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What’s in a name?

We are all in the name business, it is the core of what makes a club a club. We all think that our staff use Member’s names on a regular basis; as they were trained and should. How impactful is the use of a name?

On a flight I was on a few years ago, the use of my name catapulted the expected excellent service to phenomenal service; a lesson that any club, hotel or hospitality establishment could take a cue from.

Flying in the front cabins you would expect the flight attendants to greet you at your seat, use your name and continue throughout the flight; fairly standard on most international flights. But the ramp crew? Now that’s a new level of customer recognition. After having my passport and ticket checked and making my way past the counter I was warmly greeted by the airport ramp staff standing at the first door of the ramp with a, “welcome aboard Mr. Marcus”.

What? How do you think I felt for that flight and more importantly beyond the flight? Any chance of my flying another airline? I don’t think so. On the flight I had 10 hours to ponder just what training and communication systems were needed to make such a profound difference in just a few seconds and at no cost.

It’s reminiscent of a Distinguished Club in Southern California putting stickers with the Member’s name in the door of their car so every time they pulled in the valet could use their name to welcome them home.

A simple lesson for any team-member on just how powerful the use of a name can be!

Tell me about your best service experience, I love to hear new stories.

Brian Marcus is one of our executive recruiters specializing in private clubs and hospitality. Brian has over 10 years of club experience and 25 years of hotel, restaurant and F&B experience in numerous countries. For more information contact Brian at 626-836-1222 or brian@globalhospitality.com

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Get Engaged (Part II)

By Brian Marcus

Last blog (link here) we covered Staff Engagement and the Divisional Forum. This blog takes another best practice that worked for me and put them into play to increase your staff’s engagement.

An idea that my administrative assistance thought was nuts; Breaking Bread. A simple and old concept that we put into place and saw nothing but a huge success. Each month we asked for line staff to sign up to have breakfast or lunch in a small group (6 or 7 max) with the department director. This was done without the GM, departmental managers or supervisors, just line staff. The makeup of the group was not predisposed or planned, just who signed up.

We started with small talk, me learning more about the staff, their families, what inspires them, what makes them tick and what they are passionate about. Guess what happened! You got it, work product flowed soon after without coaxing or planning; just organically. I took notes along the way and let me tell you some of the best ideas in my career came out of these meetings. At first, I was afraid it would become one big complaint session, but boy was I wrong. It was constructive, positive and most importantly productive. 

After “breaking bread”, I personally got back to each person that had an idea (in person) and updated them as to what would become of it…honestly. Along the way I would keep them up to speed on the progress and I made sure they got the credit for the idea. You talk about engagement!

Give it a try and break some bread.

Email me for more best practices about Staff Engagement or your best practices for staff engagement; I love it!

Brian Marcus is one of our executive recruiters specializing in private clubs and hospitality. Brian has over 10 years of club experience and 25 years of hotel, restaurant and F&B experience in numerous countries. For more information contact Brian at 626-836-1222 or brian@globalhospitality.com

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Get Engaged (part I)

By Brian Marcus

Employee satisfaction means nothing anymore. It is just not enough to have satisfied or even very satisfied staff; everyone does! What separates you from the restaurant, fitness club or community golf course down the road from your Club? Your staff.

So, if very satisfied staff is not good enough what is? Engaged staff; staff that is switched on and truly wants to work with you…not for you. Assume you are paying competitive wages, your staff cafeteria is up to par and you treat your staff with respect. Now move to engagement.

How do you engage your staff? From my prior days as AGM at an international Distinguished Club here is one best practice that any Club can implement at minimal to no cost and maximum impact.

Divisional Staff Forums. Most Clubs have staff meetings, departmental meetings and executive meetings to pass on what is going on in the operations, membership statistics and so forth…the “data dump”. How does this engage your housekeeping staff or servers? IT DOESN’T; just ask them. Not that this information isn’t important and YES, they should have it so what is one to do? Hold a Divisional (or Departmental) Forum. 

