Janitorial Jobs Overview
Janitorial jobs are essential in most buildings and businesses. Your first memory of a janitor might be at your school. He was the guy with all the keys. Today, if you work in an office building, you probably won’t pay much attention when the CEO is on vacation. But when the janitor takes a week off, you definitely notice, especially if your wastebasket overflows and restrooms aren’t as clean as usual.
Janitors have busy and varied jobs. More than one-third of all janitor jobs are in commercial buildings and residential dwellings, 13% are in schools, and the remainder are in healthcare facilities, government buildings, schools, and civic organizations like theaters.
Janitor job responsibilities can include any of the following:
- Cleaning inside buildings, including sweeping and mopping floors, washing windows, and collecting trash.
- Cleaning and sanitizing restrooms and keeping them stocked with supplies.
- Cleaning up spills and being familiar with Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) guidelines.
- Keeping outdoor walkways clear of snow and ice.
- Making minor building repairs.
- Locking doors to secure buildings and being available in case of lockouts.
- Some evening or weekend work.
- Special projects like painting or waxing floors.
If you think you’d like to explore building maintenance jobs, you might also be interested in:
Janitorial Job Training and Skills
Most employers want applicants for janitorial jobs to have a high school diploma. No formal education is needed to work as a janitor. Most janitors start with some short on-the-job training from an experienced staffer. However, you can be more valuable to employers if you’ve taken industrial arts classes in high school or have attended trade school for building maintenance, plumbing, or electrical repair classes.
You also might consider being certified by the Building Service Contractors Association International, The International Sanitary Supply Association, or the International Executive Housekeepers Association.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a janitor needs:
- Interpersonal skills
- Mechanical skills
- Physical stamina
- Physical strength
- Time-management skills
This Monster job description lets you know what else employers are looking for when they need to fill janitor jobs.
Update Your Resume for Janitorial Jobs
Make sure your application package shows you’re up to the task by including a resume that shows why you’re the best candidate for a janitor job. Monster has this sample custodian resume to help you get started. You can get additional information from this resume for a cleaner. You can download templates of both sample resumes to fill with your information.
We also have a cover letter for janitor job applications that you can use as a guide. This example points out the applicant’s hard skills, like grout steam cleaning and rug shampooing, and soft skills, like attention to detail and efficiency.
Interviewing for a Janitorial Job
With your top-notch resume and cover letter, you might get an invitation to interview by phone, by video chat, or in person. You can prepare by looking at these potential custodian interview questions and suggestions for how to put together answers that emphasize your positive traits.
Here are three of the most common interview questions for janitors:
- What makes you a good custodian for our building?
- What are some common problems you solve as a custodian?
- What helps you stay motivated?
How Much Do Janitorial Jobs Pay?
According to Monster, the median pay for a janitor in the U.S. is $12.38 an hour. The median pay range for the job is $10.58 to $15.64. Monster’s Salary Tools will help you calculate what you might make as a janitor in your area. While you’re on that page, you’ll also see the hourly pay for related jobs, like housekeepers and landscapers.
Want to Learn More About a Company You’re Interested In?
Monster wants to make sure that your new job is a good fit for you. That’s why we’ve created company profiles that give you a quick overview of an organization. You can look up a company in our database to find out things like:
- who owns the company.
- their hiring policies.
- what industry they’re in.
Use This Key to Clean Up the Competition for a Job
Get a head start on snagging interviews for janitorial jobs by creating a profile on Monster. Your profile is the key to unlock the door for recruiters and hiring managers to contact you before you have time to respond to a job posting. Your profile preferences also tell us which new job postings and career advice you’d like to see in your inbox.