26 Housekeeper Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Housekeeper interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. Why did you leave your last position?
How to Answer
Be honest with the interviewer about why you left your last job ensuring that you focus on yourself instead of the company. Talk about why you made the decision to leave the company to better yourself. You might say, "I chose to leave my last job for a job with better hours that would allow me to spend more time with my family" You may state, "I really liked my last job, and I could tell I was starting to outgrow my responsibilities. I want to find a job that is more challenging." You might mention that you left for a higher paying job at another company, a promotional opportunity, or the opportunity to work for a company that you have had your eye on for a long time. If you were laid off from your last job, simply say you were laid off. What happens if you were terminated from your last job? It can be a bit uncomfortable to talk about, but you need to be honest with the interviewer. Share why you were let go from the company taking complete responsibility for your actions that resulted in your termination. Finally, share what steps you have taken to ensure you are never let go again.
Answer Example
"I chose to leave my last job for a job with better hours that would allow me to spend more time with my family"
2. Have there been times when you have been asked to perform duties that were not in your job description? What did you do?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to hear that you are a team player and will happily help with duties outside of your job description when necessary to ensure the overall organization is successful. If you have been asked to perform duties outside of your job description, go ahead and share! Mention your positive reactions to being asked to help, and be sure to mention that you are definitely willing to help out in other areas when needed. If you have not been asked to perform duties outside of your job description, that is okay too, Simply tell the interviewer that you haven't been asked, but if you are asked, you would be happy to assist the team to ensure everything gets accomplished!
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3. How would others describe you?
How to Answer
We recommend always sticking with professional relationships when answering this question. If the interviewer has not already asked how your coworkers view you, immediately dive into their perceptions of you! The kudos you have received from your teammates and the handwritten thank you notes you have received following baby showers for co-workers all give you hints about how to answer this question. Think about all of the positive things your co-workers have mentioned to you along the way. Now is the time to share them! Pick 2-3 encouraging things these people have said about you, and share them openly. Maybe that baby shower thank you note mentions your caring attitude. Perhaps your teammate thanked you recently for always working so hard to achieve goals you are working on. Positivity is key! What if you have already talked about your coworkers' perceptions? No problem! Talk about how your past managers have viewed you using the same technique!
4. Are you a trustworthy person?
How to Answer
Absolutely! To be a Housekeeper, you must be trustworthy. After all, other people are trusting you with their personal possessions. You carry through on your word, build great relationships, and are a respected professional who has already achieved a few promotions or key recognitions in your career!
5. How energetic a person would you say you are?
How to Answer
Be candid and share openly how energetic you are. The interviewer is simply trying to learn more about your personality and how you will fit into their existing team. The key is that you have a positive attitude whether or not you are an energetic person. You might say something like this: "I like to be a positive person and encourage my peers and work. I tend to be a go-with-the-flow person ensuring that I work hard. I typically am not a peppy personality. Instead, I like to have a smile on my face and have meaningful conversations when opportunities arise."
Answer Example
"I like to be a positive person and encourage my peers and work. I tend to be a go-with-the-flow person ensuring that I work hard. I typically am not a peppy personality. Instead, I like to have a smile on my face and have meaningful conversations when opportunities arise."
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6. What is your ideal working environment?
How to Answer
If you could dream up the perfect place to go to work each day, what would it be like? What type of building would you be in? Would you be sitting or standing? Would you be interacting with a lot of people, or would you be working independently? Would you be working with your hands or working on a computer? Would you be wearing a uniform? What would the culture be like? Once you have your ideal environment determined, pick the pieces that fit the job that you are applying to and share those! You might say something like this, "My ideal environment would be working indoors with my hands. I like working independently for the most part, but I like to have some interaction with people throughout the day. I am happy to work in many types of environments, but this is my preferred style!"
Answer Example
"My ideal environment would be working indoors with my hands. I like working independently for the most part, but I like to have some interaction with people throughout the day. I am happy to work in many types of environments, but this is my preferred style!"
7. What has been your greatest accomplishment at work?
How to Answer
What have you been recognized for? What have you received the most compliments for? Or, what made you feel the proudest? Go ahead and share your greatest accomplishment describing what made the accomplishment so rewarding. You might share about receiving a promotion, getting a great performance review, or receiving an award from the corporate office. You may share a positive review you received from a customer or a large project that you led. Be prepared to toot your own horn!
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But as far as housekeeping, there is nothing more satisfying as when your customer is so happy with your performance. And you see the joy in their eyes. That makes me feel worthy."
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8. Do you have reliable transportation?
