Working in Hospitality GH[1]

8/3/2019 Working in Hospitality GH[1]

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UNIVERSIDADE DO ALGARVE

ESCOLA SUPERIOR DE GESTO, HOTELARIA E TURISMO

LICENCIATURA EM GESTO HOTELEIRA

Working in Hospitality & Tourism

Sebenta de apoio

Docente: Kate Torkington

([email protected])

Ingls III

2010/11


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Careers in Hospitality

Speaking Work in pairs to discuss the questions below:

1. What jobs can you think of in the hospitality industry?

2. Which job most appeals to you? Why?

3. Have you already worked in the hospitality sector? If so, describe your job(s)

to your partner.

What is your idea of a good job? Put these ideas in order of importance foryou, and then compare your answers with your partner:

a chance to travel friendly colleagues

teamwork a good salary

flexible working hours long holidays

job stability opportunity to meet people

responsibility for other staff benefits (commission, cheap holidays, etc)

What is your working style? Tick the qualit ies and skills which describe you.

Questionnaire

QUALITIES

I am.

smart extrovert practical

flexible

organised

confident

creative hardworking calm

SKILLS

I am good at dealing with people I enjoy working as part of a team

I like working independently I am good at explaining things

I know how to make people relax

I can multi-task

I am good at working under pressure I am confident with comput ers and technology

I am good with numbers I can speak several languages


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Compare your answers with your partner. Try to suggest some suitable jobs

for your partner based on their answers.

Which of the qualities and skills are most important for a career in

hospitality? Why? Try to think of five other qualities that might be useful for working as a hotel

manager.

Give specific examples of each of these different types of professional skills:

Management skills superv is ing a team;..

Communication skills

ICT skills

Organisational skills

Complete the questions with the correct question words from the boxbelow and then ask and answer with your partner:

1 was your last job?

2 jobs have you had?

3 did you choose to study hotel management?

4 will you finish this course?

5 job will you look for when you finish your course?

6 in the world would you most like to work?

7 have you studied English?

8 languages can you speak?

Why Which When What Where

How many What kind of How long


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Now ask and answer the questions with a partner.

Find out the following information from your partner by asking suitablequestions. First, make a list of the questions you need to ask. Then ask thequestions and take some notes.

Date of birth

(When..?)

Place of birth

(...?)

Work experience

(...?)

Professional skills

(...?)

Countries visited

(...?)

Hobbies and interests

(...?)

Ambitions

(...?)

Writing Using your notes, write a paragraph about your partner.

..

..

..

..

..

..


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..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

Reading

What is their job?Read these descriptions given by people working in the tourism and hospitality

industry. Try to work out what their jobs are. Underline the key words and

expressions that helped you to identify the jobs.

1. ..

2 ..

I work six days a week, including evenings. In this job you need to be

well organised and efficient. I plan the menus with the chef, do theaccounts, handle the day-to-day running, and manage a team of ten.The only part I dont like is dealing with customers complaints.

What I like about my job is that every day can be different.Im part of a team and we all get on well. I have to checkguests in and out, take reservations, and sort out problems. Ienjoy dealing with people except the ones that are rude.For a ob like this, you need to be sociable and diplomatic.


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3

4 .

5 ..

Its usually quiet until the second sitting, then things get reallybusy. On some nights, there can be as many as 70 covers. Ihave a lot to remember who ordered what, whether theywanted still or sparkling water, whether the steak should bedone rare or medium, was it the house wine or the Pinot Noirthey wanted? And then there are the complainers to deal with.For them, things are always too hot or too cold, overcooked,undercooked, the service is too slow... or too fast, etc.

I enjoy my job. Im quite a sociable person, so it gives me the chanceto meet people. Of course if things are busy, I just say What can I getyou? or Would you like ice and lemon with that?, but if things areslower I can have some interesting conversations. Sometimes, peoplehave too much to drink and get drunk, which is OK unless they getaggressive too and start a fight. Im on my feet most of the time, soafter a hard nights work I can be absolutely exhausted. Oh, and themoneys not great, but I do get good tips.

A lot of people are happy to spend their days loungingaround the pool, but quite a few actually want to dosomething, so thats where I come in. A typical daygoes like this: at 9, I do a session of pool aerobics,then at 10 theres beach volleyball, followed by facepainting for the kids. After lunch, theres games on thebeach, and then later on a walk to a nearby village,where we have a drink in a local bar. In the evening,we do karaoke, a casino night, or a disco.


