5 Ways to Stand Out with the Hotel Hiring Manager

In previous blog posts, we have discussed the importance of first impressions and customer service in the hospitality industry. In order to get your first job in hospitality, you’ll need to “wow” your potential employers from the first moment they meet you, just as you will need to “wow” your future customers. Here are five essentials that will help you stand out in your interview.

1. Dress sharp from head to toe.
   Go all the way with this one. You don’t need to wear a bow tie or ball gown, but dress exactly the way you would if you were the front desk agent at a five-star hotel. Wear your suit jacket with slacks or a skirt, and stick with conservative styles. Your hair should be neat and stylish and your clothing laundered and wrinkle-free. Everything matters, right down to your clean, nicely trimmed nails.

2. Play the part.
   Execute every step of the job application and interview process as you would if you were an employee going about your daily tasks: Be thorough in your application and include all necessary details, offer a warm and firm handshake when you are introduced, be poised and polite, and think before you speak. It’s important to be the best version of yourself — the version that would delight the resort’s potential customers.

3. Be prepared.
   This advice applies to most industries, and hospitality is no different. Being fully prepared for your interview demonstrates how you will anticipate customer needs and daily tasks in a proactive manner. You need to show your employer that you’ve got all your ducks in a row from the moment you walk in the door. Arrive at least 10 minutes early. Be prepared for behavioral-based questions — your potential employer will want to know how you might react to certain challenging and unexpected situations. And, of course, have a few questions prepared for the end of the interview. Make sure to ask what you genuinely want to know about the organization.

4. Follow up.
   Without question, always send a hand-written follow-up note or card following the interview. This proves that you know the importance of customer service and general interpersonal etiquette, as well as helps you stand out among the other applicants.

5. Have the know-how.
   There are some skills you will assuredly need to get through that first interview. Review your computer skills — you will likely be tested, so be certain you understand the property management system and ensure you’re up-to-date on the typical policies and procedures the hospitality industry abides by.

Get ahead of the crowd by honing your skills. Hiring managers are impressed by candidates who take their education and training into their own hands so they provide the best customer service from day one. Here are a couple courses from Reception Academy that can help you nail that first interview:

1-Week Hotel Procedures Course
OPERA V5 4-week Course

Contact us for more information:

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