Hey, how’s it going, everybody? Ceejay here.
Today, we’re going to be talking about ten questions that you might be asked when you go to interview for a hotel housekeeping position. We’re going to go over the questions, I’m going to give you some insight as to why your potential employer is asking you these questions, and then we’re going to talk about the best way to answer them.
Real quick, so you know I know what I’m talking about: I’ve been a hotel housekeeper for more than five years. I’ve worked at hotels all over the United States. I’ve been a housekeeper, a houseman, a housekeeping inspector, a housekeeping supervisor, a housekeeping crew leader, and now I am a housekeeping manager. I’ve interviewed numerous times with numerous different housekeeping departments, and I’ve also been involved with the interviewing process.
So, enough about me, let’s get started!
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Question 1: “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”
This is a pretty standard interview question you’ll get almost anywhere.
Why They Ask: Bottom line, they’re trying to find out whether or not you’re a weirdo. They’re trying to find out whether or not you are a person they’re going to want to work with 40-plus hours a week.
How to Answer: You want to answer this question very confidently with high energy. Convey some good qualities about yourself. I would start off with some personal stuff and then take it to work experience.
- Part 1 (Personal): Be confident and personable. “A little bit about myself, I’m Tim, I’m 40, I love to travel, and my favorite movie is The Dark Knight.” Something along those lines. I’m smiling, I’m confident.
- Part 2 (Professional): Bring up some work experience. “As far as work goes, my past bosses have always said that I was one of their hardest workers. They’ve always said I’m one of the most punctual people they know, just a pleasure to be around. I try very hard to bring joy to the workplace every single day.”
Question 2: “Why do you want to work here?”
This is my favorite interview question because it allows me to show off the research I’ve done on the company.
Why They Ask: They’re trying to see if you just clicked “apply” on a job board or if this is a company you really want to work for.
How to Answer: Any time you are granted an interview, hop online and do as much research as you can about that company and the department. Then, bring that stuff up.
For example: “Oh, I’m super excited to work for XYZ Hotels because I had a friend who worked here in the past, and she said she really loved it. I heard you pay well, you have decent benefits, and one of the things I really liked is that you hire from within—I’m definitely looking for advancement, so I appreciate that. Also, when I looked at the hotel rooms I’ll be cleaning online, I noticed some things that intrigued me. Some were similar to places I’ve worked before, so I know I’ll be able to do a good job, but some areas, like the bathrooms, are different. I’m excited about that.”
Question 3: “What do you think are the key traits of a good housekeeper?”
Why They Ask: They want to see if you really know what the housekeeping game is all about.
How to Answer: Mention the key skills a good housekeeper needs to have.
- Attention to Detail: “I think attention to detail is one of the most important traits. When you’re cleaning these hotel rooms, you want to make sure you do a great job. You want to clean every surface, make sure beds are made properly, and floors are vacuumed. There are lots of little things in these rooms that you do not want to miss because they can turn into major issues when the guest checks in.”
- Punctuality: “A good housekeeper should always be on time. If you’re late, it’s going to take longer to clean all your rooms, and then the guests will be waiting longer.”
- Fast Worker: “Housekeeping is a very fast-paced environment. You need to be able to work at a fast pace over a long period of time to get those rooms clean and get guests in as soon as possible.”
- Friendliness: “A good housekeeper also needs to be friendly, nice, and engaging. You’re going to come into interaction with a lot of guests and need to be able to interact with anyone in the hallway or in the room.”
Question 4: “Are you familiar with the proper procedure for cleaning a hotel room?”
Why They Ask: It’s pretty self-explanatory—they want to know if you know how to do the job.
How to Answer: This is a question where you can really “wow” them. Get a little long-winded and show them you know what you’re doing.
If You Have Experience: “Yes, I’m definitely familiar with the proper procedure. In my years of experience at several different properties, I’ve gotten really good at it. Personally, I like to use the same pattern every time. I come in, turn on all the lights, take out all the trash, and strip all the dirty linens. Then I start my actual cleaning. I start on the right-hand wall and work my way around, dusting everything, cleaning mirrors, the TV, all the drawers, tables, and chairs. I check under the bed, do the nightstand, and clean the windows. Then I work my way to the bathroom and clean it thoroughly. After that, I put all my towels in, make the bed, and then I vacuum. However, I know that every hotel has its own cleaning procedures, so I’m excited to learn your methods and look forward to your specialized training.”
If You Don’t Have Experience: “Well, even though I don’t have any previous housekeeping experience, I went online and looked at a number of housekeeping training videos on YouTube. I looked at some from different properties and even found one from your property and watched it. So I think I have familiarized myself with how to clean a hotel room. However, I’m very excited for your training so that I can learn to clean a room up to your standards.”
Question 5: “Can you work well in a team?”