The recipe:

  • 15% of the time spent on information, financials, and Club-wide happenings.
  • 25% of the time with a training session that is relevantto them
  • 45% of the time spent on celebrating the staff. Achievements, goals met, stories of how the staff impacted the operations, Member feedback and anything else that celebrates the staff
  • 15% of the time for town hall style Q&A

Collaborate for no more than 1 hour

Have the Division Leader host the forum, not the GM; in fact, the GM shouldn’t be there. Do it in the restaurant if possible so it is relaxed. Use AV thoughtfully and strategically with a great slide deck. Have the restaurant or one of the outlets serve signature items from the menu in small bites. Don’t settle for cookies and coffee.

Watch the staff come alive and most importantly move the needle towards engagement or truly feeling like their contribution matters.

Next blog will be about “Breaking Bread” a program that I put in place that my administrative assistant thought was crazy…with HUGE engagement payoff!

Brian Marcus is one of our executive recruiters specializing in private clubs and hospitality. Brian has over 10 years of club experience and 25 years of hotel, restaurant and F&B experience in numerous countries. For more information contact Brian at 626-836-1222 or brian@globalhospitality.com


So, if very satisfied staff is not good enough what is? Engaged staff; staff that is switched on and truly wants to work with you…not for you. Assume you are paying competitive wages, your staff cafeteria is up to par and you treat your staff with respect. Now move to engagement.

How do you engage your staff? From my prior days as AGM at an international Distinguished Club here is one best practice that any Club can implement at minimal to no cost and maximum impact.

Divisional Staff Forums. Most Clubs have staff meetings, departmental meetings and executive meetings to pass on what is going on in the operations, membership statistics and so forth…the “data dump”. How does this engage your housekeeping staff or servers? IT DOESN’T; just ask them. Not that this information isn’t important and YES, they should have it so what is one to do? Hold a Divisional (or Departmental) Forum. 

The recipe:

  • 15% of the time spent on information, financials, and Club-wide happenings.
  • 25% of the time with a training session that is relevantto them
  • 45% of the time spent on celebrating the staff. Achievements, goals met, stories of how the staff impacted the operations, Member feedback and anything else that celebrates the staff
  • 15% of the time for town hall style Q&A

Collaborate for no more than 1 hour

Have the Division Leader host the forum, not the GM; in fact, the GM shouldn’t be there. Do it in the restaurant if possible so it is relaxed. Use AV thoughtfully and strategically with a great slide deck. Have the restaurant or one of the outlets serve signature items from the menu in small bites. Don’t settle for cookies and coffee.

Watch the staff come alive and most importantly move the needle towards engagement or truly feeling like their contribution matters.

Next blog will be about “Breaking Bread” a program that I put in place that my administrative assistant thought was crazy…with HUGE engagement payoff!

Brian Marcus is one of our executive recruiters specializing in private clubs and hospitality. Brian has over 10 years of club experience and 25 years of hotel, restaurant and F&B experience in numerous countries. For more information contact Brian at 626-836-1222 or brian@globalhospitality.com

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Get read…

By Brian Marcus

In our offices we see thousands of resumes; everything from the good to the bad to the ugly! So, what makes a good resume, is a cover letter important, does the font actually matter? Yes, it all does; not just to your resume but to the numerous resumes you read as a hiring manager.

Something that we don’t think of all the time, especially when we are reading resumes. We all know you can lose an employment opportunity from poor grammar or misspelled words, but you can as easily lose based on font use. The most popular and easily read font is Ariel followed by Calibri and Cambria. Not only are they easy to read, but they open neat and clean on any browser. 

A resume is the candidates advertisement…this goes beyond work history, educational background and the three-sentence introduction summary. Does the resume you are reading (or writing) have a Core Values and Personal Mission Statement and yes, a Mission Statement. Remember it is the advertisement. What is this person about, what is important to them, and what do they stand for? Not only will the words convey a message, the mere fact that they have gone through the exercise shows a lot about the candidate…or you!

