OCCUPATION: Director of Housekeeping

Name: Elda Laspinas Company: Waterfront Hilton at Huntington Beach Thumbs up: “I have a great liking for people of all kinds and they usually respond in kind. This job makes you so busy that you never get bored. It’s always exciting. I have 86 people under my supervision and I like that.” Thumbs down: “If people take advantage of my authority, the whole department suffers. I try to be flexible on work schedules by accommodating employees and giving them the days off that they want. But, when they turn around and call in sick or absent, that really gives me a lot of hardship and affects the entire housekeeping department.” Next step: “I would love to manage a bigger property, which I think will happen some day, but I don’t know when the Waterfront will expand and add more rooms. I want to stick around and see what will happen.” Advice: “You should really like to work with people of different ethnic backgrounds. You should have a sense of humor, otherwise you’re not going to last, and you should like responsibility and be a shirt-sleeve type--not afraid to get your hands dirty.” Salary range: Directors of housekeeping services average between $28,000 and $144,000 a year in Orange County. Fringe benefits: Most employers provide vacation pay and medical, vision and dental insurance. Hours: Directors of housekeeping services average 40 to 60 hours a week, with some weekend work. Educational and training requirements: In all government facilities, directors of housekeeping services must be certified or registered through the National Executive Housekeepers Assn. Inc. About half of all director jobs require either a bachelor’s degree or certification, and a high school diploma is required. Size of work force: Large. There are about 2,500 directors of housekeeping services in Orange County. Expected demand: Stable. Directors of housekeeping services for hospitals and hotels are expected to always be around. Job description: Individuals employed in institutional housekeeping at the management level organize and direct the housekeeping department and training programs. They establish performance standards and work procedures, evaluate personnel and perform other duties. Major employing industries: Directors of housekeeping can be found in private industries including hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and amusement parks. They are employed in government facilities, airports, retirement centers, universities or other educational institutions and penitentiaries. Advancement: Many housekeeping directors have moved into administrative and general manager positions. Lateral movement also is possible. For example, housekeeping directors sometimes assume other responsibilities, such as purchasing department duties, handling safety and security issues, recycling, disposing of hazardous waste materials and overseeing Environmental Protection Agency requirements. For more information: Call the National Executive Housekeepers Assn. Inc. at (614) 895-7166.Researched by MIMI KO / Special to The Times