Interview time (interviewing, this time!)

[wjt28]

So next week I'm interviewing for a new cleaner. In my previous life I interviewed prospective staff but for very different roles to this.
What would you chaps and ladies suggest would be good questions?
I know it isn't the most glamorous job, but it is obviously hugely important-never more so than now, so I want to make sure we get the right person.
Cheers in advance.

[Derek N]

Hi
Not sure on questions as never been involved in that part. Might be worth having them do a practical like cleaning a window or something.

[adonis2]

Ask if they have COSHH training,
why shouldn't you mix chemicals,
why is cleanliness important in a school,
what areas are most important to clean,
what mechanical cleaning equipment have you used,
what would you do if a child walked into the toilet while you was cleaning it.
are there any additional cleaning that you think should be done due to covid 19.

Don't make the questions too hard, just look for a bit of common sense and a good work attitude.
If you are lucky you get a brilliant cleaner, if you are unlucky you get a liability.

[Drone]

Chuck in a question on safeguarding. What would you do if you walked into a classroom & found a child alone in there in a distressed state?

[Vera]

Q1. What would you do if a teacher had made a massive mess in their classroom?
a. Punch them in the face
b. Make a cutting remark then punch them in the face
c. ask them to clean it up
d. smile sweetly and carry on clearing up (whilst in your mind punching them in the face)

Q2. You have 3 rooms left to clean and are running late and know you can't do all of them (classroom, Staffroom and a toilet) do you?
a. Clean the toilet and classroom and leave the staffroom
b. Cut corners and do all 3
c. find your manager and seek help to complete the work
d. do what you can and sign off and leave it

Q3. You get verbally abused by a member of staff do you?
a. Punch them in the face
b. Report it immediately to your line manager
c. go home and don't tell anyone
d. Call your husband/ wife, friend/ dad etc. to come and "sort them out"

That should sort them out... Just be careful you don't get punched in the face

[Dexter]

Q1. What would you do if a teacher had made a massive mess in their classroom?
a. Punch them in the face
b. Make a cutting remark then punch them in the face
c. ask them to clean it up
d. smile sweetly and carry on clearing up (whilst in your mind punching them in the face)

Q2. You have 3 rooms left to clean and are running late and know you can't do all of them (classroom, Staffroom and a toilet) do you?
a. Clean the toilet and classroom and leave the staffroom
b. Cut corners and do all 3
c. find your manager and seek help to complete the work
d. do what you can and sign off and leave it

Q3. You get verbally abused by a member of staff do you?

No vacancy for a cleaner at the moment but these will be gold dust when I do
a. Punch them in the face
b. Report it immediately to your line manager
c. go home and don't tell anyone
d. Call your husband/ wife, friend/ dad etc. to come and "sort them out"

That should sort them out... Just be careful you don't get punched in the face

[Dexter]

Seem to have messed up my last reply to Vera's post! Thought I'd put that have no vacancies at present but his questions were gold dust and would keep them for the occasion, should it arise.

[TheTusk]

I always make sure they know that it's a school tradition (it isn't) that when a new person starts they bring in a big homemade chocolate cake.
This has only worked once when a NQT got her mum to make one because she didn't know how too.

[Handyman]

One thing I would do is to check that they are OK with the hours you are offering so there is no confusion, I have had a couple of candidates in the past who were doing well and then started trying to dictate hours that would suit them better or misread the advert.