Custodian or Janitor

What is a Custodian or Janitor?

Duties

As a custodian or janitor, you will have to perform the following main duties:

• Regularly operate equipment like polishers, carpet cleaners, wet/dry vacuums, floor scrubbers, and steam extractors to wax, buff, and strip flooring or shampoo carpeted areas.
• Maneuver different machinery, textiles, and furniture when required between buildings or into storage.
• Take part in safety programs to acquire knowledge of policies/procedures, and gain understanding about using Personal Protective Equipment accurately in hazardous situations, safety-related concerns or repair issues.
• Monitor the locking and unlocking of building structures, turning lights off or on when facilities are not in use – this includes reporting any unauthorized use or occupants.
• Interact with clients or building occupants to respond to concerns regarding custodial or special services, and ensure that a high level of efficiency and quality is maintained.

Day In The Life

A custodian or janitor is primarily in charge of keeping and maintaining a range of buildings or their perimeter (e.g. hallways, restrooms, offices, classrooms, parking lot, play grounds) such that they are clean, and free from clutter. Most of your day will involve picking up and removing the trash, along with vacuuming, sweeping, mopping floors, and stocking bathrooms. Sometimes, you will have to take part in and give inputs to trainings, in-service, and staff meetings.

Utilizing your conversational skills is important to succeed as a custodian or janitor, as people will expect you to provide guidance and act as a network between grounds-keeping, building managers and housekeeping. Consultations with administrative personnel will be necessary to determine the most efficient ways to plan, schedule and prioritize any custodial actions to promote site maintenance goals. While performing numerous maintenance duties, you will keep an eye out for developing solid customer and team relationships via an easy-going and helpful demeanor.

Work Schedule

In this type of role, most professionals have to take on full-time work but sometimes there are part=time opportunities as well, which involves weekend and evening shifts. If you prefer daylight hours versus evening, you may look for a job at schools where the schedule is most likely. Due to the nature of your work, you will be working indoors for most of the time, but rarely it can require you to be outdoors. This means, you may have to protect yourself against extreme temperatures or inclement weather during the workday. Keep in mind that this type of profession is not suited to individuals unable to handle the high stress environment and tough cleaning assignments. Janitors also have to watch out for work-related injuries which are not unheard of, i.e. bruises, cuts, scrapes, burns.

Growth Of The Job

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment growth in this job sector will continue to be as fast as the average for all national occupations until 2020. There will be sufficient job openings for aspiring custodians or janitors, as people gradually retire or switch careers for better opportunities. Jobs for janitors and custodians are expected to grow by 11% over that time period.

Typical Employers

You can succeed in this career path if you work with companies or institutions that have a separate janitorial services section, e.g. schools, colleges, universities, the post-office, private maintenance companies, etc.