Though Housekeeping positions are available for every experience level, professionals who can offer a combination of refined skills and extensive knowledge are in the highest demand. Here’s how to elevate your skill set and skyrocket your value to employers.

Conduct a SWOT Analysis

Prospective employers ask a range of questions during employment interviews. One of the most common is about the things you feel you could improve upon. 

If you’ve never asked yourself this question, a personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis can be a very effective way to answer it.

The first step of the SWOT analysis is to identify your goals. It’s best to start with one initially. Be very specific about how you will achieve it with the strengths you currently possess, and list any weaknesses that you feel will prevent you from succeeding.

Next, you will identify opportunities. These include both the existing opportunities around you that can help you achieve your goal, as well as the short-term and long-term opportunities that will be available to you once your goal has been achieved.

Finally, it’s time to consider any threats that are preventing you from achieving your goal now or in the future. Threats may include things like economic instability and your personal concerns about potential events that may threaten your success.

As you review what you’ve recorded, add in anything that you may have missed the first time around and highlight one or two points from each that you feel are top priorities. It’s also important to review your goals and ask yourself if they are really what you want for yourself.

Take Advantage of Training Opportunities

One of the most valuable pieces of advice we can give is to always stay up to date on your training. If you’re a new Housekeeper who’s not sure where to begin, consider your current education.

If you’re a good Housekeeper with several years of experience, then you already know the importance of having attention to detail. Therefore, you may consider adding some highly specialized skills—such as care and polishing for marble, brass, and other special-care surfaces; proper garment pressing and folding; or flower arranging—to your job description.

Depending on the size of your employer’s household and your interests, there may be room for expansion in the form of organizational or management training as well.

Upgrade Your Safety Knowledge

Many of the products you use as a professional Housekeeper contain chemicals that can be dangerous when combined or used improperly. With new items coming to market all the time, improving your product and chemical knowledge is an absolute must for the protection of you and your employer.

In addition to the safe selection and mixing of chemical-containing products, you’ll want to remain current on the safe operation of the equipment you use for cleaning floors, furniture, and other surfaces.

As well, if your employer is health-conscious, has allergies, or is otherwise interested in revamping the products currently used in their home, upgrading your knowledge of available non-toxic and natural alternatives to cleaning products is highly recommended.

The techniques you use in your Housekeeping role are another aspect of safety; any unsafe or improper movements can cause injury, which may take you away from your role until you’ve fully recovered.

It’s always a good idea to review previous course material and conduct research into any new techniques that can be used to enhance your Housekeeper resume.

Other Skills to Consider Enhancing

Communication is a foundational skill in the Housekeeping role; you must not only be able to communicate clearly with your employers, but also with their family and other household staff. Therefore, upgrading your communication skills is a good choice.

The good news about enhancing your communication skills is that you can practice them during your working hours by engaging in active listening, which is listening without interrupting.

This will allow you to receive instructions without repetition, which in a busy household can cost time and lead to rushing. You can also practice speaking up when you don’t feel something is being done correctly.

Team-building skills will help you connect with your employer and your coworkers and allow you to build strong working relationships. Time management skills will help you maximize your working hours and productivity.

Ask for an Outside Opinion

Being objective about your own skills can be incredibly difficult. Where this is the case, receiving objective feedback from a trusted mentor or your employer can give you the information you need to enhance your skills and ability as a Housekeeper.

Of course, this will require the utmost honesty from those providing the feedback, and your own willingness to accept the things they tell you, positive or negative. Of course, you must also be willing to apply any feedback you are given.

Are you a detail-oriented professional looking for premier housekeeping jobs? Staffing at Tiffanie’s uses a safe and detailed system to match your personality, experience, and verifiable references with those of your prospective employer.

With firsthand experience and 26 years in the exclusive placement of Domestic Staff, we support and guide you through every step of the process. Find more information and to apply visit our website today.