The pros and cons of the profession, qualities, skills
Among a large number of professions, we want to talk about one that was forgotten for some time but began to gain popularity in modern realities. About the housekeeper, who she is, what are the features of the profession, advantages and disadvantages, salary and other important points?
Who is a housekeeper?
A housekeeper is a faithful housekeeper who keeps the house clean and comfortable, cooks food, and can perform other duties that are agreed with the employer in advance.
On the Internet, you can find a large number of definitions, but they all come down to almost the same thing. Housekeeper is:
- hired housekeeper;
- An employee who may work part-time or live in a home with an employer;
- Almost 99% of housekeepers are women, but in recent years men have begun to appear in the profession.
The definition of “housekeeper” did not yet exist. There were other concepts in the vocabulary: housekeeper, governess, cook, and the word “housekeeper” combined all these concepts into one.
During the Soviet Union, not many people could afford to have a housekeeper. After the collapse of the USSR, the profession again began to gain popularity in society.
What does a housekeeper do?
A potential list of responsibilities of a housekeeper includes:
- Wet and dry cleaning. In the contract, specify the frequency and criteria for verification.
- Maintaining the cleanliness of plumbing: toilets, bidets, sinks, bathtubs, showers.
- Laundry, take and pick up clothes from the dry cleaners.
- Buying products. This can be a personal visit by a housekeeper to grocery stores and markets or an online order for groceries.
- Cooking according to the diet and wishes of family members.
- Washing dishes.
- Watering, transplanting, caring for indoor plants and flowers.
- Walking, feeding, grooming pets.
Additional duties that are agreed upon in advance with the employee can be babysitting. Feed, take the child to school or to mugs.
The list of tasks for a housekeeper can grow and grow, there is no list that fits all families at once. Each employer draws up a unique list of duties for a domestic helper. Read the full list of housekeeper duties with all the nuances in this article.
housekeeper work schedule
There are two main schemes for building work:
- Visiting housekeeper. The staff must clean the apartment on the agreed dates and time intervals, after finishing the work, the assistant leaves.
- Live-in housekeeper. The assistant resides on the employer’s premises. The employer must create conditions suitable for life: allocate a separate room and organize meals. Most often, this option is chosen by wealthy people who are looking for a housekeeper in a country house.
In addition, we provide the services of an express housekeeper, she will perform a one-time general or maintenance cleaning quickly and in a short time.
Advantages and disadvantages of the profession
As in any profession, the profession of a housekeeper has positive and negative sides.
Pros:
- High demand. Qualified assistants with positive reviews and recommendations will always find high-paying jobs with good employers.
- To start, a housekeeper does not require special education and courses.
- The possibility of providing a room for living and saving on personal expenses.
Minuses:
- Hours of work may not be convenient and irregular.
- There is an opinion in society about the lack of prestige of this work.
- There is a risk of interaction with unscrupulous employers.
You can fight against the minuses, draw up an agreement that spells out duties, work schedule, and wages, as well as immediately identify personal boundaries, and respect yourself and your business.
Personal qualities and skills in the profession of a housekeeper
What are the requirements for the personal qualities of housekeepers?
- Thrift.
- Accuracy.
- Honesty and decency.
- Sociability.
- Multitasking.
- Diligence.
- Observance of subordination.
There are no universities for housekeepers, they will not provide you with official confirmation of training, but what exactly should an assistant know and be able to do:
- Techniques and technologies of house cleaning.
- Caring for clothes made from various materials.
- Methods and nuances of ironing linen.
- Skills in using modern household appliances: vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, ironing systems, washing machine, dishwasher, etc.
- The nuances of caring for different surfaces: stone, wood, ceramics, mirrors, decor, cabinet and upholstered furniture, art objects and others.
- Culinary skills.
- Fundamentals of pet and plant care.
- Table setting rules.
- Basics of etiquette.
Education is not for the sake of a crust, but for the sake of advanced training, housekeepers can still get it. There are courses based on professional cleaning agencies, where they teach both basic and advanced knowledge and housekeeping skills.
Housekeeper salary
The level of income of the assistant directly depends on:
- Employee experience;
- Previous place of work;
- The requirements of the employer and his solvency;
- List of responsibilities and level of complexity of tasks.
Often, where there is a high price tag for services, a large list of tasks is required. Weigh your options in advance before starting work.
You can order the selection of an experienced housekeeper in Johannesburg at our agency. Leave a request and receive a list of profiles of assistants according to your wishes.
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