Job is a rleasu e not a rest fo John

THERE are all sorts of people doing the jobs you hate.

However, Rentokil Pest Control is a different level entirely.

When you’re up against things like bug infestations and rats, especially in a commercial setting, it’s time to call in the big guns.

John Johnstone, 33, from Fintry, has just retrained as a pest control technician and, as you can imagine, it’s not the sort of job anyone can do.

“I was offshore for years and, when that ended, I had a go at decorating but it wasn’t for me.

“I’ve always been the outdoor type and I thought pest control is something I could do.

“I’m not scared of getting my hands dirty or dealing with rats and pigeons.

“I put myself through a British Pest Control Association course for about £1,400 and then applied to Rentokil.

“If you get a job with them they’ll train you, obviously, but turning up with a qualification would show I was keen.”

Once he was accepted, John was taken to Camberley in Surrey for his Level 1 training and he’s now operational.

“One of the best things about the job is that your customers are always really delighted to see you because you’re going to be taking the bad thing away.

“Traps and bait have to be handled correctly every time,” said John.

“There are procedures that have to be followed if you’re going to be effective in clearing any sort of infestation.

“So you have be mindful of your customers and the wider public when doing the job.

“Yes, you can get mucky as you’re down in cellars one minute and then you’re up in an attic shovelling pigeon guano.

“The area I cover is from here to Deeside and I’ve got 180 customers, everything from ordinary homes to mansions to supermarkets and hotels.

“I get to plan my route myself so it’s important to be efficient, turn up when you say you will and have a positive, professional attitude towards the people you’re dealing with.

“Because you’re working alone, you’ve got to have initiative too and, while we get plenty of support, you can’t be looking for guidance from head office every minute.

“You never know what’s next. The other day I was called to a supermarket where a robin was stuck. I trapped it and then released it back into the wild.”

Rentokil is a global firm which is always looking for people, people who aren’t scared of spiders, of course — and John couldn’t be happier with his choice.

Johd gets ready to tackle adother job.