Religious Jewish Housekeeper - What do you think?

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 8:43 pm

I am a working mother, trying to keep the home in order. I would love to have a Religious Jewish housekeeper. I was told that I will never find that as it's considered to be a degrading position in these circles. I don't understand why this is more degrading than a lot of other jobs that are more acceptable in the community.
I will post the job description and requirements below. Please tell me if you, as a religious Jewish woman would take a position like this. Not because you are desperate, and can't find anything else. But because as work goes, you would actually enjoy it.

If you just want to post and tell me how wrong I am with my views, please leave quietly. I am not interested in turning this into a moral and/or philosophical discussion. I just want to hear from those who would be interested.

Here goes:

You are not my cleaning lady, you are my housekeeper. I have a cleaning lady for heavy work such as cleaning bathrooms and floors. But you will manage her, and make sure that she does her job properly, to my standards.

I need you to keep the house in order. I am very meticulous. I like when my kitchen cabinets and closets are clean and organized.

You will be in charge of laundry. We generally do our own washing. Folding, ironing, and putting the laundry in its proper place is on you. Occasionally, when things are particularly hectic and the washing piles up, we may want you to throw in a load or two.

You will load the dishwasher, and wash the sink, countertops, and stove. The refrigerator too. You will polish the silver when needed.

Light cooking is required. I mean light. We do not require three course meals, and I prefer that you not spend your day cooking. Just throw in some chicken in the oven. Cut up some fresh vegetables. A simple soup every now and then. We are fine with leftovers. We freeze mostly everything and are fine with it. We just want a simple dinner. If you love to cook, and want to do something more, that is fine. As long as your time is well managed and it doesn't jeopardize the rest of the work.

We like to do our own shopping. But we may ask you to pick up some basics.

We may want you to drop off/pick up DS from school.

I do not want to micro-manage you. You manage your own day.

No childcare involved. We have a relatively small family. The Youngest is almost 10.

I need about 25 hours a week. But I may ask for more on occasion, such as before Yom Tov. Yes, Pesach cleaning is on you, within the parameters of the job.

I will always treat you with respect, and I expect the same in return. Please recognize that you are entering our lives. You may overhear a conversation that is meant to be private, and you may occasionally get a whiff that I am going to the mikvah. Please leave this job at the door when you go home.

Please let me know if this is something you would like to do. And please also tell me what your salary requirement would be. If you tell me that you want a salary that is not consistent with what this position pays in general, that means that you don't really want the job.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 8:47 pm

I wouldn't take the job, not because I think being a housekeeper is degrading. (Many frum women in Israel work as cleaning ladies, scrubbing toilets etc... because it's the best paying work they can get) I wouldn't take the job because the tone of the ad is very condescending.

SRS

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 8:50 pm

I'm not quite sure what you would need 25 hours a week for if the housekeeper is not doing major cooking, childcare, or heavy cleaning. But no job is beyond me and if I did not have anything else going on and needed the money, I'd apply.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 8:50 pm

Just curious why you think someone would want this job? Aside from many other concerns I'd have, extra hours before holidays would be impossible for a Jewish women who is needed extra at home at those times. Based in ur job description, good luck finding what you're looking for.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 8:55 pm

If you just want to post and tell me how wrong I am with my views, please leave quietly. I am not interested in turning this into a moral and/or philosophical discussion. I just want to hear from those who would be interested.

Thank you.

SplitPea

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:02 pm

I WOULD take a job like This but would not work for you. Your tone is superior and condescending. Even when you talk
About pay its condesending.
Just state how much you pay for the job.

List responsabilities leaving "you" out of it.

Responsabilities include: light cooking, cleaning the kitchen, watching over the cleaning lady. Extra hours will be required around pessch and YT.

If you want a professional relationship YOU need to first be professional. This as is not.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:02 pm

Sounds like an easy job. Except for the extra hours before yom tov. Thats when I need time off to be at home.

Mama Bear

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:13 pm

I have news for you: This is not unheard of, at all. Housekeeping that does not include scrubbing toilets is very much something that you can find a frum woman to do. Yo udon't have to write such a detailed, apologetic list though - *that* makes it degrading. it's more like:

Frum housekeeper wanted. Light cleaning, light cooking, laundry, school pickup.