Yes, a cover letter is still a great thing…even if it doesn’t get read. Keep it short, on point and above all do not repeat what is on your resume. When reading a cover letter; which you should do, look for consistencies with your Club or organization, is the letter well written and are assertions backed by facts?

A final tip for both resume readers and writers, in this day and age check LinkedIn and other social media platforms for resumes. Make sure the resume you have on your desk matches the online counterpart. I myself just received a resume that didn’t match LinkedIn which shows lack of detail. Crumbs, we live in a digital age. 

So, does it make a difference? You bet you it does, just ask your HR Director next time you have lunch with them.

Brian Marcus is one of our executive recruiters specializing in private clubs and hospitality. Brian has over 10 years of club experience and 25 years of hotel, restaurant and F&B experience in numerous countries. For more information contact Brian at 626-836-1222 or brian@globalhospitality.com

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Scheduling a Millennial

By Brian Marcus

I remember when I was just starting out in my career, every two weeks I would check the hand-written schedule with red cross out marks on it, hanging in the break room, to see what my short-term destiny would be. Boy have we come a long way!

In a seminar at a CCMA conference in Macau several years ago the words from one of the presenters became a reality to me, “the first thing a millennial does in the morning is check the device for their overnight Instagram and snapchat messages”. Right? Yes, of course right, and not too dissimilar to the non-millennials as well.

So how can we harness that power of the device for scheduling? Easy as long as WE are ready to embrace change and doing things differently. With a bit of easy learning (or having a 20-something show you) move to disseminating your schedule “socially” and personalized to that staff member. 

We did this at a former Club that I worked with and it was fantastic. Easy for the manager, direct and appropriate for the staff and made schedule changes and maintenance so simple. The result, less lateness, happier and more engaged staff, more empowered managers and ultimately better overall service. 

Taking it a step further we had a restaurant staff all on a group messenger service where the manager could “shout out” anything from the soup of the day to the service standard of the week to; you guessed it, schedule changes. Communication made easy and effective.

Grab a device and give it a try! 

Brian Marcus is one of our executive recruiters specializing in private clubs and hospitality. Brian has over 10 years of club experience and 25 years of hotel, restaurant and F&B experience in numerous countries. For more information contact Brian at 626-836-1222 or brian@globalhospitality.com

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Your Resume…Does It Have The Right Stuff?

By Eden Slegr, President, Global Hospitality, Inc.

In the world of executive recruitment, a resume should make us want to get on the phone and call you! Every year we receive hundreds of resumes ranging from awful to excellent in terms of quality of presentation and content. As executive recruiters specializing in the hospitality industry including Private Clubs, Hotels, Restaurants, Resorts, Cruise Ships, Universities, and other venues such as Vineyards and even Retirement Communities, we have strong opinions about what makes an exceptional resume. 

We want to share what we’ve learned from many years of experience. 

The following suggestions on style and presentation are compiled from our years in recruiting. Follow them and put together a resume that will stand out and get you that job!

Basics

Keep your resume clear, concise, and easy to read! 

A resume in the stack of dozens which appears disorganized or difficult to read, probably won’t be. Leave enough space between paragraphs and around the margins. The layout and spacing of your page can make you seem confident and professional, or disorganized and insecure. Putting time and effort into this aspect of your resume can be crucial. 

Font Style & Size  

Most resumes are e-mailed, and we find that fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica work best. These types of fonts in 11 pt. or 12 pt. ensure “readability” and clarity. Underlining, Italics, and Bold elements are a great way to clarify key components of your resume when used in a consistent manner, but don’t overdo it! 

Listing Education first? Don’t! 

As impressive as the Ivy League where you got a 4.3 and your minor in Basket Weaving is, it’s best to put your education, certifications, computer and software proficiency, et cetera, last. After a brief summary highlighting your key skills, qualifications, and overall professional objectives, list your current or most recent position first under Professional Experience. Bullet points under each position highlighting your responsibilities and any contributions you are particularly proud of is a crucial part of filling out your resume. Draw attention to what makes you the best candidate for the job! 