Why They Ask: Even though you may work alone most of the time, there will be times when you have to work as a team. Maybe a housekeeper is going slow and you have to help them, or there’s a big task that requires teamwork.
How to Answer: Most people know the answer is “yes,” but many miss an opportunity here to show they are a leader.
“Oh, I am definitely a team player. While I enjoy working alone, I also enjoy working in a team environment. When I have to come together with my fellow coworkers to complete an objective, I have no problem doing that. Also, I can play any role in that team. If you need me to just be a team member and take direction, that’s fine. But also, if you need someone to step up and lead a team, I don’t mind doing that either. As you saw in my application, I have previous experience as a team leader. At the end of the day, I can work alone or as a team—I just like to work.”
Question 6: “Tell me about a time you made a mistake as a housekeeper.”
Why They Ask: As a manager, I pay close attention to this answer. All housekeepers make mistakes, and because we are so close to guests and their belongings, sometimes a mistake can be a big deal. I want to know about a situation like that, and I’m gauging whether you’ll give me a stupid excuse or be honest.
How to Answer: The more honest you are and the better story you tell, the higher your stock goes up. Don’t just tell them about the mistake; tell them how you corrected it and how it helped you to never make that mistake again. This shows growth. Don’t just say, “Oh, one time I didn’t clean the toilet and there was poop in it.”
Question 7: “How do you react when asked to perform tasks outside of your normal job description?”
Why They Ask: An employer wants to know if they hire you as a housekeeper, how will you react if they need you to do something else?
How to Answer: This is a great question to showcase your knowledge of how a hotel and a housekeeping department function.
If You Have Experience: “When I’m asked to perform a task outside my job description, which happens a lot in the hotel business, I don’t mind. I understand that throughout the day, we need to help each other out. We are all in this together. So if I have to help laundry out, or help the housemen, or do something for the front desk because they’re too busy, I don’t mind doing that.”
If You Don’t Have Experience: “I don’t mind doing things that aren’t my normal job. At my past job at McDonald’s, this happened all the time. I was the fry guy, but sometimes I had to whip burgers together or clean the lobby. Even though I’ve never been a housekeeper, I would imagine that sometimes you have to help in other departments. While I don’t know right now what those jobs are, I am the type of person that would love to learn other aspects of the hospitality industry. I would actually look at it as a positive because then I get to learn more about how the hotel works.”
Question 8: “How would you handle an angry or irate guest?”
Why They Ask: Anyone who’s ever done housekeeping knows you will run into some really angry people. Guests see us more than anyone else, so if they’re mad, the housekeeper is often the one who hears about it.
How to Answer: As a manager, I don’t want to just hear you say, “I’d call my manager.” While that is the right answer if a situation escalates, I want to hear that you would first try to take responsibility and ownership of the situation to calm the guest down.
“I would try to ascertain why the guest was angry and see if there was anything I personally could do to resolve it. I’d see if there’s any way the hotel could do something for them, and then I would bring that information to my manager if it was something that I couldn’t personally do.” You want to show that you would own the situation.
Question 9: “Are you good at multitasking?”
Why They Ask: As a hotel housekeeper, you will definitely have to multitask. There will be times when you have many different things going on at once.
How to Answer: It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the answer is “yes.” However, this is another opportunity to sell yourself.
“Yes, I’m great at multitasking. In fact, I think it’s one of my strengths. That’s because I recognize that in order to multitask properly, you need to have a clear head. I make sure to get a good night’s sleep before I come to work—no partying, drinking, or drugs on work nights. Another thing I do is write down my tasks when my manager gives them to me. If a guest asks me to do something else, I’ll make a mental note of where I was and write down what the guest wants. I try to make sure I always know what is expected of me so I can do my job to the best extent possible.”
Question 10: “How would you react if you saw a fellow coworker misbehaving?”
Why They Ask: This question has many variations, but they basically want to know what you would do if you see a coworker doing something they aren’t supposed to.
How to Answer: This can be a tricky question because there’s no single “right” answer. Some managers want you to report it immediately; others see that as snitching. I personally would give a safe answer.
“If I saw a coworker doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing and it wasn’t a major issue, I would go to them and try to let them know, ‘Hey, that is not how we do things around here.’ Now, if it was a major issue—a very important safety issue or I saw them stealing or something like that—well then I might be obligated to tell my supervisor or my manager. But at the end of the day, I’m really just concerned about them changing their behavior, as opposed to getting a fellow coworker in trouble.”
This answer shows you aren’t just a snitch, but that you also understand the importance of correcting behavior and when to escalate an issue.
So that’s it! Those are ten potential questions you might be asked. Hopefully, you can use this advice to ace your interview and become gainfully employed as a hotel housekeeper sometime in the near future.
Good luck with your interview! Hope you get the job. If you do, come back and let me know!