No need to be so speficic, or apologetic. In my community, there are a dime a dozen of 'babysitters plus light housework' - and they do laundry, cooking, and organizing. as a matter of fact it's a dream job, as this is many women's field of expertise and they'd love to make a litlte money doing it.

GOOD LUCK.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:15 pm

I worked as a housekeeper for a frum family before. Both the husband and wife were high-powered lawyers who worked crazy hours. I enjoyed the work and I enjoyed the people I worked for, because they were so appreciative of everything I did for them. So, coming from that perspective, I would say that the basics of the job you're describing sound great for someone who doesn't need a full time job. 5 hours a day cooking supper and doing light cleaning/organizing without kids to take care of would be very enjoyable as long as the money was decent. HOWEVER. The tone of your ad is offputting, especially the last line. The most important thing I looked for in an employer was someone who was friendly and would be pleasant to work for. Your ad does not convey those qualities, so although I would probably contact you and set up an interview to see if you're nicer in person than you sound in your ad, I would be wary. BTW it comes across as very insulting to warn a potential employee that they should make sure not to tell other people when you're going to the mikvah. shock

I would not be willing to work extra hours before Pesach. I would certainly be willing to supervise extra cleaning help that you hired for the pre-Pesach rush, if they came during my regular work hours, but it's not realistic to expect someone frum to work extra hours before Pesach.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:22 pm

another thing to add- I have had some jewish babysitters in the past and I got kind of annoyed that they thought that because we are "friends" and everyone is "frum" they could unload their problems on me. THat is not what I was paying this woman to do. please come, be pleasant, do your job, make a bit of small talk, and go home.

I don't want to hear about your money issues, husband issues, family issues. its not professional

MaBelleVie

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:24 pm

I knew a few people who have frum housekeepers. They generally charge more than non religious women do, based on research I did when I was hiring. If you're not prepared to pay more than the general rate in your area you probably shouldn't bother.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:26 pm

I'm the former housekeeper. In most employer-employee relationships over time people become friends and care about what's going on in each other's lives. My employers would ask my advice about family things (esp. the kids) and ask me about challenges I was going through. So I guess if you're not interested in doing that, make it clear at the beginning so you don't come off as uncaring later on.

oliveoil

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:27 pm

If this is meant to be an advertisement for the job, a better title would probably be "Housekeeper Position Available" or "Would you like to be my housekeeper?" The title of this thread implies you are asking for opinions about the ad.

I agree with the first poster who said the tone is condescending. It is. Highly. I would definitely take a job like this if I needed it, but not from you.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:30 pm

OP here.

Let's set the record straight. To all of those that supposedly would like this type of job, but find ME offensive. You don't really want this type of job. And I don't want this type of person working for me either.

You do find this kind of work degrading. But you would settle for someone who is so desperate for the help that she is soooo appreciative of everything that you do, and you end up being her boss.

I am a professional. I see job postings all the time. There is nothing condescending with my tone or otherwise. It is simply a detailed description of what would be expected so there are no grey areas.

Like the other amother said: I am not looking for a friend. I am looking for a respectful employer/employee relationship.

MaBelleVie

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:35 pm

I'm a professional as well and I have never in my life seen a job posting like this.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:35 pm

It sounds as if you want a wife. I am a professional housekeeper & I earn $50/hr. My employers have a chef to fix their meals. They have two nannies to care for the children. I occasionally make soup or other food when I have time. Food preparation takes a long time. Ask a professional chef. I occasionally sit with the kids, drive them places & pick them up. My employer knows not to expect ironed laundry or clean counter tops if I'm with the kids. As for Pesach cleaning . . . hire a maid.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:36 pm

oliveoil wrote:

OP here. This is not meant to be an advertisement for the job. It is meant to get a vibe from the pool of people that I would advertise to. And I think I am getting it loud and clear. Not in the way that you think. I know how to read between the lines.

ra_mom

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:37 pm

amother wrote:

And there you go again.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:39 pm

ra_mom wrote:

And there you go again.

OP here. This was not from me. But I agree.

amother

Sat, Oct 25 2014, 9:42 pm

amother wrote:

But you know that isn't the norm. Right? And this bolded isn't condescending? This, precisely, is what I am trying to avoid.