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Hospitality Managers: Job Interview Mistakes

We’ve all seen hundreds of articles written for employees starting their career with redundant advice like ‘don’t show up late.’ The internet is full of basic information for anyone who is starting their career. What about people who are vying for hospitality managers jobs earning $75000 range, or higher. What are some of the things that cost you the job at the job interview stage?

  1. Company Research

There is more to determining company research than knowing the company’s mission statement. This is actually a job interview exercise in determining whether you can do the hospitality managers job well. If you cannot research a company and learn more than what is on Page #1 of Google, then how will you be able to run that same business.

If you are in the mid level management area of the learning curve, or want to be here, then here are some places to research the company:

Local businesses can be researched using the local BBB, or Business office. The government Statistics office, newspapers, and industry magazines can all offer some information. How much are the restaurant’s stocks selling for? Is the Casino earning a profit? Is the Hotel chain’s profits damaged by the currency exchange rate? What is the employment situation? What is the target demographic? Where does the company currently advertise? Have they been in the news?  Who owns the company? Who is on the board? When is the AGM?

Have you visited the establishment? Do you know who runs the office? How long have they been there? Who will your boss be? Do you know anything about the company management? Do they follow the Chaos management style? Linear hierarchy? Paperless? Customer service oriented? How are employees motivated?

  1. Portfolio

A hospitality manager will benefit from creating a portfolio? Yes, you must 110% sanitize everything that you use, but if you created it then it is yours – to a certain extent. For example, if you created a template designed to reduce the time needed to set up an employee assessment process and generate usable data that the general manager can present at the next investors meeting, then the template is yours.

Did you create an employee’s handbook? Protocols for handling employee problems? These are your management style.

Walking in with a portfolio, in print, is a great way to prove/show that your claims are valid. At this level of management no one knows.

Show, do not tell, your skills.

  1. Bottom Line Financials

Managers are not hired for their charm, skills, or talents. They are hired for their ability to generate, or save, money. How much money did you save? The one thing that will impress a new company is your ability to understand the importance of financials and statistics. Knowing how much money the company saved in reduced employee turnover is one way to ‘show’ that your employee motivational strategy works.

#4 Communication and Listening

By now you shouldn’t be telling the job interview professional that you have excellent communication skills. They knew that before you said your first 20 words. The way you answer every question, whether you answer the specific question succinctly, or you need to formulate an answer.

The simple truth taught to HR professionals is, if it is on your CV or Resume, then it can be discussed in the job interview. Those are the topics you need to be well versed in.

Your Active Listening skills will also be put to the test. Do you listen well? Do you answer defensively? Do you answer in a dominant manner when you feel threatened? Are you sure? Do you have a career coach, or someone who can help you manage your emotions, body language, and presentation?

  1. Too Much Time Between Jobs

This requires firm management. Too much time between jobs can damage a career. Taking a sabbatical is even more detrimental. If you can control when you finish one job then try to prepare for your next job placement in your final year at your current job.

If you can start upgrading your skills, taking a course, or engaging in something that can bleed into your period of unemployment.  It can fill the time gaps in your resume.

  1. Work with a Recruiter

One of the best ways to reduce the number of job interviews you need to attend is to work with a recruitment firm. It will also reduce the time you are unemployed. In the hospitality industry most midlevel and upper level managers work with recruitment firms.

Time is money. Unemployment drains your wealth.

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