Questions to Ask When Hiring New Cleaners

Great employees are critical to the success of your cleaning business! To grow and expand, you need a strong team of qualified cleaners. But hiring and retaining employees is one of the top problems facing new businesses – it’s challenging to find hard-working people who will do a great job.

The First Step in Hiring New Cleaners

Whether hiring your first cleaner or the tenth person to join your company, the first step is to get your business in front of potential candidates. Spread the word! Talk to your friends, family, or current employees to see if they know anyone who would like to apply. Join social media or networking groups and post the opening or partner with a company like Cleaning Connect to meet other cleaners and clients!

What to Look for in Cleaners

Attitude over experience is the most important thing when hiring for your cleaning company. We always suggest prioritizing personality and mindset – if they have experience as a professional cleaner, that’s a bonus! You can teach someone to be a great cleaner if they are hard-working and willing to learn. But you can’t change someone’s personality if they have a poor work ethic.

Qualifications of Great Cleaners

• Coachable and willing to learn
• Motivated and able to work independently
• Attention to detail
• Hard-working and used to flexible hours
• Experience in the industry

Questions to Ask When Interviewing Candidates for Your Cleaning Company

It’s best to ask a mix of yes/no questions, followed by more open-ended questions that allow for open conversation. You want to get candidates talking to get a sense of their personality and what it would be like to work with them.

Industry Specific Questions

• Do you have experience working as a cleaner? (If so, can you describe the types of duties you were responsible for?)
• What cleaning products are you familiar with?
• How would you maintain tools and equipment?
• How would you clean computer screens and other delicate materials?

Job Specific Questions

• What expectations do you have regarding this job?
• What hours are you looking for?
• Which skills and qualifications are most important?
• What personality traits do you think a good cleaner needs to have?
• What do you think would make you successful in this job?

Attitude and Mindset Questions

• How would you describe yourself within the workplace?
• What are your top strengths/weaknesses?
• What is the most frustrating task you’ve faced in other positions? (And how did you handle it?)

Potential Scenarios

• What would you do if you accidentally broke something when you were cleaning?
• What would you do if you found confidential information when cleaning?
• What would you do if you were cleaning around the client? How would you handle the situation?

When hiring a new cleaner for your cleaning company, try not to rush the process. One of the keys to retaining employees is to hire the right fit for the job and your company. Not everyone will be a good fit for your team. Keep at it, and the right people will come along!