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Housekeepers and Maids

Employment Prospects

Employers

More than 1.3 million maids and housekeeping cleaners and 241,600 first-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers are employed in the United States. Many maids and housekeepers work directly for private homeowners. Others are employed by residential cleaning companies such as The Maids, which has nearly 200 franchise owners serving over 90 U.S. and Canadian cities. Some maids and housekeepers work for real estate companies, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other facilities that require regular cleaning. Most jobs are located in large cities and wealthy suburbs.

Starting Out

Aspiring maids and housekeepers can learn about job opportunities by contacting local private employment agencies, state employment service offices, and residential cleaning companies. They can also obtain job leads through newspaper or Internet want ads, or by contacting potential employers directly. Training programs may offer job placement services to their graduates.

Entry-level maids typically learn the ropes by working alongside a more experienced maid until they prove that they have mastered the assigned duties. As they gain experience, they are given more responsibilities.