may be assigned a series of rooms per day, and will be expected to complete the work in a certain period of time. Hospitals, assisted living facilities, or cruise ships may also operate similarly. Large offices may hire a cleaning staff, which will often involve working at night when the office is closed.
A housekeeping staff will typically be organized in a hierarchical manner. Entry level housekeepers, or those who have just started, will typically make up the bulk of the staff. Shift supervisors may be in charge of supervising the entry level staff for each shift, and may be responsible for checking each area to be sure it is cleaned to specifications. Managers may be responsible for hiring housekeeping staff, and will be in charge of the cleanliness of the entire building. People who are successful at entry level housekeeping jobs and who demonstrate leadership skills will typically be able to move up into a supervisory role fairly quickly.
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![Housekeepers might work in private homes or in businesses such as hotels, cruise ships, or hospitals.]()
By: Monkey BusinessHousekeepers might work in private homes or in businesses such as hotels, cruise ships, or hospitals. -
![Cruise ships may employ housekeepers.]()
By: James SteidlCruise ships may employ housekeepers. -
![Entry-level hotel housekeepers make up beds and clean bathrooms.]()
By: stefanolunardiEntry-level hotel housekeepers make up beds and clean bathrooms. -
![Private housekeepers handle chores like laundry and ironing.]()
By: Steve CukrovPrivate housekeepers handle chores like laundry and ironing. -
![Housekeepers may be employed with a single family.]()
By: James SteidlHousekeepers may be employed with a single family. -
![Housekeepers at a hotel make sure rooms have plenty of toilet paper for guests.]()
By: Ruggiero ScardignoHousekeepers at a hotel make sure rooms have plenty of toilet paper for guests.
Discussion Comments
@Calvin77 - Housekeeping jobs come in tons of shapes and sizes. I've done quite a few as part time work during college. You know, I never noticed that gender thing before though. I guess people assume women are housekeepers because we have been for so many years.
Way back then, the family had men that worked outside and women that worked inside. It just went along with the saying “A woman's place is in the home,” which I can't say I agree with.
I guess it just hasn't changed that much in such a long time, no one thinks it should be different. Thanks for breaking that gender stereotype then! I think men can do housekeeping as good as women can -- look at butlers. They clean and arrange things all the time.
@MissCourt - I worked at a hotel too. It was a huge place with several stories. I was one of three housekeepers -- and we were all guys. Everyone we met in the hotel thought it was so weird that we we men. To make things weirder for visitors -- out janitor was a woman.
I guess there's still some assumption that housekeepers are women and janitors are men. I worked there all summer and fall.
I actually really enjoyed it. You start with a really messy room and you get to carefully make it perfect again.
@MissCourt - I worked as a maid for awhile. The family lived next door and their maid quit right after my 17th birthday -- so I took her place. I got to get up early, prepare breakfast, brush their cats and then clean up the house. They had two young boys, so there was always something to scrub up.
I got paid really well and they were always nice to me if I forgot to do something. I worked there even after I moved out of my parents house and when I quit -- they wrote me a glowing review. It was a great first job!
I've worked as a house keeper several times through my life. It's one of those jobs that always needs done, so there's always work out there.
I've done housekeeping jobs in hospitals, but they gave me the creeps. There are so many sick people and you have to wear special gear to clean -- I didn't stay there long.
I'm worked as housekeepers at a hotel and a motel. The hotel was huge and old -- it was also a notorious party hangout. Not the most pleasant cleaning, but good tips. The motel was very small and nice, but gave small tips.
I also worked as a private housekeeper for a old woman that owned a huge farm house. It took several days to get the place in order, but I was paid really good. I was more like a maid.
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