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Your Career in Hospitality

Hotel Management Hospitality Services

R. McCann

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How long ‘til I retire?

Most individuals work an average of 43 yrs before retiring! 22 + 43 = 65 yr. old

Be PREPARED!!

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Word Wall• Ethics – morals , guiding principles• Good Work Ethic – honest and hardworking

for your pay, have pride in your work• Integrity – honest w/strong morals, doing the

right thing• Positive attitude – happy, confident• Professionalism – show respect & do your

work• Skills – ability that comes from training &

practice

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• Work Excellence means performing your job extremely well, with skills.

• You need both a good work ethic and work excellence to succeed at work. – If you have a great work ethic but are

incompetent…..– If you are incredibly productive but steal from

your employer ……

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Question

You have recently opened your own business and are in the process of hiring twenty new employees. What workplace ethics are important to you and the success of your business?

List your top 5, then rank from #1 important to #5

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2nd Question

You have recently opened your own business and are in the process of hiring twenty new employees. What workplace skills are important to you and the success of your business?

List your top 5; then rank them from #1 important to # 5

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Discussion

Compare your two lists with the lists of your neighbors, add their good ideas to your list.

As a class let us create a top 10 list for both ethics and skills.

Now lets rank them # 1 - # 10

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Work Place Ethics Quiz• At this time number a piece of paper 1 –

15.• You will answer the following questions

with –A for always–S for sometimes–N for never

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Scoring Your Quiz

Give yourself 2 points for each answer marked with A and one point for each answer marked with S. Add up your total points.

If you scored 25 or more, you have good workplace ethics

If you scored 20 – 24, you have workplace potential;If you scored 15 – 19, you have a good startIf you scored 18 or less you need to work on your

workplace ethics

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Required Foundation Skills

The U.S. Dept. of Labor has identified these three critical skill areas for job seekers entering the work place:

Basic skills Thinking skills

Personal Qualities

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Basic Skills

• Reading• Writing• Mathematics• Speaking• Listening

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Thinking Skills

• Creativity• Decision making• Problem solving• Reasoning• Learning

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Personal Qualities• Responsibility *Organized• Self Esteem *Tolerant/patient• Self-management *Decision Maker• Social poise/confidence• Integrity• Team player• Enthusiasm/Motivation• Honesty

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Workplace Competencies

Skills that workers need to be successful on the job.

Not every worker needs every competency but every business must have every competency covered.

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Hospitality Industry Workplace Competencies

• Guest service skills• Communication skills – listening, speaking,

telephone, reading, writing, non-verbal communication

• Sales skills• Technical skills• Strong work ethic/leadership/maturity• Time Management• Pleasing personal appearance

Hospitality Etiquette

“We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen”

What we say . . . The words we speakEliminate slangLearn guests namesAvoid unnecessary chit chat around guests

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Appropriate comments“Good Morning, sir, how are you today? How may I help you?”

Never end a conversation with a guest by saying “You are welcome” always end with “Thank you” they are spending their money at your hotel.

“Mr. Jones, I apologize that you experience a problem with _____ and I will make sure my manager is aware so the problem can be addressed. I do hope you enjoyed the other services of the hotel.”

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Forbidden Phrases

• “We can’t do that.”• “I don’t know”• “You’ll have to”• “Hang on a second, Ill be right back”• “No”

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Hospitality Industry Advantages

• World-wide opportunities• College degree is not needed to advance• Promotions and salary are based on your work and

competency• Training opportunities abound• Perks- free or discounted meals, travel,

accommodations• Everyday is new and different!• People oriented!• Flexible schedules

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Hospitality Industry Disadvantages

• The industry can be very demanding & stressful

• 24/7/365• Employees work while others play! LOL• Sometimes the hours are long and the shifts

vary• Relocation might be necessary

What Really Matters?• Ability to communicate appropriately• Positive attitude, poise, confidence• Assertiveness, enthusiasm• Successful work history (paid or unpaid)• Professional appearance• Educational qualifications• A team player, organized, diplomatic• “eye on the bottom line”, high standards

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Triple Twos!

Use this time to reflect on your life. As you begin your search for a job/career, create a list using the format below:– 2 things you should stop doing– 2 things you should start doing– 2 things you should keep on doing

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E-mail the Teacher

You are to compose and send an email to:Risa.mccann@humble.k12.tx.us • The subject line should be something related to

this unit of study or job seeking• There should be a formal greeting and closure• The body should contain a minimum of 5

complete sentences or thoughts you have learned during this course that will help your get your Hotel Job.

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Steps to Getting a Job

1. Research2. Compile a Portfolio3. Draft a Resume4. Apply for jobs5. Interview6. Follow-up

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Research the Market

• Newspaper ads• Trade publications• Referral services• Face-to-face contact• Networking

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Research the Market-the InternetHospitalty.Net360 www.tweetmyjobs.comHcareers SimplyhiredMonster FacebookGoogle+ LinkedInCareerbuilder JujuSnagajob.comIndeed

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Compile a Portfolio**

• You should begin to collect Portfolio items during high school and continue throughout your career.