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Listening Managing a hotel

George Lau is Rooms Division Manager at a major hotel in Vancouver. Herehe talks about how teamwork and the hotels reputation are directlyrelated.

1. George talks about customer satisfaction, empowerment, quality, rewards,staff performance and teamwork. What do these terms mean?

2. How are these terms related to a hotels reputation? Complete the diagram.

3_____________________

1__________________

2_____________________

Staff performance

5_____________________

4 _____________________

HOTEL REPUTATION


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3. Listen to George and check your answers.4. Listen again and make notes about:

a. Why George thinks teamwork is important

b. The ways George creates a sense of team with his staff

c. The types of reward he mentions

d. What empowerment means to him.

SpeakingRewarding good performance Work in small groups to discuss:

1. Which of the 3 rewards that Georges hotel offers for good performancewould you most like to receive?

2. Which reward would be most effective? (Think about the balance between

how much the reward will cost the hotel and how much it will motivate staff).

3. What other ways of rewarding staff performance can you think of?

Now go to the box on the last page of the sebenta and look at the list

of rewards. Add the rewards from the listening exercise above and

any others you have thought of. Then, together you have to decide

which six rewards your hotel is going to offer staff. The rewards

should range from cost-free, motivating awards for day-to-day goodperformance to top-end rewards for excellent overall performance.

Reading Read the three job descriptions from advertisements placed on the

internet. Complete the table below.

Job 1 Job 2 Job 3

Job title

Location

Salary

Benefits

Experiencenecessary?


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Job Description 1

A luxury, award-winning 5* golf hotel and spa in Andalucia, Spain is looking for a SALES

EXECUTIVE to join its sales and marketing team.

Located just 90mins from Malaga, the property is a member of the Leading Hotels of TheWorld organisation, which represents 450 of the world's finest hotels, resorts and spas.

The role of SALES EXECUTIVE will include the following:

-Contracting Leisure & Golf Tour Operators and Travel Agencies within the British market-Attending Trade Shows, Roadshows & Golf Tournaments to promote the hotel and spa-Accompanying site inspections for industry partners-Conducting sales calls/trips with Tour Operators, Travel Agencies and companies-Handling marketing activity with magazines, newspapers, radios, websites as well astravel agencies/tour operators-Identifying new business opportunities and establishing contact with new industry partners

-Preparing Sales Reports and maintaining travel agency/tour ops database

Candidates for the SALES EXECUTIVE role MUST have experience in the tourism/travelindustry. You should have excellent knowledge of the UK travel market and of selling 5*hotels. Those with experience of selling golf travel and hospitality are particularly welcomed asare those who speak Spanish (although this is not essential).

On offer is a salary up to 22,000 per annum plus benefits, as well as the opportunity to livein one of southern Spain's most beautiful regions.

Job Description 2

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a French speaking Hotel Reservations Agent on a 1year contract, to join a leading tour operator dealing with their Hotel bookings in Europe andthe UK. This globally recognised company has an unrivalled reputation in the industry andoffers a professional and fun working environment. Based in London and offering excellentbenefits, this is an opportunity that should not be missed.

Duties:- Reservations of hotel accommodation and requesting special conditions etc. for businesstravel through Europe.- Negotiating rates & dealing with any cancellations and amendments etc.

Skills Required:

- Previous experience in travel reservations is ESSENTIAL (either for a hotel group, touroperator, travel agent etc)- ESSENTIAL that you're fluent in French and English- A good knowledge of Europe would be preferred- A good knowledge of Word and Excel and excellent communication skills

Additional Information:

- The successful candidate can expect to earn a salary of up to 18,000 p.a. and also getfantastic benefits.- 1 year contract- Flexitime is offered

To apply for the position of French Hotel Reservations please either apply online, email yourCV to (email address removed) , or a call Amy on (phone number removed) quoting referenceAG27655. C & M Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.We are committed to equality of opportunity for all candidates.


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Vocabulary Look again at the descriptions of the duties involved in the job descriptions.

Complete the duties below with a verb:

To .. marketing activity To .. swift solutionsTo .. new opportunities To .. a database

Job Description 3

Accor hotels are recruiting Reception Team Leaders for Ibis hotels in the UK. Our TeamLeaders ensure a high quality welcome for guests and lead a team of receptionists.