How to Answer
It is essential that housekeepers are able to arrive at work on time each day they are scheduled to work, and the interviewer wants to hear that you are prepared to meet this expectation. Go ahead and share how you plan to get to work each day, and mention what types of backup plans you could utilize if your transportation fell through for the day to still arrive at work on time. You might mention riding your bike, taking a cab, getting a ride from a friend, or walking when feasible.
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9. How well do you work on your own?
How to Answer
Housekeepers work independently for much of their day, and interviewers want to hear that you will thrive in this environment. Begin by telling the interviewer that after proper training you will be comfortable to perform all duties on your own without much direction. Then, mention how much people interaction you require during the day. Are you able to meet the expectation of working independently for most of the day?
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10. Can you give me some examples of health and safety procedures you have used?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to learn more about your experience to ensure you receive the proper training if you are hired for the position. Go ahead and share you experience working with health and safety procedures; be sure to mention the importance of complying with these procedures. If you do not have any experience in this area, that is okay! Simply tell the interviewer that you have not had this experience, but you look forwarding to learning about these procedures for your housekeeping career.
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11. What knowledge do you feel is required for a successful housekeeper?
How to Answer
Before arriving for your interview, we recommend reviewing the job description. It will provide you with clues about what knowledge is needed to be a successful housekeeper. Be prepared to list 3-4 things that are necessary for being a successful housekeeper. Possible answers might include: Organization practices. Chemical mixing safety. Time management.
12. What do you think are the most important skills for a housekeeper?
How to Answer
Important housekeeper skills include: Attention to detail. Time management. Ability to adapt to change. Initiative. Ability to stand for long periods of time. Willingness to help out where necessary. When asked this question, simply list 3-4 skills that you feel are essential for the housekeeper role.
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13. What do you dislike about housekeeping?
How to Answer
Most of us have aspects of our job that we dislike, and it is okay to share yours! The key is ensuring you keep a positive attitude and are always willing to handle the disliked component of the job. Go ahead and share your dislike mentioning that you know it is an important part of the role and will always complete this part of the job with a positive attitude to help the whole housekeeping team. You might say something like this, "I like almost all parts of being a housekeeper. If I had to pick one area that I dislike, I would probably say that I dislike when guests are disrespectful and leave rooms in a complete state of disarray. It comes along with the territory, and I always clean these rooms back to their original state keeping a positive attitude while doing so. I just wish guests would be more respectful."
Answer Example
"I like almost all parts of being a housekeeper. If I had to pick one area that I dislike, I would probably say that I dislike when guests are disrespectful and leave rooms in a complete state of disarray. It comes along with the territory, and I always clean these rooms back to their original state keeping a positive attitude while doing so. I just wish guests would be more respectful."
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14. How long have you been a Housekeeper?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to hear how many total years of experience you have. Begin by sharing how many total years you have held the title of Housekeeper. Next, share how many years of cleaning experience you have in addition to this. You may have janitorial experience, residential experience, or commercial experience to add.
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15. How would you handle a client who was angry or upset about something?
How to Answer
Begin by telling the interviewer that most clients are typically a pleasure to work with, and thankfully, the challenging ones are few and far between. Next, mention that customers are typically upset or angry with a situation and not a person, and be sure to mention that it is important to always remember that they are not upset with you. Share that your goal is to offer a positive attitude while promptly helping to address the situation. Share that you will remain calm and represent the organization in a positive manner to ensure the best possible outcome for the client.
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16. Are you good at multitasking?
How to Answer
Housekeepers need to multi-task to ensure they have every space cleaned prior to guests arriving for a stay, and the interviewer wants to hear that you can meet this expectation. Think about a way that you are really good at multi-tasking. Are you able to cook dinner, watch the kids, and plan your weekend activities at the same time? Are you able to do laundry, chat with a friend, and pick out a new outfit online all at the same time? These personal examples are great for answering this question! When asked, mention that you can multi-task well, and share your example!
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17. Are you a detail-oriented person?
How to Answer
Absolutely! Housekeepers must be detail-oriented to ensure rooms are properly cleaned. If you have previous housekeeping experience, share a time when you caught a cleaning detail in a room that others may have missed. Discuss if you found socks or jewelry left in a dresser or under the bed. Mention if you found someone's personal belongings behind the TV. Or, share if you found valuables left in the safe. Your example will help the interviewer see your detailed nature. If you do not have previous housekeeping experience, share an example of something you have done that required great detail. Think about projects you have done around your home, errors you have caught at work, or events you have planned down to the finest of details.
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18. Do you have previous experience as a Housekeeper?
How to Answer
This one should be easy! Go ahead and share any experience that you have listing the company name, your job title, how long you worked there, and your day-to-day duties. As an added bonus, share your favorite part of each role. It will allow the interviewer to see that you truly enjoy housekeeping work. If you do not have any experience, it is no problem! Simply share that you do not have experience as a housekeeper, but you look forward to learning the ropes!
