Janitorial Cleaning as a Career

Janitors may get a bad rap in the movies, but when it really comes down to it, this is one career worth pursuing. Janitorial cleaning can provide major benefits for you personally and for your family. If it is something you become skilled at, you have the opportunity to make it a life-long career.

Most people don't realize the types of skills involved in janitorial cleaning. Individual janitors and even companies that manage multiple cleaners at large sites are multi-talented and multi-tasking people. In order to be successful at your career you must be a good people person with excellent communication skills, the ability to be flexible and deal with change and the willingness to work hard under pressure.

Janitor services are all encompassing. As a janitor you have to prepare yourself to be hired into a staff of hundreds of talented service people working in a large office building. In a position like this you will have a manager to report to and specific clean-up areas designated as your own. Likewise, you must be equally prepared to be the only janitor working in an elementary school. This means you have to be a self-starter and self-motivator. As a janitor, even for large office building with a staff of thousands, you still have to be in charge of the quality of your specific task.

This isn't for everyone. Most people need the help of a manager to do problem solving. The idea of having to figure out the best way to set up the cafeteria for 300 students to eat in and clean-up an unfortunate kindergartner's breakfast is enough to send most people running away screaming. For a special few in the workforce, this type of problem solving and thinking on one's feet is ideal and even exciting for most people.

Of course, the major part of janitorial cleaning is a necessary love for, well, cleanliness. You genuinely need to be interested in clean-ups. Making lobbies, carpets, wood floors, gymnasiums--wherever the assignment may lead you--clean. You have to enjoy this aspect of the job, caring for detail and having the desire to see tasks through to their finish.

If any of the aforementioned descriptions fit you, then it may be in your interest to pursue a career in either being a janitor or managing a commercial clean-up company. There are very often multiple opportunities available in this field at once. You only need to apply to start down this path. Get the process started small. Maybe volunteer to clean up your church or community center to gain experience and references. From there, start to apply to as many openings as you can. Eventually, you will be offered something in your skill set and neighborhood.

Janitorial cleaning as a career may not be the first thing that comes to people minds when they begin naming dream careers. For many people it remains an exciting and stable job.