Jobs and Careers with James Caan 2012 - (Page 137)

CLEANING equipment The specialist skills and equipment required for basic cleaning tasks are of course limited, and many companies specialising in, for example, office cleaning can perform very successfully with not much more than what would be found in the average household (albeit perhaps on a much larger scale). However, plenty of niche cleaning opportunities exist which require a much greater investment in equipment and training but which provide correspondingly greater revenues. Cleaning industrial sites, for example, could well require staff to wear specialised safety equipment and use a variety of hazardous chemicals; many companies still retain this capability in-house but specialist cleaning firms are able to make a lot of money selling their services. Those looking to work in this area would of course need much more detailed product and legislative knowledge than those seeking employment in office-focussed companies. Keeping it clean Every business needs to be clean and tidy – and where there's muck there's brass... In tough tImes, it’s always an idea to seek out employment opportunities in business sectors which are as immune as possible from the prevailing economic conditions. Businesses able to tap into demand which stays relatively constant – or at least doesn’t exhibit a dramatic fall-off – are of course in a much better position than those subject to large fluctuations; and so, therefore, are their employees. One industry which is proving better than most at riding out the current economic storm is the cleaning trade. No organisation – from hygiene-hyperconscious institutions like hospitals and restaurants through to offices and retail branches – can afford to let its premises become dirty or cluttered with litter. A lack of attention to basic cleanliness and tidiness even in one small part of an organisation can impact the entire structure, with reputational damage amongst customers, partners and staff potentially endangering the business as a going concern – and this is where the aforementioned consistent demand comes from, with organisations maintaining in-house cleaning and facilities management staff or, increasingly frequently (especially in high-density urban business districts), outsourcing it to specialists. Those contemplating a career in this trade will need to display good people skills, managing teams frequently from very different cultural backgrounds and being able to inspire respect: cleaning can be a hard task and it’s important for a team to believe that their management would also be prepared to muck in. It’s also crucial to have a good judgement when it comes to hiring and deploying staff: your clients are putting a good degree of trust into your organisation by letting your employees onto their premises, often unsupervised, and if that trust is betrayed through theft or damage your reputation could take a catastrophic hit. Many cleaning companies now provide services to public sector organisations, including health and education facilities. A familiarity with the relevant legislative framework is a must here – for example, regulations around working with children are tight and infractions can be heavily punished – and it also helps, especially at senior level, to have a robust understanding of the workings of local and even national government: as with any sector, a company’s sales effort can only be enhanced by good connections with the right people, and knowing who those people are and how best to present your business to them as and when contracts come up is a real competitive advantage. n www.jobsandcareersmag.com 137 http://www.jobsandcareersmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers with James Caan 2012

Career bites
What really counts
Weighing it all up
Around the world
Ask the experts
Growth sectors
Train your brain
Homework
Carve a career in care
Here come the girls
Mum’s the word
An apple a day
It’s for you-hoo!
A step forward
His & hers
Bank on it
Risky Business
In the money
3 Specialist medical jobs
The stuff of life
Power on
Engineering heroes
Outside the box
Keeping it clean
Your Business with James Caan
Go Go GadGets
On trend office
Take my advice
Getting Going
The bank job
Make the most of your assets
Back to business
The law and you
HR Matters
Make it work
Into the cloud
Design & shine
Reach out
Gorkana and Gurkhas
Protect and prosper
Making it count
Your business or your life?
Nice supplies
Beginning business
Ship it
Ethical business
Backing business
Standing together
Top 10 hiring tips

Jobs and Careers with James Caan 2012