Chapter nine. How to hire winners. I have seen hospitality property owners go from one extreme to another when it comes to their hiring process. One property owner might take the time to study the candidate and ask thoughtful questions, while another might look at a new person and say, do you know how to use computer? Okay, you're hired. for it to work.

The interview process has to be consistent. It has to be scripted the same way every time. As an all other tasks in your hospitality property. Your hiring process should be documented in your operations manual. When looking for new employees before doing anything else. Talk to business associates, colleagues and competitors.

You might find it a little strange, but if you have a good working relationship with your competition, they could be a great source of information. All right, what's the next step one, when there's a position open and you have a number of candidates interested? The first thing you should do is hold a group Meeting with all the candidates. At this meeting, you give a scripted presentation describing your business history and successes as a hospitality property. You describe how your property works with an operations manual and then all the employees have to agree to work within these guidelines. Then you describe the attributes you would require a successful candidate have for that position.

Many times at this point, candidates will disqualify themselves from the process. To you make arrangements and meet with candidates individually, you discuss their reactions and feelings to the group meeting. It's at this time I should tell you, we here at Keystone HTC believe that since we're in the hospitality property industry, customer service is a vital importance. It is our feeling that every position does not always have to be filled with someone with years of experience or a graduate degree. The kind of candidate we look for is sewn with compassion. Compassion cannot be taught A property with compassionate employees who can think and feel like your customers will go a lot further with gaining customer loyalty than a property with employees that lack compassion.

If your property is working with an operations manual, and every job is described in a step by step base, then most jobs can be taught. With that in mind, some interview questions might differ a bit from what you're used to. Here are samples of the type of interview questions you could ask, Where have you been employed in the past? And what did you learn from those experiences? This is a very basic question. But with it, you can start to get an idea of the person's background and their strengths and weaknesses.

How long were you employed in your previous position? Here you're looking for commitment and loyalty, and it's okay to ask why they left her last job. Why would you like to take this position? Such questioning can reveal details about candidates enthusiasm for the job. Why do you feel you're suitable disposition. suitability can be defined as the candidate being able to fit into the business and position that the candidate needs to fill.

What do you have that other candidates don't? As a property, your goal is to distinguish yourself from your competitors. So it is fair to ask the same of your employees. You can evaluate the candidate on technical skills, behavioral skills, and the ability to build strong customer relations. I've heard many employers ask potential candidates, what are your strengths? To me?

This has never been a great question. It's at this point I would ask for a par story. Per story is where a candidate describes a problem they have encountered the action taken and the result. Ask about handling a customer complaint, an emergency a problem while working with a team. Let them talk. It's an open ended question where you can gauge the candidates ability to react quickly on their feet.

And again, their strengths and weaknesses. What accomplishment? are you most proud of personally, as a team member, here, you can get an idea of their priorities and how they would work with a group. What would you do if you found your co workers stealing, doing any wrong activities or spreading rumors? in the hospitality property industry, honesty is very important because guests have to trust the property workers who enter their room will not steal their personal belongings. You have to have policies in place for this type of situation.

You want to keep the interview as positive and as relaxed as possible. But sometimes the position you are hiring for could be stressful. Here are a few stress questions you could ask to see how the candidate reacts. What would you say if I told you this interview was going badly? Why haven't you progressed more in your career? Is that the best answer you can give me?

Let's move on. They may sound a little harsh, but they're nothing compared to an angry customer. yelling at them, because the rooms are not yet ready. Why do you want to work with our property? And what are your goals for the future? With this question, you can best judge the candidate on their expectations from this job and if their future plans involve working with your property.

In general, I do not feel it's appropriate to ask a person's age, gender, sexual preference, religion, family planning, or political leanings when it comes to hiring at a hospitality property. In some countries, these questions are illegal. before making any decisions, ask the candidates how they feel about the following statements. The customer is not always straight, but whether they are or not, it is our job to make them feel that way. Everyone who works here is expected to work toward being the best they can possibly be at the tasks they are accountable for. If they are unwilling, they should leave.

The business is a place where everything we know how to do is test it by what we don't know and that the conflict between The two is what creates growth and that creates meaning. their responses can give you another indication of whether the candidates are right for your property. Three after you've made your decision, if you have not done so yet in person, notify the successful candidate by phone. Again use a scripted presentation for notify the unsuccessful candidates thanking each for their interest. A standard letter signed by the interviewer, this goes a long way to showing the professionalism of your property. Five, the first day of training with the new employees should start with the owner and include the following.

I sit down with the owner to review the properties organizational structure and vision, summarizing the systems explaining how it works in a day to day operation, taking a tour of the facilities, highlighting people at work and show the system at work to demonstrate the interdependence of the systems on people and the people Systems answer all questions clearly and fully issue the employee their uniform and operations manual. Review the operations manual and have the employees sign the form indicating they understand the concept and receive the manual. Complete the employee paperwork. For some of you, this might sound a little much. For others, it's totally clear either way, the step by step process if done consistently works, and you reward incredible loyal employees. Make these tactics part of your ongoing operation strategy and you'll find the quality and consistency of your employees rise dramatically.