Write the ideal housekeeping resume with this quick guide
Housekeeping is a fun and constantly in-demand career for men and women around the world. From cruise ships to hotels to private homes, there is no shortage of housekeeping jobs. However, there are some major pay discrepancies in the field as well. When employers offering large salaries have jobs available, they usually receive plenty of applicants, and this can mean your application is more likely to get pushed to the bottom.
Luckily, we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn the 4 sections you should always include in a resume and how to write a resume employers and hiring managers actually want to read.
1. Writing an eye-catching housekeeping resume summary
While resume objectives are usually a singular sentence, summaries provide your personal pitch in up to three sentences, creating a handy quick sheet to your resume that a hiring manager will quickly read over to decide if you’re right for the job. Hiring managers will normally have a large stack of resumes to go through, and most won’t get read beyond the summary. This is why you need to make sure yours stands out!
To make your document something hiring managers will read, be sure to include the wording you see in the job listing.
This doesn’t mean it should read exactly the same; however, you’ll want to include your skill sets that match. For example, if they need a housekeeper with years of experience cleaning large homes with hard to clean materials, emphasize your expertise in conditioning rare woods and how you’ve spent the last 20 years focusing exclusively on homes.
Cater what you list in the summary to what you know hiring managers will be looking for.
2. Focus on quantifiable information in your work experience section
Your work experience is what tells hiring managers and owners that you’re capable of completing your job, and you’ll want to let it speak for itself. Start with your recent job and include measurable data (in up to six bullet points) to show owners and managers what makes you qualified. Measurable data is information that usually shows an improvement based on a numerical value. For example, if you can clean a room 25% faster than your co-workers, that would be measurable data.
This doesn’t mean you can’t include responsibilities or tasks you regularly completed, like steam-vacuuming or carpet cleaning; however, you’ll want to aim for about half of your skills section to include measurable data.
For those with limited work experience, now is the to think about what you’ve completed in the field. Don’t be afraid to include more informal experiences either, like your closet organizing business in high school, the fact that you clean homes for friends and family on the weekends or your volunteering of your cleaning services to families who’ve experienced a natural disaster.
While this experience may not seem “official” enough to include in a resume, it actually shows hiring managers that you’re qualified for the job as well as your experience in the field.
3. List your education separately
Your education will speak for itself, and while experience is one of the most important aspects of landing a housekeeping position, a proper education shows another layer of qualification for the position. Instead of simply listing your school’s name, talk about what you did that could be relevant.
For example, if you were able to organize a cleaning effort through your school and took public speaking classes, you can show a direct relation to your love of cleaning while also showing that you have clear communication skills from your public speaking classes.
By relating these school experiences to a housekeeping job listing, you’ll make your educational section stand out.
4. Use your skills sections to show off a wide range of talents
We’re going to start out by acknowledging that we know you have a fair amount of skills as a housekeeper, and the main thing you’ll need to do is figure out which skills are most relevant to share. You need to lay down and organize your skills into two categories: soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills include things like customer service and communication while hard skills are the ability to clean and organize. You need both to become a successful housekeeper.
After creating your list, you’ll need to take the time to figure out which ones will make your resume. Most people will list 8-12 skills in their skill section, and you’ll probably want to do this as well.
Some of the skills you might have on your list before parring it down include:
- Extensive knowledge of linens, flooring and surfaces and best care practices
- Ability to vacuum, sweep and mop
- Attention to detail
- Organized
- Customer service skills
- Time management
- High attention to detail
- Dedicated
- Specialization in antiques/specialty fabrics like furs and skins
After creating your list, look back at the job listing. Most hotels aren’t going to need someone who knows how to care for furs on a daily basis; however, they may find this skill useful for the occasional guest who has a fashion emergency.
Really pull from the job listing for about half of your listed skills and make the other half more unique or necessary skills for the position.
In conclusion...
Housekeeping is one of the most common jobs people can find; however, higher-paying positions are harder to come by and tend to receive a lot of applications. You’ll need to stand out. Crafting an eye-catching resume for a housekeeping position may seem tedious, but once you know exactly what hiring managers are looking for, you can create the perfect resume for any housekeeping position you apply for.
Hiring managers will want to know exactly what you will bring to their place of employment, and by writing a strong resume summary and focusing on your work experience, educational background and skills, you can expect the interview requests to start rolling in.
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