The shorter the better? Not really! 

Many people still believe their resume has to fit on one page. This is not true. If you’re a senior executive with many years of experience, you aren’t doing your career history any justice by summarizing it in one page. When recruiters scan resumes, they look for evidence of accomplishments, not simply a list of responsibilities. Again, the easiest way to get a positive reaction from a prospective employer is to use bullet points to highlight your achievements. Give more detail about your most recent positions than ones in the distant past. Too much detail can be overwhelming, so we do suggest keeping your resume to no more than three pages! 

Exactly, when did you work there? 

List your most recent dates of employmen first. The correct presentation for these dates should be monthandyearof start and finish. If you only list the years, the reader may suspect that you are hiding either short tenures or long stretches of unemployment. If you have held more than one position with the same company, you should list the dates for each position separately. 

Briefly describe your former companies

Be brief but accurate when describing the properties where you have worked. In the case of hotels, you should give the number of rooms, size of the banquet space, number of food and beverage outlets, and possibly the category to which it belongs, such as boutique or budget property. In the case of food and beverage operations, you should include the style of cuisine, number of seats, and perhaps the annual sales volume, which will help the reader better understand the size and scope of the operation. You should also include the city and state, but not the street address, for the employer. Listing the name and title of your supervisor is probably better saved for your list of references and is inappropriate to list on your resume. Furthermore, if your company was well-rated while you were there, say so. Speaking well of your former company and supervisor/s and highlighting

accomplishments also speaks highly of you since you worked there as part of the team.

Job Description: What did you do there?

This is the heart of your resume. Think of each job description as having two parts: (1) Write a couple of sentences outlining the scope of your responsibilities. You might include the title (not the name!) of the person you reported to and also the number of staff members you led. (2) Give a bullet-point summary of your accomplishments. Use action verbs, leadership words, and phrases that emphasize actions you took that led to measurable results. Focus on highlights in your career which, when taken as a whole, show upward progression and advancement. That is what the employer expects. If you want a resume that best reflects your skills and experience, then following this model will help you create a strong impression in the mind of the employer or recruiter. 

Photos, Birth Date, Salaries and…

It’s common in many international locations for people to include photos with their resumes and information such as marriage status, age, et cetera, but it’s not required or appropriate to include this data in the United States. Listing your salary history on a resume is not appropriate. During the initial stages of discussions with your recruiter, however, you will probably want to share your salary history and goals so that the most suitable positions can be presented to you. 

Address: City and state will suffice. 

We see fewer resumes coming in with an applicant’s mailing address. This trend ensures that your privacy is maintained. This is fine; however, you should list the city and state where you reside. 

List of References: Don’t give them right away! 

We do not recommend that you give this list to your desired employer immediately, especially if you are currently working and want to keep your job search confidential! Cultivating and maintaining relationships with former supervisors and colleagues is highly beneficial. You should have a list of five to eight individuals whom you have previously contacted who have agreed to answer questions from prospective employers. This list can be on a separate sheet and given to your recruiter, so they’ll have it when the time comes. The list should include the name, title, employer, and phone number for each reference. It is crucial that you keep this list accurate so that your recruiter or prospective employer has to track down a reference due to dated or inaccurate information. 

Speling & Prufing

Almost nothing is easier or more important than checking your resume for misspellings and typographical errors before sending it off to a prospective employer. If you don’t undertake this painless procedure, you run the risk of being disqualified and not even getting an interview. At the very least, it will appear that you don’t pay careful attention to details. 

Spellcheck and done? Take one more step! 

Spellcheck is your friend, but having a friend read your resume can help catch a glaring error you overlooked! They might even suggest a simple or obvious improvement that takes your resume from good to great. 

