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Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a maid. Feel free to use our maid job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a maid.

 

Who is a Maid?

The nature of work and careers means that maids are one of the most important employees in households and other service centers. Striking a coherent work-life balance is increasingly becoming difficult because of the number of hours that are spent at work. As such, individuals require maids to perform basic domestic chores such as mopping and cleaning. Also, hotels and other hospitality centers need to look sparkling always to entice and attract customers.

The job of a maid is not restricted to cleaning or sweeping alone; some super maids often prepare meals and take care of children in some settings depending on the agreement or concord. Some act as janitors and help make people’s lives easier. Other maids work with caregivers and cleaning personnel in health care centers to help patients live comfortable and uncomplicated lives whilst in admission. Thus, this article will define a maid, provide an overview of the job description of maids, and give clues on how to become a maid among others.

A maid can simply be defined as an individual that keeps residential and commercial homes or establishments clean, tidy, and streakless. A maid executes domesticated functions for a monarchy, household, hotel, event center, or hospital. Maids are mostly females who are trained to mop, sweep, and vacuum clean the entire setting. They wash carpets, wipe kitchen counters, and replace dirty sheets and linens as part of their duties. The position of a maid has witnessed tremendous growth and is projected to keep growing in the next few years. Maids especially those that work in households are in high demand due to the increasingly work-related stress these days. Besides cleaning and domesticated activities, a maid might also be required to iron clothes, prepare food, and grocery shop for their employer.

A maid can work part-time or full-time. Arguably, full-time maids are mostly employed by wealthy households and corporations that can provide accommodation and other perks. Most part-time maids work for service delivery and professional agencies; they work flexible schedules which enable them to combine their maid career with other activities. Some maids perform the duties of a nanny in some homes; others devote their time to caring for the elderly, aged, and disabled. Maids that work for professional agencies and hospitality centers are required to wear uniforms; some household maids also wear uniforms. They work long hours and shifts where necessary. There are different types of maids based on the hierarchical classification, these include;

• Lady’s maid: Lady maids are mostly employed by households and they report directly to the customer. When the lady of the house is traveling, a lady maid often accompanies her. They are senior maids in the house.
• Housemaids: These are maids that are entrusted with the duty of keeping the whole house clean and tidy. A household can have several housemaids at a time; tasks are divided among them. Subcategories include laundry maid, chambermaid, and parlor maid.
• Nursery maid: A nursery maid works with a nanny to maintain cleanliness in a children’s nursery. They ensure that the nursery is neat and conducive for the child.
• Kitchen maids: They are predominantly based in the kitchen of a restaurant, hotel, or household. They collaborate with cooks and cleaners to keep the kitchen area neat.
• Scullery maid: They wash cutlery, glassware, and crockery. Also, scullery maids scrub kitchen floors and monitor ovens.

                                        

Maid Job Description

Below are the maid job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a maid job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

The duties and responsibilities of a maid include the following:

• Take out debris from a parking area, garage, driveway, or swimming pool area.
• Remove and replace electricity bulbs in households.
• Stock and augment household supplies including linens, bathroom items, and drinking glasses.
• Ensure that the lounge, hallway, restroom, elevator, corridor, locker room, and stairway are cleaned always.
• Use hovering machines to clean rugs and vacuum cleaners to keep furniture and draperies tidied.
• Use mops, brooms, and waxing machines to dust, sweep, polish, wax, and scrub floors and furniture.
• Ensure that the storage area and carts are clean and well-stocked.
• Polish silver accessories and metalwork such as fittings and fixtures.
• Ensure that ashtrays and waste bins are cleaned and tidied.
• Move sewage and refuge to the waste disposal area.
• Take laundry to cleaners and assist with grocery shopping.
• Inform the employer whenever household supplies and groceries are finished or out of stock.
• Assist the nanny in taking care of the children when necessary.
• Provide adequate care to the elderly in care homes including dressing, bathing, and eating.
• Answer telephone calls and doorbells and be polite to the callers or guests.
• Groom, feed, and take pets out for exercise.
• Assist in the preparation of halls and venues for social functions.
• Develop knowledge of decorations and household appliances.
• Ensure that dishes are washed, the kitchen is cleaned, and cooking utensils and silverware are kept in a safe place.
• Make sure that baby cribs and ironing boards are delivered to rooms as required.
• Adhere to household, hotel, and hospitality best practices while working.
• Use steam-operated sterilizers to disinfect and sterilize household equipment.

