Janitor Career
Janitor Career
The Real Poop
Whether they're called janitors, custodians, groundskeepers, cleaners, caretakers, or superintendants, they've got the same mission: keep it clean. The building, that is. These brave souls are at the forefront of the daily fight against germs and grime, but because they work behind the scenes, they're pretty much never given their due.
If it weren't for janitors, our schools, offices, and government buildings would all be one step away from being declared disaster zones unfit for human habitation. Not a pretty sight. So while this career is short on glamour, it's long on glory.
Janitors are notoriously overworked and underpaid. We're talking a median salary of $22,320 (source). By national standards, that puts you below the poverty level if you're the breadwinner for a family of four (source). Even if you're the single and saving type, it'll be tough to make do on this kind of income.
Not a lot of kids dream about being a janitor when they grow up, in the same way that most don't dream about being an embalmer or a farrier. This is one of those "off the beaten track" careers.
People might become janitors because the odd hours allow them to pursue other passions during the day, because they like working alone, or just because they take satisfaction in knowing that they're the last defense between the helpless office workers and mountains of trash.
A janitor's daily grind can range from simple cleaning to serious handyman work, but usually it's a mix of the two. Whether they're mopping up a lost lunch in a school hallway or changing the light bulbs in a corporate office room, janitors are all about upkeep. It's not an easy job, but it can be fulfilling if you take pride in a hard day's work.
Janitors work anywhere there are people who might make a mess. If you're in a building that isn't a private residence, you're likely in a janitor's work environment. So why don't you see them? Because janitors are basically ninjas: stealthily carrying out their duties before you arrive and after you've gone home. You never see or hear them.
In order to maintain this level of stealth, janitors have to rise with the sun or work late into the night, which can take a toll after a while. They need plenty of strength and stamina to make it through their work day. From mopping endless hallways to loading and unloading countless bags of trash, the physical toll of a day's work in this career is pretty intense. It's not easy being a ninja of tidiness, that's for sure.
Being ninjas and all, janitors aren't the sort of folks who seek wealth or fame in their careers. Instead, they're humble and hardworking, with the patience for completing routine tasks day in and day out and the flexibility to respond to new challenges as they occur. If you like taking on challenges but hate to be fussed over—or if you just really like cleaning things—then this career could be a good choice for you.