Avoid Misinformation  

Aim for accuracy in all areas of your work history and professional life. Don’t assume that the reader of your resume won’t know someone at a property you’ve worked at in the past. In the hospitality industry, everyone seems to know everyone! Never lie or over-exaggerate your accomplishments. Many employers check to see if you really have that degree or certification, so beware. Assume that employers and executive search firms (if requested by a client) will always conduct extensive reference checks and sometimes even background checks on a candidate’s credit history, education, and criminal record. 

Resume Services  

Many of you write your own resumes, which is fine if you pay attention to the points we mentioned above. If you decide to use a resume service that specializes in resume writing and production, remember that you are still responsible for the content. A resume service will generally not be aware of our hospitality industry jargon, so pay attention so that terms are correctly used and spelled and appropriate to the hospitality industry including Private Clubs, Hotels, Restaurants, Resorts, Cruise Ships, Universities and other venues such as Vineyards and even Retirement Communities. Do not assume more expensive is better—there are plenty of examples of poor work out there at outrageous prices. 

Social Media 

It’s common today for employers to check your Facebook page and other web sites that are publicly accessible. This includes LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. Be very careful with the image you project online. Photos of your debauched weekend or even political comments may be amusing to your friends, but these might be evaluated differently by your potential employer. 

E-mail Tips

Here are a few tips on e-mailing your resume: 

  • Subject Line: Use the subject line to catch the recipient’s attention. For example, writing “Sam Adams, 5-Star F&B Director” helps identify the type of property with which you may have experience. 
  • E-mail Address:Select a professional, easy-to-remember, and permanent e-mail address before you send out your resume. Changing your e-mail address may cause you to lose out on a great opportunity. Do not use potentially embarrassing e-mail addresses such as beerguy@yahoo. Remember that you are selling a perception of yourself that must be kept as professional as possible at all times. 
  • Attachments:Send your cover letter and resume as a single document. This prevents loss of attachments and reduces clutter in a recruiter’s inbox. Save the document in a standard format, such as Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF. Name the file with your full name: for example, “Sam Adams Resume.doc”. Do not just name the file “Resume.doc”—think of how many files we receive with the same name!
  • E-mail body:Try to keep this short and to the point. Mention the position for which you wish to be considered in the first sentence. Highlight your background. Most e-mails get scanned very quickly so you should keep it to one paragraph. 
  • Keywords:Many companies place resumes into their resume databases and search for them using keywords. So, if you’re an Excel whiz, have experience cooking Thai cuisine, or speak French, make sure you place these keywords somewhere on your resume. 
  • Consistency:Remember to compare your resume to your LinkedIn profile to be sure your information matches. Yes, many employers do visit your LinkedIn profile and do notice if dates or employers are not consistent with each other. 

Final Thoughts

A resume that sells the “real you” is a resume that presents your talents and achievements in a way that is impressive, appealing, and persuasive. Should you have any questions or require a review of your resume, please contact one of our consultants. We would be happy to assist you. Good luck on your career!

Eden Slegr has been in the hospitality recruiting and consulting business for over 20 years. He is principal and founder of Global Hospitality, Inc.,https://globalhospitality.com/Los Angeles, a leading international hospitality recruitment and executive search firm.Prior to his recruiting career, Mr. Slegr’s background includes management positions within the hospitality industry in food and beverage, finance, and as General Manager. In 1998, Mr. Slegr co-founded Hospitality Careers Online, Inchttps://www.hcareers.com/and served on the Hcareers’ Board of Directors.Mr. Slegr has a BS from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. 

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Telephone Interview Tips

By Eden Slegr, President, Global Hospitality, Inc

If you are actively job searching, be prepared for a phone interview at a moment’s notice! You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you “have a few minutes to talk.”

Employers often use telephone interviews as a way to recruit candidates and it is the only way for your possible “next boss” to decide if they want to bring you in for an “in-person,” or fly you in if you are an “out-of-town candidate.” 

