It’s a rough time to enter or re-enter
the workforce, but that doesn’t mean finding a job is out of the
question. Whether you are recovering from a layoff or re-entering the
workforce after some downtime, you can build a long-term business out of
an easy entry job by becoming an office cleaner.
Getting Your Office Cleaning Job
The good news is, an entry level cleaning job doesn't require a degree, and the business acumen you gain through the process will help you create your own cleaning business down the line. When starting out, keep in mind that office cleaning companies look for people who have some cleaning experience, the ability to perform physical work and flexible schedules. A physical may be required. You should have references willing to vouch for your responsibility (doing what you say you will and doing it well) and your timeliness (being where you say you will when you say you’ll be there).If there aren’t any local office cleaning companies hiring in your area, you can still get your start as an office cleaner. While many companies do outsource their office cleaning tasks to professional cleaning companies, there are plenty of businesses that don’t and they may be hiring new workers. These jobs may be listed as office cleaners, but they may also be listed as janitors, building maintenance crew members, grounds maintenance crew members or environment controllers. You can get your start either way.
Building Your Office Cleaning Career
Whether you get your start working for a professional cleaning service or for a company with an in-house cleaning staff, you’ll want to work your way into managerial responsibilities. You can do this by moving to another company once you have experience or by moving up the ladder within the first organization that hires you. Your objective isn’t to gain managerial status, so the title doesn’t matter. Your objective is to gain insight about how the business of cleaning works.You’ll want to learn about procuring supplies, managing employees, soliciting new clients and managing accounts. You’ll want to touch on insurance issues, licensing and reporting requirements, too. Your goal is to build the foundation you need to start your own business. By learning about these different business activities under the mentorship of your current employer, you can gain the expertise you need without the risk of being a business owner. This shortens your learning curve for when you start your business.
Starting Your Office Cleaning Business
Many businesses outsource their office cleaning tasks to local companies, which means they hire another business to clean their offices. SCORE, a nonprofit organization that mentors small business owners, actually recommends that small businesses outsource their office cleaning duties. This is helpful in two ways: first, you can receive free small business mentoring services from SCORE; second, SCORE can help you find new customers among their clients. Clearly, this one example proves that there’s a market for your services. Other examples show just how strongly professional advisors recommend outsourcing office cleaning duties to professional cleaners. Once you’ve learned the ropes, you can be the owner of the next office cleaning business that local companies hire.Success as a business owner requires balancing the expertise required to provide high-quality services to your customers with the expertise required to make your business profitable. Luckily, you don’t have to do this all by yourself. When you’re ready to start building your business, you can ask for help from organizations like SCORE, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and your local chamber of commerce. These organizations specialize in providing the support services small business owners need to succeed.
Owning your own business is risky, but potentially profitable. Running your own office cleaning company can yield more financial rewards than being one of several cleaners within somebody else’s company. This is how office cleaning becomes a long-term, profitable career. By starting as a cleaner and working your way up to managerial status (with or without the title), you’ll gain the expertise you need to turn your new office cleaning job into an office cleaning career. From there, you can build your own business and take control of your financial destiny.