Should You Hire Experienced Cleaning Technicians?
"I've got 10 years of cleaning experience" said the applicant.
"Wow, 10 years - just what I'd hoped for. Now I don't have to spend so much time training!" thought the interviewer.
Have you ever thought this way when hiring cleaning staff? In theory it sounds great -- lots of experience means they know the ropes, right? All you need to do is pair them up with their team, show them the cleaning products and equipment you use, and let them run off and do their thing.
If you've been in the cleaning industry for any length of time however, you've probably had a slightly different experience with "experienced" cleaners.
Drawbacks of Hiring Experienced Cleaning Technicians
- Assuming that since they've got experience, they actually know what they're doing. Unfortunately, most employers find that they either exaggerate their experience or their training has been so poor that they're not doing things correctly or safely. I can't tell you how many people have told us they have experience stripping and refinishing floors, but ended up taking so many short cuts that the job had to be re-done, costing us precious profit.
What if the employee you're interviewing came from a known competitor that has a reputation for doing shabby work? That's a huge red flag that they were part of that “shabby work” team. Do your due diligence by asking performance based questions and checking references. - If they've been cleaning for several years, they may be set in their ways. This is not true for all candidates, but we've experienced this a several times. Some people feel that since they've been cleaning for so long they don't need anyone telling them how to clean - even if their new employer has different procedures that will save time and money.
Another problem with experienced cleaners is when they report to a less-experienced supervisor. Perhaps they've been cleaning for 10 years and your supervisor has only been in the industry for 3 years. That can cause problems for the team if there is resistance from the experienced cleaner to learn new things and take directions from their new supervisor. - If they've worked at several different cleaning companies for short periods of time, it's a red flag that they may not be around for long. When people work for many cleaning companies they've either been fired for poor performance or quit because they're not happy no matter they go.
Be sure to ask a lot of questions about their work history and ask why they left each job. Watch for signs of blaming others for their circumstances. Ask about their previous supervisors – who did they like and who did they NOT like? If they liked a supervisor because he or she was easy going, it could be a sign that they were left alone to their own devices instead of receiving proper training and guidance, which eventually led to poor performance.
I'm not saying you should NEVER hire experienced workers because often times you'll find a gem among the rocks. Just interview them very closely, ask lots of probing questions and check references.
One of the advantages of hiring inexperienced cleaners is that they are much more open and willing to learn new skills and are generally very trainable. You want to be able to train your employees to do things YOUR way and using YOUR systems.
As the saying goes, “Hire for attitude, train for skill”.
Some people also say that cleaning isn't rocket science. And although the science of cleaning is becoming more important all the time, it's a skill that can be learned. So when you find a person with a great attitude you can determine that they'd be an asset to your company, then hire them and offer comprehensive, ongoing training that gives them the best chance to succeed with your company.
Would you like to learn some of the secrets that Pro Recruiters use to recruit great employees?
Top recruiting expert Patty DeDominic shares her best recruiting tips in this one-hour webinar for cleaning business owners. Patty has years of experience as the owner of one of California's top recruiting companies.
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