Be Prepared 

Prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview. Put together a list of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical interview questions.

  • Be ready to talk about your professional background and skills. 
  • Keep your resume in clear view, on the top of your desk, or tape it to the wall near the phone, so it’s at your fingertips when you need to answer questions. 
  • Have a short list of your accomplishments available to review. 
  • Have a pen and paper handy for note-taking. 
  • Turn call-waiting off so your call isn’t interrupted. 
  • If the time isn’t convenient, ask to reschedule and suggest some alternatives. 
  • Clear the room, close the door – evict the kids and the pets! And turn off the TV or radio! 
  • Tell everyone in the house that you’re having a phone interview and ask them to not interrupt or pick up the phone.

Practice

Talking on the phone isn’t as easy as it seems. It helps to practice. Have a friend or family member help do a mock interview. You can even record it to see how you sound over the phone. Rehearse answers to those typical questions you’ll be asked. 

During the Phone Interview

  • Don’t smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink. 
  • Keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth. 
  • Smile. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice. 
  • Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. 
  • Give short but thoughtful answers. 
  • Don’t interrupt the interviewer. 
  • Take your time – it’s okay to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts. 
  • Remember your goal is to set-up a face-to-face interview. After you thank the interviewer ask if it would be possible to meet in person.

After the Interview:

  • Take notes about what you were asked and how you answered. 
  • Remember to say THANK YOU. Follow with a thank you notewhich clearly expresses your interest in the job. Send the note to your recruiter FIRST for their professional opinion and to double check for misspellings or other mistakes that might cause a future employer concern or doubt your competency. 

Eden Slegr has been in the hospitality recruiting and consulting business for over 20 years. He is principal and founder of Global Hospitality, Inc.,https://globalhospitality.com/Los Angeles, a leading international hospitality recruitment and executive search firm.Prior to his recruiting career, Mr. Slegr’s background includes management positions within the hospitality industry in food and beverage, finance, and as General Manager. In 1998, Mr. Slegr co-founded Hospitality Careers Online, Inchttps://www.hcareers.com/and served on the Hcareers’ Board of Directors.Mr. Slegr has a BS from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

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The Best Interview Tips

You’ve finally landed an interview with the company of your dreams! 

Here’s how to make a great first impression!

By Eden Slegr, President, Global Hospitality, Inc.

  1. Do some research! 

Find out what the company is all about. 

Just like with everything else these days, Google is your friend. Search the Internet for 

basic information about the company interviewing you. Look for reviews by customers 

AND current or former employees. Look at photos too! A picture is worth a thousand 

words and can help you decide if you can see yourself working there. 

If you want to go a step further, you can call the company ahead of time and ask them to send you an annual report. And, of course, if you know anyone who works at the property/company already, make a phone call to see what you might be able to learn from an “insider.”

Look for an opportunity during your interview to show you’ve done your homework! Know about any recent changes within the company, any new additions to their “hospitality family” (new restaurants, hotels, or resorts being built, acquired, et cetera), any recent accomplishments and what you’ve heard they may be planning in the near future. 

Try posing a couple of questions referring to facts about the company which could only have come from your having done your homework. It’s easier to think of questions before the interview when you’re not under pressure. These can be brought out when the inevitable question is thrown at you: “So, do you have any more questions?” Remember that the quality of your questions will help shape the interviewer’s opinion of you!

II. Before you go into an interview, you should be able to answer these questions:

  • If this is a hotel/resort or restaurant company, how many properties do they own and/or manage? 
  • Where are they located? 
  • Are they all in the US or do they have international locations? How has business been? (For hotels and resorts, you might want to learn about both the Food & Beverage and the Rooms’ revenue.) 
  • How many employees do they have? 
  • Has the company been downsizing, or are they adding staff? 
  • Is there a lot of turnover? 
  • What are the names of key management staff? 
  • How is the property doing in terms of guest satisfaction?

These facts are often not available publicly. You many need to either ask your recruiter or try to find out from friends and business associates.

