[clear_interiors]

Hi, we have a domestic cleaning company in Norwich and are having great difficulty in getting people to work for us. We have advertised in the newspapers,shop windows, and the job centre. We have a good rate of pay and fairly flexible working conditions. Has anybody any ideas? We have had some interest but majority are not suitable.
Would be grateful for advice.

[Just a cleaner.]

I know how you feel.  We have the same problem.  Come on folks anybody got any ideas?

Norman

[The Great One]

Hi Guys

I have just held interviews at the job centre for our new waterless car valeting site which we are about to open here in Brighton.

I put an ad in the job centre and held an interview date. Out of about 30 application forms sent out about 10 people actually turned up and we have chosen 2 to start straight away with hopefully the other in the wings?

I do not know how good they are going to be etc etc but it is just an idea for you.

Good luck

Regards

Martin :

[Just a cleaner.]

Hi Martin,

In my experience people from the jobcentre rarely turn up after offfering them a job.

But maybe it's because I'm only offering part time work.  Maybe what this industry needs is more full time cleaners.  I am trying to achieve a situation where I can employ full time staff by taking on  small one or two day a week contracts in the same area and then employing someone to do a quantity of them as a full time job.

I don't think people want to do anything under 16 hours a week these days.  They are far too happy being on benefits.  They are always willing to do fiddle work, but my principles prevent me from getting into the black economy.

Don't get me started about the benefit cheats cos I'll never stop.  These people are ruining the industry for all of us honest traders.
Norman

[George-Reid]

Guys.
The job centre interviews have worked best for me what to do is tell them you want to have an open day they advertise it for a week or so in advance then you spend all day waiting for people to drop in. At the same time they can set up interviews in advance for set times its a long day take some paper work to.

Cheers
George

[Fox]

Hi all

Previously I have put flyers through letterboxes in the area(s) that I need people to work.  I found this worked quite well and the response was good.

I think is because they are not far away from the site so transport is not an issue.

Getting suitable staff is always difficult, why have you found people unsuitable clean interiors?  Is it not something that could be sorted such as training?

If you have a local radio station it may be worth finding out how much it is to advertise on that.

Fox

[suedsct]

some people dont want to work

[Les]

My sister works for a cleaning company on a large business park. their method of recruiting works well.... they pay a standard rate of £8.33 with time / half sat and double (£16.66) Sundays. Apparently all the cleaners from the other companies on the park are leaving like rats on a sinking ship.
Personally we decided to stay small, busy and manageable, couldn't find people of the right calibre so gave up trying.
Best of luck with your own recruiting
Les

[clear_interiors]

Thanks everyone for you top tips.Will defo try the job centre idea and the flyers.As to some of the applicants not being suitable,It's either because they are too old (70), live too far away,or creepy. I'm afraid it's mainly men in all those categorys. I think there is such a huge demand for cleaners now they have all been used up. :

[Rousey]

Review your rates. Compete against supermarkets etc.

Also just keep putting the adverts out, every shop, post office, etc the good cleaners will eventually see the advert!

[Lesley J]

just keep on putting up the ads in local shop windows we have found this works eventually, however you do have to weed out a lot of time wasters, those who dont want to declare their earnings etc, once we have found who we want, we look after them, good rates of pay, a
bonus, when earned a good night out as a group now and then works well.  

[Kenny_Dobson]

Hello all.

I am new to the forum but just read the above issue and find that in order to recruit good cleaners you have got to get out and about & be in the vicinity of where cleaners are.One way I recruit is to prowl (I don't know if that's the right term but I like it!) the area that your concentrating on early in the morning and you will see all the cleaners coming and going, Ifind this helps to buil up profile ie:appearence,length of time in premises, etc company they work for (you can usally work out there rates of pay if you know the competion) and then leave a business card either on there windscreen or personally either way you are directly in contact with the cleaner Hope this helps