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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cleaning interview unpaid

57 replies

Methodmenthol · 13/05/2021 20:14

Have recently been on an interview for a part time self employed cleaning job. Part of the interview process was cleaning the company owners bedroom and bathroom unpaid. I desperately needed the job and so went ahead with it however, on telling a couple of friends a few weeks later, they both believe it wasn’t a great thing for them to have asked and one even said unethical.

I also overheard whilst cleaning that he made sure he hadn’t cleaned the bathroom for a while before I started.

Aibu to feel a bit used or is it standard practice and I agreed to it so move on? (I did get the job and have some cleaning hours)

OP posts:

shiningstar2 · 14/05/2021 00:31

Terrible to allow anyone to work for you for nothing. Anyone asking for trial cleaning benefits from the work even if they decide not to employ so they should pay for the trial they asked for.

Volhhg · 14/05/2021 00:55

They should have paid you for your trial. I would not trust an employer that doesn't pay trials - it speaks volumes

PrinnyPree · 14/05/2021 00:55

No this is disgusting, an unpaid trial especially where you actually perform a service is not normal and if by some stretch of the imagination it is (in some overly entitled circles) it should be called out and not just by those being taken advantage of but by the peers of people who think this is okay!

I am so incredibly angry that this is a thing. Really sorry you were taken advantage of OP, if there is a way for you to complain about that doesn't put you at risk please escalate this. X

Anyone defending this or approving of it as a method of "trialing employees", shame on you.

MrsTroutfireVII · 14/05/2021 03:24

I know my mate just spent an unpaid day out with a tipper driver moving loads between quarries to see if he liked the job. To me it seems a good idea as it would be worse to quite current job and then realise in first few days you'd made a mistake.

However, it's slightly different as you already know what the job entails, but I'm no 100% that you should get paid for a trial. On the other hand, a few restaurants have got bad press for taking on loads of 'trial' waiting staff during big events and then offering none of them jobs - clearly just wanted to avoid paying agency staff when they needed a few extra hands.

BlackCatShadow · 14/05/2021 03:34

I would definitely send feedback to the company about this. It’s really inappropriate behavior.

Monty27 · 14/05/2021 03:51

@eatsleepread

Nando's did this with my teen. Unpaid full shifts. Cheeky bastards that they are.

I have a cleaner, OP, and would never treat someone like this. YANBU

I'd be fuming. As if zero hours contracts weren't bad enough 😡 OP get paid by hook or by crook. People like this are the scum of the earth 🤬

H2OConnoisseur · 14/05/2021 04:58

My cleaners through the years are all self-employed, and never once have I asked for any of them to do an unpaid trial. Come to think of it, if I were in their shoes and was asked by my employers to do an unpaid trial, I'd be very skeptical and a part of me will wonder if they're trialing and failing applicants just so they could, in a way, have their house constantly cleaned for free!

SympathyFatigue · 14/05/2021 05:20

It's grim bragging you've left a grubby toilet for someone to clean on a work trial. Does he employ staff for an agency? I wonder if he just does this every few weeks and knew you were going?

picturesandpickles · 14/05/2021 05:24

An unpaid trial is unethical and should be illegal. You've been treated badly there.

Yes set up on your own if you can.

AyyMacarena · 14/05/2021 06:31

How long did it take to clean the two rooms? I can't imagine there were many questions in the interview so he wanted to see you in action, you wouldn't be paid for an interview so I don't see that you should be paid for half an hours cleaning that wouldn't have taken longer than a normal interview for a typical office role. If he asked you to clean the house, I'd expect payment as it would be a trial shift.

When I was a self employed cleaner via a company, the interview took place in my house so they could assess my skills.

picturesandpickles · 14/05/2021 06:38

the interview took place in my house so they could assess my skills even weirder!

I think there's some really dodgy behaviour going on with cleaners, they really get treated like bloody Victorian servants!

3cats2kids1dog · 14/05/2021 07:28

i dont get the vitriol... it took what, an hour? so about what an interview takes. unless you have testimonials and pictures of previous cleans, what better way to assess your attention to detail and drive than ask you to do a couple of rooms?
ive been to multistage interviews with written tests, scenario workshops and the usual face to face stuff. for all i know the scenarios worked on could have been reql life and the employer wanted fresh perspectives. i dont look back and think i should have been paid for that time. what crazy frothing reactions....