III. Never criticize or put down your current or previous employer. Stay as positive as you can and keeping negative comments about bosses or co-workers to yourself. The most attractive candidate is one looking for a career move up, not someone who just wants to escape their current job or wants a change of scenery.

IV: Honesty is the best policy: In an interview (or on a resume) it’s never a good idea to stretch the truth about your educational background or your professional accomplishments. Remember “honesty is always the best policy.” If you make something up, even the smallest detail, it could come back to haunt you down the road. Never state that you have a college degree on a resume or a formal application form if it’s not true. Employers will want to verify that degree (or certification, etc.) and if they cannot do so, you will not be offered the position! In many cases, a degree is not required for the job. You’ll have lost your chance for no reason.

It’s not wise, though, to divulge certain facts, which are not critical for the employer to know or to divulge facts that could put a cloud over making a good first impression. For example, having had surgery years ago is NOT important to the employer unless it impacts your ability to perform your job.

V. Know where your interview will take place and find out how to get there the day before. Again, you can go on the Internet to get directions. Leave early enough so that you are not thrown off by a traffic jam or a lack of easy parking. If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, don’t check in right away. Take a few moments to review your notes and walk in the door no more than 5-7 minutes before your scheduled time. Let the interviewer (and your recruiter) know if you’ve run into traffic and are going to be late. But remember, there is no substitute for being on time, no matter what! This is your opportunity to demonstrate in a concrete manner that this job is very important to you and that you can be depended upon to be there when it counts! 

VI. Don’t take your cell phone into the interview with you. If you do, be sure to at least turn it off! There’s nothing more distracting to you and to the person who’s interviewing you than a ringing cell phone.

VII. A good part of the impression you will make will be your appearance. Dress conservatively but tastefully. For women, this means a business suit or dress. For men, this will be a suit with dress shirt and tie for most properties. In some cases, a tie will not be necessary. Ask your recruiter if you have any uncertainties about the dress code in this particular firm. No matter how casual a property may say they are, when it comes to first impressions, a business suit (for both men and women) always indicates your professionalism and your interest. Remember, you can always take a jacket or a tie off if you need to, but if you see that you shouldhave worn one, it will be too late. Above all, use your own good judgment. 

VIII. Salary: We advise that you not bring up the topic of salary orbenefits orrelocation costs during the first interview. Until you get an offer all interviews are about “what you can do for the company, not what they can do for you!”

If the interviewer asks you how much you’d expect to be paid or asks you to indicate a salary level, we recommend that you refrain from giving a numberand respond along these lines:

“I’m very excited about the possibility of joining your team and if you decide that I’m the best person for the job, I’m sure you’ll make me a fair offer.” 

Or….

“I’m enthusiastic about what I’ve seen so far and am interested in learning more. I’m sure that at that point I will be able to answer the question.”

Or …

“I am looking for a positive move for my career and feel that a good match for my skills, as well as a place I can grow, is as important to me as the money. Money is important, but finding a job with a strong match in all areas is what I’m most interested in.” 

IX. One of the toughest questions during an interview is: “Now, tell me something about yourself” – or what we call “the two-minute drill.”

This question is the most often asked one and generally is asked for many reasons, one of which is that the interviewer did not come prepared! This question may also be an attempt to find out how you speak, whether you express yourself clearly and are articulate. It’s a way for the interviewer to see how well you’ll fit into the company’s culture. The best thing to do is to stay relaxed and comfortable. 

Since this question is job-related, talk about yourself in terms of this job. For example, you can throw in the fact that you have a hotel or culinary school degree, have worked “x” number of years in the business, progressing with each position. You can talk about your management style, personality strengths, relevant leisure activities or ongoing educational courses that have increased your work productivity, et cetera. You can prepare for this one at home in front of a mirror or with someone asking you the questions. 

If the interviewer doesn’t respond in a way that leads to discussion, you can always ask “Which of these accomplishments/areas would you like me to tell you about first?”