19. What house chore do you dislike doing?
How to Answer
We all have one, and it is okay to share yours! The key is remaining positive while explaining your dislike and mentioning that you understand it comes along with the territory, so you must complete the task. You might say something like this: "My least favorite house chore is washing the windows each spring. Our windows do not easily pop out, and it takes a long time to get out the ladder and clean them from the outside of the house. I really like when the project is done because I enjoy having the clean windows. Cleaning them is just a necessity!"
Answer Example
"My least favorite house chore is washing the windows each spring. Our windows do not easily pop out, and it takes a long time to get out the ladder and clean them from the outside of the house. I really like when the project is done because I enjoy having the clean windows. Cleaning them is just a necessity!"
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20. What do you enjoy most about housekeeping?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to hear that you are passionate about some aspect of the housekeeping role. Your passion will help the interviewer understand that you will be employed for an extended period of time and keep you interested in the position. What is your favorite part? Do you enjoy knowing that you are being hospitable to travelers? Do you enjoy knowing that you are responsible for creating a positive environment for people who are passing through? Perhaps you enjoy that you get to work fairly independently throughout the day. Or, maybe you enjoy working in the industry for a specific reason. You may even share a specific task that you enjoy most about the job. Sharing an honest candid answer will allow your passion to automatically come through for the interviewer.
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21. What do you know about our company?
How to Answer
With any job interview, it is crucial to understand the organization you are applying to. We recommend visiting the company website to learn key information and even fun facts. When asked this question, be prepared to list 3-5 facts that you learned from the website. Consider providing the mission statement, number of company locations, or when the company started.
22. How reliable are you?
How to Answer
Housekeepers must be relied upon to arrive to work punctually each day for their scheduled shift to ensure the next round of guests have a cleanly and prepared room upon arrival. And, interviewers want to hear that you understand this and can rise up to meet this expectation! Begin by sharing that you understand a housekeeper must be reliable, and share what steps you have put into place to ensure you are reliable. Explain if you have your own vehicle and how early you try to arrive at work for each shift. Next, share that you will carry through on arriving to work for each scheduled shift, and you will only miss work in the event of an emergency.
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23. How many times were you late for work at your last job?
How to Answer
Hopefully none! If you were never late, that is great! Simply share that you were always punctual. If you were late due to circumstances beyond your control, that is okay too! Simply share that you always try to leave a few extra minutes early to ensure you have enough time to get to work, but there was a day when something out of the ordinary happened (flat tire, traffic was at a standstill on the interstate, etc...). Then, share what steps you took to ensure you got to work as quickly as possible! Finally, if you were frequently late to work, it is essential to share this as it may come up in a reference check. Be sure to explain why you were late as well as what steps you have taken to ensure you can commit to being on time every day in a new position.
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24. Tell me about a time when you were criticized for your work. How did you handle it?
How to Answer
Interviewers want to hear that you are a coachable person open to constructive feedback. Think about a time you were told to improve on something, and you graciously accepted the feedback and worked on your performance. Share where you were working, what you were told to improve upon, and how you graciously responded. Next, share what steps you took to ensure you improved your performance. You might say something like this, "When I was working at ABC Hotel Group, my supervisor mentioned that I would be more effective if I worked at cleaning multiple rooms at a time instead of cleaning each room from top to bottom individually. I thought her feedback was interesting, and I thanked her for the feedback. That day, I gave it a try! At first, it took me a bit longer, but I watched a few of my co-workers use this method, and I caught on quickly. It made my cleaning process much more effective!"
Answer Example
"When I was working at ABC Hotel Group, my supervisor mentioned that I would be more effective if I worked at cleaning multiple rooms at a time instead of cleaning each room from top to bottom individually. I thought her feedback was interesting, and I thanked her for the feedback. That day, I gave it a try! At first, it took me a bit longer, but I watched a few of my co-workers use this method, and I caught on quickly. It made my cleaning process much more effective!"
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25. What makes you the best person for this job?
How to Answer
Talking about ourselves in this way can be challenging. We recommend reaching out to a few colleagues, family members, and friends. Ask them for their opinion. You'll probably be surprised at the consistency in their responses! Their answers will give you insight into how to answer this question. Tell the interviewer what sets you apart, and explain how your co-workers, family members, and friends have encouraged you with your gift in this area.
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26. How long do you see yourself as a Housekeeper?
How to Answer
The interviewer wants to hear that they will be investing in a person who will be a housekeeper for a longer amount of time. Tell the interviewer that you look forward to being a housekeeper, and you plan to work as a housekeeper for the foreseeable future.
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