Ibis group is the largest European economy hotel network and is continuing to expand. TheIbis chain is widely recognised for its excellent value for money and convenient location andhas 760 hotels in 36 countries, including 50 hotels in the UK and Ireland.

Ibis is the first hotel brand to receive ISO 9001 certification and with the 15 minutesatisfaction guarantee, if a problem with the hotel is not solved in 15 minutes the guest staysfor free. In light of these initiatives we were delighted to be awarded a worldwide hospitalityaward for the best customer relationship and quality management programme in 2005.

Our belief is that extraordinary customer service should be demonstrated by each and everyteam member, as supported by our award winning Good to Great culture covering training,coaching, and motivating to achieve the highest possible standards in service to both ourguests and colleagues.

Duties include: Integrating, training and supervising a team; Organising guest arrivals and departures;Keeping management charts updated;Checking invoicing and cash operations on a daily basis; Deakling with customer complaints and providing swift solutions

Who we a re looking for:Outgoing, service-minded people with two to three years experience in reception services.People with a vocational diploma or a degree in hospitality are particularly welcomed

In addition:Excellent English is essential; knowledge of another foreign language is preferred;

Must be computer literate (with knowledge of the TARS reservation system);Good presentation and manners are essential;Candidates should be proactive, decisive, well organised and diplomatic. They shouldhave good teaching and motivational skills, as well as an ability to listen, analyse anddelegate.

What we offer: A starting salary of 16,500 plus a thirteenth month bonus; Career development opportunities through the Ibis staff training and professionaldevelopment programme

IBIS AND ITS PEOPLESimplicity, Pleasure, Team Spirit


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To .. sales reports To .. complaints

To .. a team To .. keep charts updated

To .. rates To .. cancellations

Work with a partner to discuss: Which of the jobs most appeal to you?

Which skills and qualities are needed for each job?

Do you have these skills and qualities?

What information does each advertisement give about the company? Why

does it give this information?

What other information would you like to know about each job?


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CURRICULUM VITAES

Have you ever written a CV? What did it contain?

What makes a good CV?

What kind of problems might you have when you try to write your CV inEnglish?

Video 1: Pimp my CV

What is the message of this video?

What bad advice does it contain?

Video 2: The Fuller CV

Make a list of the 5 sections the video suggests you should include:

.

.

.

.

.

Reading Read what an HR manager has to say about CVs. Are the following

statements true or false?

1. Theres no such thing as the perfect CV.

2. A CV should be no longer than two pages

3. You should always include a photograph.

4. You should put your most recent experience first.

5. You should write in full sentences.

6. An employer is not interested in your hobbies and interests.

7. You should adapt your CV to the job description.

8. You should use good quality stationery.

9. You should make sure there are no language mistakes.


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Theres lots of advice on CVs and a lot of it differs so its hard to say exactly what theperfect CV is. Id say a good CV should cover no more than two sides of A4 paperand be divided into clear headings. The first section should include personal details:name, address, telephone number, email, etc. Some employers like to see a photo,too. Next comes education and qualifications, starting with the most recent things.The third section deals with work experience again, in reverse chronological order,so start with the most recent job. I think its important to be brief, so use bullet points.You dont need complete sentences as long as its very clear what youve done. Also,try to use action verbs.Following this, you should state your professional skills. Show the employer yourabilities, including things like IT and language skills. Finally, detail your interests. Anemployer likes to know what kind of person you are and things like team sports, forexample, show this.Perhaps the most important thing is to show how you meet the criteria in the jobadvertisement. Make it easy for the employer to ask you to an interview. Presentationis also important. Good quality paper and a clear typeface make a difference. And

once youve written your CV, check your grammar and spelling carefully. Then put itin a good quality large envelope so you dont have to fold it.

Video 3: Top ten CV tips

What additional tips does this video give?

TIP: Use action verbs to describe your experience: theyattract attention and demonstrate you are an action

person.

manage set up

co-ordinate organise

create plan

develop researchimplement supervise


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Look at Michel Blancs CV. Does it follow the advice given? How could heimprove it?

CVPersonal details

Michel Blanc

5 rue de la Libration

76000 Rouen

France

25 years oldFrench

Education and Qualifications

Baccalaurat

BTS Tourisme

Work Experience

Internship at the Ibis Hotel (Southampton) 62 bedrooms, three

conference rooms.

He supervised the night shift, dealt with questions and complaints,

implemented routine checks of the hotel, collected and compiled daily

business figures and entered statistics into a database to produce daily

reports.

