Watch For These 12 Red Flags When Interviewing For House Cleaning Positions

Hiring good employees for your house cleaning business is a learning process for most business owners. The first time you think about hiring an employee you're getting pretty busy and need help ASAP. And here is where most people make their first mistake - hiring out of desperation. And no matter where you are in your business today, EVERYONE is having difficulty finding good employees, so it's way too easy to fall into this trap.

Do You Ignore the Red Flags and Hire Out of Desperation?

Being desperate for employees is common in our industry so I encourage you to pay attention to the red flags many candidates raise when going through the interviewing process. Too many employers ignore the red flags simply because they need help right away, and that's never a good thing to do. You're actually better off not filling the position than filling the position with the wrong person - especially if you currently have a good team. You may think the person is trainable, but if they have the wrong attitude for the job, you're certain to regret that hiring decision. 

Don't ignore the red flags and hire out of desperation

Here are several red flags that have served me well over the many years of hiring employees.

1. The candidate is late for the interview. This is never a good sign, so if they cannot make it to the interview on time, chances are they won't make it to work on time. Worse yet, if they do not take personal responsibility for being late, they will probably always put the blame on circumstances or someone else. Expect people to be about 10-15 minutes early for the interview. This shows they are serious about the job and most likely will take their job seriously. Anything after 15 minutes, you may want to cancel the interview altogether If they come rolling in a few minutes late or even up to 10 minutes late, they should have a rock solid accuse and present an apology. Showing up late is definitely a red flag, but if they have a legitimate reason for being late, apologize and have a stellar interview, this definitely moves the meter in their favor again.
2. They have not done their research on your company. These days there is no excuse for not researching a cleaning company before interviewing with them. Just about every business has a website and a social media presence on the Internet. They should be familiar with what you do and if they have done a good job with their research, should be offering observations on what they have learned. You are looking for a dedicated employee, one that is interested in the position and will be a good fit for your cleaning company. Interviewing a potential employee who has done the research shows they are prepared, understands your company's values and history, and the cleaning industry in general.
3. They have not dressed appropriately and/or they are not well groomed. Your employees will be working in your clients' homes and they will be representing your cleaning company. You cannot afford to hire people that are not groomed and dressed appropriately. That does not mean they have to be in a formal dress or business suit, but they should dress appropriately for the interview. Keep in mind that you cannot discriminate based on appearance, but if you have an appearance policy in your employee handbook they should be somewhere within the acceptable range of your policy. As the saying goes, ‘first impressions last'. You can tell a lot about a person in the first 5 minutes. Not only by what they say but how they look. This is seldom more important than during the job interview. If they show up well groomed and are dressed appropriately, you can make the assumption they are prepared for the job, are serious and confident in their abilities, and will likely be successful if hired for the position.
4. Negative Body Language. Following are red flags to watch for when it comes to body language: applicant does not smile when greeting you, no eye contact, weak handshake, slouches, crosses arms over chest, overall lack of energy. You want someone that is enthusiastic about the position, leans forward with interest about the job and is genuinely interested in working for your company. How do they convey their past experiences? How do they accentuate their past employer, supervisor, or co-workers? Job experience and skills is always a plus but you also need to look for the person's intangible traits. If they can show case characteristics during the interview such as self-confidence, integrity, resourcefulness, and determination, for example, this is proof they may well poses that “special something” that sets them apart.
5. Gaps in employment. If there are large gaps of unaccounted time between jobs, they may not be a reliable, long-term prospect. Be sure to ask about employment gaps to see if there is a reasonable explanation. It's also a good idea to verify dates on past jobs. Many applicants hide gaps in employment by extending the time they worked for a company, figuring you won't be checking references. There are definitely times in a person's life when it is necessary to take time off or leave a job. It can be due to a medical or health issues, caring for family members, moving to a new town, or even going back to school. These reasons should not disqualify a person from the position. However, if the applicant cannot provide you with a reasonable explanation, you may be looking at a person who lacks the stamina, determination, and motivation to be a good, productive, long lasting employee.
