Around a tonne of waste is produced by an average household in the UK annually. Most of the junk overflows landfills, causing soil and groundwater contamination, contributing to climate change and posing grave environmental problems for the local population. Waste removal services, in their turn, help to mitigate those harmful effects of human activity by collecting garbage and disposing recyclable materials in a safe way. It’s therefore not surprising that junk removal specialists are among the most wanted workers on the market – relocations, house renovations, and even simple housekeeping, without proper handling, lead to piles of waste and become a constant headache for clients.
What’s in a job?
In broad terms, waste removal specialists help people to get rid of junk in their living and working spaces. This may seem to be monotonous physical work, but it actually involves a lot of communication with clients as well as co-workers, and building a brand image of the company each time you have an appointment.
A skill set for specialists in junk removal.
The skills and abilities needed to work in a junk removal company are usually not the ones everybody expects to see in such a job description. Of course, physical training of a candidate plays a significant role in selection because some duties are labour-intensive (e.g. transferring items to the van). Yet, each company-employer in this sphere searches for people with good interpersonal and communication skills. Being a skilled communicator is important because it is the worker who contacts clients most, has the opportunity to leave a good impression and tackle all unplanned issues, in such a way building trustworthy relationships, winning loyalty for the company and increasing the chance of further deals (some say that word of mouth is the most effective form of advertising!). In companies with a concrete specialization, as for instance handle, recycle, or dispose of chemicals and other dangerous materials, you must also have appropriate certification to perform the job.
Development prospects.
Companies in junk removal are often interested in rewarding loyal employees with different bonuses, training programs and other perks. When the business is developing rapidly, its management grows the range of services, creating new career opportunities for the workers, e.g. in supervising the newly established branches. Moreover, after getting enough experience in the field and having saved enough finance, you may even try to start your own business and occupy a certain niche in this market. So, this career is quite promising.
Career outlook.
According to Jooble, one of the world leaders on the market of job websites, average salaries in junk removal fluctuate around 20 K annual at the moment but the sphere is constantly growing. The main reason for such rapid development is a current public concern over environmental issues and governmental attempts to introduce sustainability practices. Therefore, requirements for waste collection and reprocessing tend to be higher, creating a strong demand for high-quality junk removal services and more financial incentives for specialists of the sphere.
