Tips for Smart Hiring of Cleaning Personnel

http://www.thejanitorialstore.com

Jean Hanson

style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">As employers we tend to think that

our opinion of the applicant is the only thing that's important. But if we want

to attract top candidates we need to think about the image we portray to

applicants during the interview process.

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style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Consider these tips when preparing

to conduct interviews:

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style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Eliminate distractions during the

interview. Keep your desk clear of clutter, don't answer the phone, and don't

allow other employees to interrupt.
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style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Establish a good rapport with the

applicant when starting the interview. Make the person more comfortable by

starting with some small talk, getting them to open up to you.
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Make

sure your job descriptions are up to date, including the position's

responsibilities, the knowledge, skills, and experience required of the

applicant.

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Have a

prepared list of interview questions. The more familiar you are with the

questions, the better able you'll be able to focus on listening to the

applicant's responses. Plus you'll be able to compare responses of each

candidate.

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Ask

open-ended questions, avoiding the "yes" or "no" close-ended questions. Ask

things like, "Give me an example of a time when&", or "Describe for

me&"

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Stay

focused on asking job-related questions. Stay away for personal questions like,

"Do you have a baby sitter"? These

are potentially discriminating types of questions.
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Do more

listening than talking. It's hard to judge how an applicant will perform on the

job when you do all the talking!
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Take

notes during the interview. It'll be helpful to you when comparing a number of

candidates for the same position.
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Allow

plenty of time for each interview, and set up second interviews with one of your

supervisors or a trusted employee in order to get a second opinion.
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Jean Hanson helps owners of small cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through her online community at TheJanitorialStore.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com, and sign up for weekly cleaning tips at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com.