 

Qualifications

To be employed as a maid, an individual must present certain qualifications and requirements specific to the career. These requisites enable individuals to perform their duties with ease. The qualifications for a maid encompass training, following instructions, and excellent knowledge of maid responsibilities and tasks. Education and work experience are other qualifications essential for maids. Time spent in hospitality is also required as is proficiency with housekeeping tools and machines. Thus, the qualifications for a maid are described below;

• Knowledge of housekeeping and host homes: A maid must possess knowledge and expertise in housekeeping; some of the duties of a maid involve housekeeping. Similarly, the aspiring maid must know the nooks and crannies of households, cleaning agents, and cleaning appliances. He or she must also have expertise in the modes of operation of equipment like hoists and hoovers.
• Maid education: Employers rarely demand education for the role of a maid. However, some households, clients, and customers prefer candidates with at least a high school certificate or more. This is because a maid needs certain skills like communication and interpersonal skills to perform their duties effectively. Arguably, the core skills for maids can be honed in secondary schools. Proficiency in subjects like or related to English, communication, physical and health education, and civic education is a bonus.
• Training: Training is paramount for a maid’s position. Sometimes, a maid might need to use some equipment and machines including a hoover to work. Training on using other relevant tools is also an advantage. However, some clients and employers train aspiring maids on the job.
• Maid experience requirements: An individual must present a verifiable minimum of one year of experience in hospitality to be considered for a maid’s position. Previous work experience as a maid in a household is preferred; however, relative experience from cleaning roles in hotels, event centers, and other domesticated services is acceptable.

 

Essential Skills

A skill is an attribute or ability that enables an individual or person to perform their duties and tasks effectively. Skills ensure efficacy and delivery of assigned responsibility. A maid might need varying skills depending on where they work; for example, a maid employed by a household may need extra skills than a maid that works in a hotel. Similarly, maids working in clinics, care homes, and other health care centers might need additional housekeeping skills. In contrast, maids employed by restaurants might require extra skills like customer service and multitasking. A maid might also need skills to dust or vacuum clean some portions of the household. Irrespective of the place of work, a maid must possess the following basic skills to succeed;

• Attention to detail: Detail orientation and active listening are essential skills for a maid. Most maid tasks come with specific instructions, especially in households and hotels. To ensure efficacy when scrubbing floors, cleaning windows, and organizing tables and chairs, a maid must pay attention to details. To keep a household clean, tidy, or streakless, a maid must thoroughly adhere to given instructions to the end.
• Time management: In some settings, a maid is required to perform numerous tasks in a limited time. Therefore, they must be good time managers to excel in their endeavors. Time management entails completing assigned duties within timeframes; it also includes punctuality, promptness, regularity, and timeliness. For example, a maid working in a hospital ward might be required to make beds, sweep floors, and clean windows in a limited time. They must employ their time management skills to complete these duties as fast as possible.
• Interpersonal skills: In a household, for instance, a maid is constantly in direct contact with the client, their kids, and other family members. In fact, some work as live-in maids in some homes. Hence, interpersonal skills will enable them to work coherently with clients and other employers in the household. Other maids in hotels and other settings also employ their interpersonal skills to promote teamwork, reliability, and dependability.
• Communication and information dissemination skills: For every domestic or domesticated staff or worker, communication skills are non-negotiable; simply, you must be able to disseminate and receive information as a maid. To ensure the completion of daily tasks, a maid needs outstanding communication skills to effectively work with customers, supervisors, and teammates. This skill is also needed to conveniently attend to guests and visitors at work.
• A maid needs customer service, flexibility, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills to thrive at work.

                      

How to Become a Maid

Several establishments employ the services of maids to keep their indoor and outdoor environments clean and ambient. The process of becoming a maid involves different steps. The individual will optionally attain a level of education, build skills, undergo training, and develop experience in the hospitality sector. Employers and clients expect a lot from maids; hence, an individual must be prepared for the challenging job ahead. The steps to becoming a maid include the following;

1. Research the requirements for becoming a maid: Determine what is required of a maid by perusing career websites and platforms. Become acquainted with the educational, training, skills, and experience requirements and decide whether to pursue a maid career or not.
2. Complete a high or secondary school education: Education may not be compulsory for a maid’s position. However, some employers require at least secondary or high school education for maid roles. It is thought that soft skills and common maid proficiencies are learned during secondary school education.
3. Undergo training to develop expertise: A maid must undergo training to build the skills and expertise needed for the job. Though some clients and organizations offer on-the-job training after hiring, demonstrating expertise in window treatment, deep cleaning, infection control, and carpet cleaning can make you a better candidate. Individuals can shadow experienced maids to be trained on the use and maintenance of equipment like the hovering machine.
4. Develop related experience: Hospitality and housekeeping-based prior experience are needed for a maid’s role. Usually, six months of experience working as a maid in a house, clinic, hotel, or cleaning agency is acceptable. The individual must also demonstrate prior experience in movement and handling. Experience can be developed through roles in restaurants and cleaning firms as well. Afterward, apply for advertised maid roles in your area.

 

Where to Work as a Maid

The major employers of maids can be found in the hospitality, client service, and healthcare industries. Some maids work in private households as part of the domestic staff. Others are employed by government establishments and form part of the government’s payroll. A maid can also work in a hotel, clinic, hospital, cleaning agency, and care homes. Some are employed by daycare facilities, elementary schools, primary schools, event centers, and restaurants.

 

Maid Salary Scale

A maid earns an approximated average salary of $29,250 per year. However, there are disparities in earnings between experienced or senior maids and entry-level or junior maids. A senior maid earns around $34,125 per year while a junior maid makes an estimated $26,125 yearly. Maids enjoy extra benefits depending on their employer.

 

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