How long does it take to become a Helper?

It takes one year or less to become a helper. That is the time it takes to learn specific helper skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become A Helper: What It Is and Career Path

What is a helper and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A helper gives a hand with domestic chores. Your employer might have a demanding job or one too many children to take care of, or perhaps they do not have the physical strength to keep an organized home.

You could be asked to work in the garden or maintain the lawn, but most of your tasks will revolve around housekeeping. Cooking, cleaning, and running various errands will be on your to-do list, like grocery shopping, picking up kids from school, cleaning the pool, whatever your employer might think of, really. As long as it is legal, you should be up for it.

You will be coming in and out of other people's homes sharing their personal space, sometimes even in a live-in arrangement, so being friendly, clean, and reliable is a must. You need to build a good relationship with the family you help and, as usual, building trust takes time. Just make sure your working hours are respected, and you get the amount of free time you had agreed upon. Painting an image of what an overworked and cranky helper might do will definitely set the grounds for negotiation.

ScoreHelperUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $31,331

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.4

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.51%

Asian 2.24%

Black or African American 11.55%

Hispanic or Latino 24.22%

Unknown 4.58%

White 55.89%

Gender

female 22.90%

male 77.10%

Age - 31

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 31

Stress level

7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a helper

Explore helper education requirements

Most common helper degrees

High School Diploma

52.1 %

Bachelor's

15.0 %

Associate

13.7 %

Start to develop specific helper skills

Skills	Percentages
Food Handling	23.95%
Safety Procedures	11.75%
Safety Rules	6.71%
Construction Sites	6.59%
Physical Labor	4.68%

Complete relevant helper training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New helpers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a helper based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real helper resumes.

Gain additional helper certifications

Helper certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific helper certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for helpers include OSHA Safety Certificate and EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA).

More About Certifications

Research helper duties and responsibilities

Attach pulleys and blocks to fix overhead structures such as beams, etc.
Operate power nail guns, paint sprayers, ladders, power washers, drive company truck.
Clean areas that harbore pests, using rakes, brooms, shovels and mops, preparatory to fumigating.
Operate winches and hoisting devices.

Prepare your helper resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your helper resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a helper resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable helper resume templates

Build a professional helper resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your helper resume.