6. Employed for only short periods of time. If a person hasn't held a job for more than a few months at a time, what makes you think they'll work for you any longer than a few months? You would think that a person would have found a job they liked enough to stay more than just a few months, right? The median years the average person works at a job is 4.6 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics). When reviewing the candidates' application, if they have worked at a job for more than 2 years, that's a fair indication, they are a dedicated person. If their work history listed numerous employers that lasted less than a year, you may have a job hopper on your hands. However, as we mentioned above, this does not immediately disqualify them from the position. If they provide a reasonable explanation for their short-term job history, it can most certainly reestablish them as a viable candidate.
7. Lists only friends and relatives as references. Qualifying candidates should list both personal and professional references on their application. Even if they don't think you can get a reference, and only list friends and relatives, get them to at least provide you past employer contact information so you can verify employment dates. Personal references are important simply because these people can offer insight about who they are on a personal level, such as character, integrity, and principles. You should also focus on their professional references. These people can provide you with an understanding of their work habits, ethics, and dependability, to name just a few.
8. Incomplete application, spelling and grammar mistakes. When a person does not care enough about the details of the application to make sure it is complete, neat, and legible, chances are they won't have the attention to detail you're looking for on the job either. When paging through the applications, focus on grammar, spelling, particulars, and follow through. If you find quite a few spelling errors, incorrect grammar, and a sloppy/hastily written application, this is a dead giveaway for someone's lack of ability to follow directions. After all, most jobs require good written communication skills in order to be successful.
9. Can't back up statements they've made on a resume or application. It is a fact - most people lie or at least embellish their accomplishments to make themselves look good in the eyes of a prospective employer. For example, if a person claims they supervised five employees, and then cannot think of an example of how they handled a situation when someone's performance was unacceptable, they are probably not being truthful. Be thorough when reviewing a job application or resume, and ask questions during the interview. Unfortunately, people will go to great lengths to get what they want, and omitting information or making false statements regarding their previous job and/or duties, is all too common.
10. Speaks negatively of past employers. If all you hear coming out of their mouth is dissatisfaction with past employers, you probably have a "Debbie Downer" on your hands. It's best to move on to someone that has had positive work experiences and can share what they've learned from previous jobs. Nothing says “Red Flag” as someone talking negatively about their previous job, employer, supervisor, or co-workers. If you run into an applicant who speaks only negatively, you most likely have someone who is unable to let go of the past and is still angry and put out. You definitely do not want to hire someone carrying that baggage to the job and your company. Look for persons who speak excitedly about the job offer and their future with your company. 
11. Plays the blame-game. If every question you ask regarding weaknesses or how they handled certain situations always results in an answer where they blame someone else, then they will probably never take responsibility for their own shortcomings. Perpetual “Blame Game” people spend their time blaming others for their past failures and are unlikely to change that behavior any time soon. If the applicant continually puts the blame for their past termination or failure to achieve goals upon their previous job, co-workers, supervisors, or employer, they will not be a good fit within your company's work culture and environment. 
12. Overly concerned with pay and hours. If the prospect has no questions about anything but wages and hours, then they are most likely only interested in the paycheck. Employees that are truly interested in working for your company will ask more questions like; what is the training like, who will I be working with, what is it like to work for your company? It makes sense that a job applicant would be interested in wages and working hours, why else would they be applying, right? However, if that is their only focus during the interview, then you likely have a “job hopper” on your hands. Meaning, this person is likely to quit for the next job that comes along that pays a little better or has better working hours. They most likely do not care about their quality of work or maintain any type of loyalty to your company, only a paycheck.

One of these red flags in and of itself may not be enough to disregard or disqualify an applicant's potential for success at working with your company. However, if several red flags start presenting themselves, do not disregard the signs. Usually your gut reaction will confirm the red flags. Therefore, if your instincts are screaming NOT to hire this person, listen to your instincts -- they're almost always right!

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.

Members: To gain access to this webinar, go here

Not a Member? Join Here