How to Write an SOQ for a Custodian Position

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is a written response to prompts listed in the job posting, scored by the hiring department to decide who gets an interview. Not every Custodian posting requires one — but when it does, it's often the only screening tool between your STD 678 application and the interview list.

For Custodian positions, the prompts stay practical. Departments want evidence of three things: you've actually done cleaning or facilities work (or closely related physical work), you can be trusted to complete an assigned area on your own, and you work safely — with chemicals, equipment, and around the people who use the building.

Don't be intimidated by the writing. Custodian SOQs are not scored like an analyst's writing exam. Raters are looking for clear, honest, specific answers — a few solid paragraphs beat an elaborate essay. What loses points is vagueness: "I have cleaning experience and a strong work ethic" tells the rater nothing they can score.

Note that some Custodian postings — especially at CDCR institutions and Department of State Hospitals facilities — involve working inside secure settings. If the duty statement mentions it, your SOQ should show you're comfortable following strict security procedures.

Custodian SOQ requirements are usually simple, but read the posting's SOQ instructions carefully — they vary by department:

• 12-point Arial font is the most common requirement
• Single-spaced
• 1 page is typical; some postings allow 2
• 1-inch margins
• Your name and the Job Control (JC) number at the top of the page
• Answer every prompt, in order, numbering each response

If the posting simply says "submit a Statement of Qualifications describing your experience" without listing prompts, write 3–4 short paragraphs covering your relevant work history, your experience working independently, and your safety practices.

Two hard rules: never skip a prompt, and never submit a generic letter in place of the SOQ. Applications that don't follow the SOQ instructions are routinely screened out regardless of experience, because following written instructions is part of what's being evaluated.

Use a simple version of the STAR method: where you worked, what you were responsible for, what you did, and the result. Then make each answer concrete.

Name the facilities and the scale. "I cleaned a 3-story office building, responsible for 12 restrooms, two break rooms, and all common areas on a nightly schedule" is scorable. "I cleaned buildings" is not. Schools, hospitals, hotels, warehouses, restaurants — all of it counts, including non-custodial physical work like stocking, groundskeeping, or food service if it shows reliability and physical capability.

Name the equipment and products. Floor buffers and auto-scrubbers, carpet extractors, wet/dry vacuums, disinfectants and degreasers, dilution ratios, color-coded microfiber systems. If you've read Safety Data Sheets (SDS) or followed OSHA/Cal/OSHA chemical-handling rules, say so — safety language scores well on Custodian SOQs.

Prove reliability with facts, not adjectives. Attendance record, years at one employer, opening or closing the building alone, holding keys, passing inspections. "In three years I missed two shifts and held building keys for after-hours access" says "dependable" better than the word does.

For independent-work prompts, describe your routine: how you sequence your assigned area, how you handle interruptions (spills, urgent requests), and how your work was checked — inspections passed, complaints avoided, supervisor sign-offs.

For safety prompts, walk through an actual procedure you followed: wet-floor signage, PPE like gloves and goggles, never mixing chemicals, reporting hazards, or securing equipment around the public. A specific near-miss you handled correctly makes a strong answer.

Keep sentences plain and first person. Have someone proofread it once — clean spelling signals the same care the job itself requires.

Writing one generic paragraph. The most common failure. Each prompt needs its own answer with its own example — even if the answers are short.

Underselling non-custodial experience. If you're coming from warehouse work, food service, caregiving, or the military, you likely have relevant material: physical stamina, sanitation standards, equipment handling, working unsupervised. Translate it instead of writing "no custodial experience."

Vague claims of work ethic. "Hardworking, reliable, team player" with no evidence scores zero. Every claim needs a fact behind it.

Ignoring the safety prompt. Safety answers are where departments screen hardest, especially for hospital and institutional settings. Never write "I just use common sense" — name the procedures.

Skipping the SOQ because the job seems entry-level. If the posting requires an SOQ and you don't attach one, your application is typically disqualified — the strength of your STD 678 won't save it.

Missing the JC number or exceeding the page limit. Small errors, routine disqualifiers. Match the posting's instructions exactly.