KingdomScrolls · 14/05/2021 09:38

This was very common when I was young and working in bars and restaurants, they called them on job experiences usually 2/3 hours unpaid to show you around explain the job and get you to have a go. I don't think I ever saw anyone not get the job, but I did say some people say they didn't want the job because they didn't realise they had to clean etc

SmileyClare · 14/05/2021 09:51

I've been a self employed cleaner for a few years and was asked to do a trial clean for one client. It took me two hours and she then took me on. However, it quickly became apparent that she was very demanding, nit picked over things and often quibbled about my money, forgot to pay me or despite telling me to "stay later to get extra tasks finished, I'll pay you for the extra time".. rarely happened. In summary, the client was a nightmare.

I'd agree with the advice given above, think about setting up as a sole trader. Once you have a few clients and good references, it's easier to pick up more work. There are minimal setting up costs.

Most new clients have not asked for trial cleans. I usually offer to do a couple of cleans for them (paid) and agree they can decide then if they want to offer me a more permanent role.

Footloosefancyfree · 14/05/2021 09:59

It's a power thing op. My dh was out of work and desperate for a job at the time and had a trial for a delivery driver job for fatsos. He had to get up early hours 3 oclock to deliver. They didn't even offer him the job but used him for free labour it was disgusting and a big fit for an already difficult time, lucky he qualified as a HGD. I had a trial for a swimming teacher job but the company would pick the successful candidate and put them through their training the trial was an hour. I was successful and had all my training paid for and work else where now.

Cassilis · 14/05/2021 10:01

You should have been paid. Fucking cunts.

SmileyClare · 14/05/2021 10:12

If this is a Molly Maids type company, steer clear

Agreed, although I don't want to be accused of libel you can earn far more setting up on your own. This type of set up with a company means you're labelled as "self employed" but have little control and despite the high charges for the customer, you'll take home minimum wage.

shetlandponies · 14/05/2021 14:26

@SmileyClare

If this is a Molly Maids type company, steer clear

Absolutely

MangosteenSoda · 14/05/2021 14:35

I’ve done trial lessons (obvs unpaid) as part of teaching interviews, but I think this is different.

I’ve always asked candidates for nanny jobs to do a paid trial for me and I think this falls more into that category of trial. Although, I don’t really see the need to trial for a cleaning job. It’s not as if anyone needs to see how well you bond with the Flash and the mop 🤷🏻‍♀️

SmileyClare · 14/05/2021 15:02

I don't see the need for a trial clean

Neither do I. Cleaning isn't hard per se as long as you're reasonably fit. I'd say 95% of being a good cleaner is consistently putting in the hard work and effort every single time. That only becomes apparent over a long period

Good work references and an interview in person are the usual request aren't they? A practical trial should definitely be agreed beforehand. You had it sprung on you op. I would have wanted to turn up with my own cleaning materials and dressed for cleaning at least!

Volhhg · 14/05/2021 19:17

I'm not exactly sure but I think the reason why employers shouldn't use unpaid trials is because the first three months of employment is a trial and if someone isn't up to the job they can be asked to leave during that period. Not sure if this was the case years ago

violetbunny · 15/05/2021 05:11

If you're supposed to be self employed, surely it's up to you whether you offer an unpaid trial or not? Sounds dodgy.

Amaya89 · 15/05/2021 07:11

Its common around here sadly. A few years back I did an entire day as a trial, driving around one of the other employees with clients in a 20 mile radius. By the time i got to the 6th client of the day, putting yet more fuel in my car I was done. Set up for myself and never looked back.
We are hiring at the moment and every trial clean is with myself picking them up and taking them and fully paid.

StopPokingTheRoyalTitDear · 15/05/2021 07:18

I don’t know much about employing a cleaner but a “free trial” seems unfair- if they’d bunged you whatever the going hourly rate is for the clean then totally fair enough.

Also this: I also overheard whilst cleaning that he made sure he hadn’t cleaned the bathroom for a while before I started. has me fuming for you. How fucking dare he, the cheeky, sanctimonious bastard. It was not necessary for him to do that imo. I’m glad you got your hours in the end and I hope you don’t meet anyone else along the way like that.

SallyLovesCheese · 15/05/2021 07:27

I think it's cheeky as it's a service from which they immediately benefit. It's like asking for a free trial of an MOT at a garage, or a wash and polish at a car wash place. Or a repair person to come and fix your washing machine. Would you expect a painter/decorator to paint one of your rooms for free as a trial?

Other jobs do ask you to do tasks etc. but it's not as though you're actually doing the job for them. When people on here talk about doing a task for an interview and then they discover the company used their idea or whatever, we all agree that's cheeky because they weren't paid. This is no different.

OP, if you can set up on your own then do it! And let this company know that you feel it was unfair to be asked to clean and what the guy said.

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