Safety and communication are the most mentioned skills in cleaning job ads, a LiveCareer analysis of recent postings and resumes found. Job seeker resumes are falling short on both counts. Such shortcomings could extend the job search for thousands.
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Faced with a challenging economy, house cleaners, hospital workers, school janitors and others must stay up to date on the latest safety protocols, as they form a critical line of defense against the virus.
Clear and concise communication with the public and coworkers takes on greater importance when small mistakes could risk lives.
LiveCareer pinpointed the skills listed most often in job ads, including the precise wording of each skill. This data-based approach reveals the terminology employers expect to see on cleaning applications, and can help guide job seekers in refreshing their resumes.
Top hard, soft and remote work skills that will help you land cleaning jobs
LiveCareer analyzed job ads for a range of cleaning positions, including custodians and housekeepers. Here are the skills that rose to the top.
Soft skills
- Safety conscious
Found in 41.18% of cleaning job ads
Look for words like safely, hazard and secure. - Communication
Found in 36.03% of job ads
Look for words like communicate, articulate, voice and talk through. - Written communication
Found in 34.56% of job ads
Look for words like write, draft and compose. - Fast learner
Found in 26.84% of job ads
Look for words like understand, comprehend and learn. - Corroborate
Found in 19.12% of job ads
Look for words like test, validate and check. - Management skills
Found in 16.18% of job ads
Look for words like manage, oversee, conduct, supervise and direct.
Hard skills
- Training
Found in 22.79% of job ads
Look for words like instruct, teach and train. - Mopping
Found in 18.38% of job ads
Terms will be exact or self-explanatory. - Trash disposal
Found in 11.76% of job ads
Terms will be exact or self-explanatory. - Laundry
Found in 11.76% of job ads
Terms will be exact or self-explanatory.
Remote work skills
- The project management tools Teamwork (found in 3.68% of job ads) and Monday (found in 3.31% of job ads).
An experienced housekeeper resume example
How to add skills to your resume
Read the job description, understand what the employer is seeking and use the exact wording of the skills listed in the job posting.
1. Weave a few important critical soft skills into your summary statement.
Example one: Housekeeper
Thorough housekeeper with a decade of experience and excellent attention to detail. Owned and operated two successful cleaning companies across six locations. Offer any combination of carpet cleaning, laundry, dusting and vacuuming, mopping or any other deep-cleaning service according to client needs.
Example two: Custodian
Veteran campus custodian dedicated to providing a safe and hygienic learning environment for all students and faculty. Highly skilled in trash disposal, mopping and waxing before, during and after school hours. Communicate with administrators and staff to strategically prioritize any urgent cleanup or sanitization.
2. Create a separate skills section. Make sure to include both hard and soft skills.
Example one: Janitor
- Fast learner
- Equipment operation
- Timely and efficient
- Training new staff
- Verbal and written communication
- Exceeding safety standards
Example two: Housekeeper
- Leadership skills
- Deep cleaning
- Laundry
- Communication
- Courteous and responsible
- Monday project management software
3. Lace skills throughout top achievements in your work experience section.
Example one: Office cleaner
- Mixed, used and safely stored hazardous chemical cleaners to reduce risk of injury or illness.
- Used time management and efficient cleaning methods to meet deadlines.
- Sanitized toilets, sinks, showers, kitchen surfaces and other high-traffic home fixtures.
Example two: Janitor manager
- Completed routine floor maintenance, including stripping, sealing and finishing.
- Worked with building managers to assess ongoing needs and plan preventive maintenance and cleaning schedules.
- Supervised supplies in inventory and submitted reorder requests.
How to grow this skill set
Employers are going to want to see you are continuing to build your cleaning skills. There are many options available to you, including:
- Offering additional, more niche cleaning services may widen your net when it comes to job opportunities. For example, the Chimney Safety Institute of America offers programs to become a Certified Chimney Sweep (as well as a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician).
- The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) offers their Cleaning Management Institute program which focuses on "certifying frontline cleaning professionals, verifying training programs and training facilities to a set industry standard, and improving the skills of industry trainers."
