Custodian

Custodians have a unique opportunity: they make order out of chaos. Working in the afternoon or evening, when everyone else has gone, Custodians make their workplace sparkling and clean again. They work quickly and quietly, disappearing before a building’s occupants come back.

As a Custodian, like many service jobs, people often don’t notice your work unless it is left undone. But you can take a quiet pride in the work you do. Without you, modern society would grind to a halt.

“Heavy cleaning” is your realm. Sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, and buffing floors, then disinfecting toilets, wiping down every possible window and surface, and even occasionally tightening a loose fixture are just a few of the duties you undertake on a daily basis. You work regular shifts, almost always in the afternoon or evening, depending on your workplace.

Overnight work is not uncommon. Larger cleaning, refurbishing, and reorganizing projects may take place during weekends, when there are longer periods of uninterrupted access to the building.

Depending on the layout of your building, you could work alone, handling a small section. Alternatively, you could be part of a team, doing one routine activity (sweeping, etc.) while other members of the team do other tasks (emptying trash, wiping down counters, etc.), and progressing through the entire building together. Either way, you need to be able to get along with others, carry your own weight, and do things efficiently.

Most Custodians are paid hourly, but you are expected to get a certain amount of work done during your shift. Your Shift Supervisor will be there making sure that you are on task, on time, and up to par.