• It contains: letters of reference, examples of your work/projects, a resume, a list of your work history, certificates, awards, evaluations, your grades/attendance records

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Clean Up Your Web Presence

94% of Human Resources Dept.s and Recruiters search social networks

Recruiters react negatively when:– 47% of see pictures of alcohol consumption– 51% references to guns– 61% spelling and grammar errors – 65% reacted poorly to profanity

Resume & Cover Letter

• Resume explains what job you are seeking and your qualifications

• Cover Letter explains why you want a particular job with a particular company/business

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The Resume**

• A brief summary of personal information, skills, work experience, education, activities, interests, and goals

• Introduces the job seeker to the potential employer

• It may be the first impression an employer has of an applicant

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Building a Resume

• Contact information• Objective• Skills summary• Work experience• Educational summary• Other relevant information

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Job Applications

• Complete each section of the application legibly, neatly and carefully

• Be prepared to submit copies of your legal documents: birth certificate, proof of age, proof of citizenship, copy of educational records

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Job Application

At this time you are to complete the application provided.

• Employment desired section – state the Hotel Industry Job you selected

Elevator Speech

• A brief summary that you use to quickly describe yourself when you meet someone who could potentially become an important person in your life.

• The length of an elevator ride, 30 seconds to 2 minutes

• Creates and Impact, leaves an impression

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Create Your Elevator Speech

• Write a brief Elevator Speech by answering the following questions in any order

• What do you do?• What do you plan to do?• What are your passions?• What is your greatest asset?• What does your future look like?• What do you have to personally offer?

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Interview

Six types of interviews1. Informational interview2. Mock interview3. Telephone/Skype interview4. Group interview5. Panel interview6. Traditional interview7. Behavior Based Interviews

Mock Interview

• Usually held at Career Services office of universities or employment agencies

• Usually recorded so you can see how you look and actual in an interview

• Provides valuable feedback to improve your interview skills

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Phone Interview • Smile! It alters the tone of your voice• Stand up! You will sound more energetic and

Confident• Speak slow and speak confidently• Use the interviewers name• Do not ramble• Say thank you!

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SKYPE Interviews• Before the call charge your phone battery• Eliminate background noise, extra people,

pets• Turn off “Call waiting”• Print a copy of your resume for during the

interview• Compile a list of your strengths and

weaknesses to refer to during the interview• Keep a pen and paper for notetaking

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Behavior Based Interview

• Applicant is asked to describe specific situations where they exhibited a specific behavior.

• Ex. “tell me about a time when…”• Derive examples from coursework, group

projects, work experiences, internships/coops, student organization activities

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Behavior Based Questions• Tell me about a situation where you worked

on a project as a part of team, what were the results?

• Give an example of when you have gone above and beyond to get a job done

• Describe a time when you came up with an innovation solution

• Describe a time when something you were involved in did not turn out as you planned

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S.T.A.R.STAR, Situation, Task, Action and Result

• Describe a specific SITUATION or event• What major TASKS were you responsible for?• Describe ACTIONS you took• Describe the outcome of your actions, the

RESULTS, describe what you accomplished and learned

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Interview Skills• Be early for the interview• Dress professionally• No gum, overdone makeup, cologne/perfume• Firm handshake and eye contact, mind your

body language! • Speak audibly, clearly and SMILE

First Impressions

• Interviews start with “small talk” during which you are judged by your appearance, personality, non-verbal actions and initial responses

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Handshakes

• Dead fish• Bone crusher• Finger-only• Sandwich• Pumper• Firm – dry hand, eye contact, use the person’s

name, shake 2 – 3 times and release (do not pull away!)

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Body Language

• Be aware of what you are saying with your face!

• Posture can convey enthusiasm or lack of interest

• “You are what you wear!” (Appropriate, attractive, assured)

• Haptics- use of the sense of touch, a firm handshake conveys friendliness, familiarity and interest

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Do stand or sit erect and look attentive• Always appear patient and willing to listen• Always look directly at the person• Always project a friendly, concerned, and

respectful attitude• SMILE, smile, SMILE, smile

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Potential Interview Questions

• Google search: Interview questions + <name of company> to find sample questions for a specific company

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Potential Interview Questions

At this time you are to answer the questions on the Job Interview Questions worksheet.

Use concrete, specific examples that are concise

Conclusion of the interview• What type of orientation do new employees

receive• What would I be expected to accomplish in

the first six months on the job? First year?• Whom would I work for and what level of

management are they?• Is there a training program?• What are some of the

company’s/department’s ongoing projects50

Conclusion of the Interview

• Make sure to “Close the Sale”• Rehearse your closing ahead of time to make

it appear natural and confident• Highlight your key strengths and the

contributions you could make to the company• Ask what is the next step in the interview

process• Ask for a timeline of when the final decision

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• Ask for the interviewer’s business card and express your interest in the position and the company

• Be enthusiastic and confident• Shake the interviewer’s hand and thank him

for the opportunity to discuss the position

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Post Interview• Most employers will complete an evaluation

form for each job applicant after the interview.• It is IMPORTANT for you to evaluate your

performance and FOLLOW UP with the employer via telephone or

handwritten thank you note

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Follow Up Note

At this time you are to use the paper provided and write a follow up thank you note for the interview you just had with me.

Parts of the note must include:– Formal greeting– Body with minimum of 5 sentences– Expression of thanks– Closure

Top 5 Interview Mistakes

#1 Not dressing appropriately#2 Failing to set yourself apart from other candidates#3 Inadequately researching the position or company#4 Not asking questions#5 Not sending a thank you note after the interview

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