Another approach is to storyboard your career. Start from the end of your resume and tell the story of your successes– not your duties. Be sure to include numbers. Every company likes to hire someone who will improve their numbers. What you don’t want to do, however, is to bring with you a nice, fat portfolio, chock full of pictures and written kudos that say how absolutely wonderful you are! 

X. First impressions:

There is never a second chance to make a first impression! In fact, many people have conducted studies and are of the opinion that this is THE most important part of any interview! The rest is just a confirmation. So, some things to remember: 

Give a firm handshake; look straight at the person you are speaking with and not at the floor or ceiling. Those simple signs of courtesy and sincerity will go a long way toward paving the way to success.

XI. Mirroring:

It’s important to keep in mind that people tend to hire those most like themselves, those with whom they feel most comfortable. When interviewing with a person who speaks slowly and deliberately, it is a good idea to slow down your speech pattern rather than keep rattling off at high speed! Or, vice versa. This will help your chances significantly. Also, if you’re getting a tour with a person who walks fast, keep up! If the person leans forward, lean forward yourself, et cetera. 

XII. Watch your mouth!

Your interviewer may use inappropriate language — this is their prerogative, but you should NEVER ever use any four-letter or off-color verbiage, no matter what! Do not tell off-color jokes, poke fun at people, et cetera. A good sense of humor and a quick response is great if you can pull if off — as long as what you’re saying is in the best taste. 

XIII. Don’t go into personal areas such as your marital status, your religion, political preferences, and so forth. Also, don’t assume that your interviewer wants to reveal personal information either. If you see personal pictures in their office, refrain from commenting on them. Don’t make assumptions about whom the people in the pictures might be. 

This is also your chance to show that you are a “cut above” other candidates. You can do this by showing that you are passionate about this opportunity (in terms of your career and/or this particular property) and that you believe that you can contribute to the company’s future growth and success.

MOST IMPORTANTLY

Ask your Recruiter! If you have any questions or concerns at all – about anything – give us a call. We know you and we know the client, so we’re in a position to give you some good answers to any questions you may have. Your recruiter can be a valuable resource during this process and wants to make this process a successful one as much as you do. It is not “cool” to ask your recruiter how many candidates have been sent to interview, what kind of backgrounds they have, how they compare to you, et cetera. A recruiter’s job is to protect the confidentiality of all candidates sent to the client. 

Call your Recruiter right after the interview (within one hour if at all possible)! We’ll want to hear about your impressions of the property and your interview. We’ll want to know how long the interview lasted and what kinds of questions were asked of you. We want to know if you are still interested in the position after the interview. 

Please be aware of the fact that we are here to help, not to make things more difficult. We can help pave the way and smooth out the bumps in the road! It always helps us if you call us before the client does so we can be prepared for anything that may have come up or occurred during the interview that was of concern to you. 

Send a brief “thank you note” Thanking your interviewer for taking the time to meet with you is absolutely critical, and a thoughtful, well-written note should be E-mailed within 24-hours following your interview. This also gives you another chance to mention your continuing interest in the job or review a key point and/or highlight a strength. Don’t overdo it and watch out for misspellings, punctuation, word usage errors, et cetera as this could “kill” the great impression you’ve just made. Idea: You could E-mail the note to your Recruiter or show it to a trusted associate to make sure you haven’t made any mistakes.

Eden Slegr has been in the hospitality recruiting and consulting business for over 20 years. He is principal and founder of Global Hospitality, Inc.,https://globalhospitality.com/Los Angeles, a leading international hospitality recruitment and executive search firm.Prior to his recruiting career, Mr. Slegr’s background includes management positions within the hospitality industry in food and beverage, finance, and as General Manager. In 1998, Mr. Slegr co-founded Hospitality Careers Online, Inchttps://www.hcareers.com/and served on the Hcareers’ Board of Directors.Mr. Slegr has a BS from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.