How to hire a Janitor

How to hire a janitor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step janitor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a janitor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new janitor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Janitor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a janitor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A janitor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, janitors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents janitor salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Janitor	Description	Hourly Rate
   Janitor	Janitors and building cleaners keep many types of buildings clean, orderly, and in good condition.	$10-16
   Environmental Services Aide	An environmental services aide is responsible for supporting the community programs and efforts for nature sustainability and assisting the citizens with their needs and concerns. Environmental services aides are also usually employed in health care centers to help patients and maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities... Show More	$12-22
   Housekeeping Aide	The primary job of a housekeeping aide is to maintain the cleanliness of an assigned area, including hospital rooms, hotel rooms, and corridors. This role will require you to perform various housekeeping chores as requested by the housekeeping manager, such as cleaning the restrooms and kitchens... Show More	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Building Floors
   • Cleanliness
   • Patients
   • Window Sills
   • Commercial Cleaning
   • Customer Service
   • Work Ethic
   • Bathroom Fixtures
   • Office Buildings
   • Glass Partitions
   • Mop Floors
   • Squeegees
   • Building Security
   • Soapy Water

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Clean private residents entire home, floors, windows, using soapy water and other cleaners, sponges, and squeegees.
   • Use of floor extractors machine to strip, scrub, wax, and buff floors.
   • Wash windows and mirrors, tables and counter tops using window cleaner and cloths or paper, sponges, squeegees.
   • Organize supplies such as broom, mop, sponges, cleaning supplies, etc.
   • Used solvent, such as carbon dioxide, rags, brushes, pads, and sponges.
   • Dust and vacuums shred rooms and personal cubicle areas.

   More Janitor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your janitor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A janitor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, janitors' average salary in mississippi is 42% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level janitors 40% less than senior-level janitors.
   • Certifications. A janitor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a janitor's salary.

   Average janitor salary

   $13.44hourly

   $27,954 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level janitor salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2025

   Average janitor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Massachusetts	$34,897	$17
   2	Washington	$34,110	$16
   3	New York	$32,887	$16
   4	California	$32,131	$15
   5	Maine	$30,746	$15
   6	Oregon	$30,422	$15
   7	Minnesota	$29,186	$14
   8	Illinois	$28,799	$14
   9	Colorado	$27,271	$13
   10	Arizona	$26,991	$13
   11	Maryland	$26,822	$13
   12	Iowa	$26,683	$13
   13	Michigan	$26,588	$13
   14	Ohio	$26,469	$13
   15	Nebraska	$26,198	$13
   16	Hawaii	$26,164	$13
   17	Indiana	$25,090	$12
   18	Nevada	$24,778	$12
   19	Missouri	$24,715	$12
   20	Tennessee	$23,922	$12

   Average janitor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Argonne National Laboratory	$55,306	$26.59	2
   2	DESC	$40,665	$19.55	3
   3	PepsiCo	$37,590	$18.07	3
   4	Cargill	$37,532	$18.04	4
   5	Bertucci's	$37,280	$17.92	7
   6	Siemens	$36,710	$17.65
   7	Weber Grills	$36,638	$17.61
   8	Bob's Discount Furniture	$36,390	$17.50
   9	Grand Central Bakery	$36,162	$17.39
   10	Northwest Center	$36,146	$17.38	7
   11	Amphastar Pharmaceuticals	$36,101	$17.36
   12	Peterson Holding	$35,765	$17.19	2
   13	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$35,754	$17.19	6
   14	Grosvenor Services	$35,649	$17.14	10
   15	XPO Logistics	$35,582	$17.11
   16	Northrop Grumman	$35,381	$17.01	2
   17	American Services	$35,186	$16.92
   18	State Bar of Michigan	$35,080	$16.87
   19	The RealReal	$34,961	$16.81
   20	Hormel Foods	$34,953	$16.80	1

4. Writing a Janitor Job Description

   A good janitor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a janitor job description:

   Janitor job description example

   $12.00 PLUS $2.00 per hour SEASONAL INCENTIVE PAY

   OUR Work Schedule is 5-days on with 2 days IN A ROW OFF

   Walk-in Appointments Welcome Mon thru Fri 10:00 to 3:00

   Our Benefits:

   - Free Meals during shifts

   - Medical, Dental and Vision Care

   - Life Insurance - 401k Program

   - Company Provided Uniforms at NO CHARGE - Company supplemented Safety Shoes

   - Promotional Opportunities - Job Growth from Within

   - Travel Opportunities

   This is our ideal Candidate:

   - Applies Sanitation standard practices.

   - Is flexible to work weekends and holidays subject to change due to shift bidding

   - Possess a good attendance, performance, and safety record

   - Is able to work around moving parts and wet floors

   · Is able to walk, stoop, bend, and stand for entire work shift

   · Is able to comprehend English.

   · Has the ability to push up to 35-lbs with the use of rolling carts and lift up to 30-lbs

   · Possess basic math skills.

   · Wear Personal Protective Equipment as required

   Responsibilities and duties

   Our janitors/porters and their teams work a 5-days on with 2 days IN A ROW OFF Schedule . They clean work areas by sweeping, mopping and scrubbing. Gather and empty trash. Service, clean, and supply restrooms, cafeteria, office space area and operational areas inside and outside the facility.

   Company DescriptionLSG Sky Chefs with over 75 years of Catering history is hiring immediately for Full-Time team players to deliver food and beverage products for our Airline Customers. We are the world’s leading provider of end-to–end airline products and services with a fast growing footprint in Convenience Retail and Subscription Food Service. As part of our catering logistics team, you will be a key player in assuring quality service for our Customers. If you enjoy a fast-paced production environment with a focus on quality customer service and on- time delivery, please contact us.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find janitors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your janitor job on Zippia to find and recruit janitor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with janitor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new janitor

   Once you've found the janitor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new janitor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a janitor?