Le Parc (Rouen) He was Assisatant Manager of this three-star hotel,

where he was responsible for customer care, staff supervision, sales

promotion, accounting, etc

Professional skillsProject management; sales; customer care; public relations; budgeting

and forecasting.

Languages: English, German, Spanish

Referee:Mr Clark, Oasis Hotel, Bristol


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Reading Read the CV and notes below.Dan Brown

A large font size for

the name makes itstand out and easier to

find in a pile of CVs

22 Temple Road, Folkestone, Kent CT17 3YU

Date of Birth: 6th February, 1988.

Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0339005678

Tel: 0167534768

PROFILEI am a motivated, adaptable and responsible graduate seeking anentry-level position in public relations which will utilise theorganisational and communication skills developed duringuniversity.My reliability, communication skills, responsibility and friendly

nature are assets I would bring to the work. I have experience inproject management and strong organisational andadministrative skills with the ability to work independently anduse my own initiative. I also have the ability to prioritise whilstunder pressure meeting tight deadlines.

Fonts are largely downto personal preference,

but choose somethingclear, easy to read and

serious looking.

Use a sensible emailaddress. Something like

[email protected] may not make the

best impression!

A profile (also called

personal statement )can catch the attention ofa busy recruiter. Make

sure you dont simplyrepeat what you write in

your covering letter

EDUCATION2006-2009 THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT BA (Hons)Eng l ish and Comparat ive L i terary Stud ies. UpperSecond C lass 2:1

Modu les inc luded:

Creative writing: individual writing project 68%. Travel Writing 66%

Completed an independent dissertation on Dickens. Withonly a weekly tutorial to supervise my dissertation I had to beextremely self-motivated. I set my own deadlines and targets,and became confident in taking direction from my tutors whiledeveloping their advice, through my own initiative, into newareas of study that would be useful in my work. I gainedexcellent experience in the research, organizationand presentation of a complex subject and attained first classmarks.

I was also called upon during the course to give seminarpresentations as part of a team. This required the carefulstructuring and organization of ideas into a PowerPointpresentation. My forward planning was vital for progressive andwell paced delivery and this enabled me to developexcellent communication skills as well as developing a goodworking relationship within a team.

You don't need to list allyour modules, but it may

be worth adding somemodules that

demonstrate relevantskills. You can add your

module marks here if

they are good!

Dissertations/

Projects etcare important: you can

sell the skills you havegained, e.g.:

- ability to workindependently

- manage your time- solve problems

- working in a team (for

group projects)- develop communicationskills

-develop ICT skills

1999-2006 Fo lkestone High SchoolA-levels: English Literature: B, Classical Civilisations : BTheology: B

GCSEs: 8 including Maths, ICT, French and Business at grades A

to C

Mention some highschool subjects which

might have value in aworking environment.


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WORK EXP ERIENCE

September 2006-February 2009

Sales Adviser in the Cookware Department , BHS,Fo lkestone, Kent .

Weekend Sales Assistant, where my responsibilities includedcustomer service, stock control, cash handling and opening storeaccounts. This work involved me in advising and assistingcustomers, coping with problems and unexpected situations andtaking responsibility for cashing the tills at the end of the day.

Summer 2006

Inte rnsh ip , Av iva I nsurance , Fo lkestone, Kent

Interacted with managers and liaised with team members. Typicalduties included composition of letters, organising presentationsand liaising with clients. I learnt how to create, manage andupdate computer databases and files more efficiently. I also

increased my problem solving skills and time management whenunder pressure.

Subheadings such as

Education and WorkExperience can be

slightly larger font size.Make use of CAPS, bold,

etc

Remember to include:dates; company name;location; job title; duties

and responsibilities.

Transferable skills are

mentioned here. Forexample,

teamworking skills,communication skills. This is a

good place to use Action

Words

Volunteer Work: I worked for the Folkestone Gazette where myrole included telephoning members of the public to chase upstories, writing up articles and interviewing people.

Other jobs have also included: working in a pub, sometimesunder pressure in a busy team and dealing tactfully withoccasionally difficult customers and assisting teachers at aprimary school.

All of my work experiences have involved working within

a teambased culture. This involved planning, organisation, co-ordination and commitment e.g., in retail, this ensured daily salestargets were met, a fair distribution of tasks and effectivecommunication amongst all staff members.

Volunteer work/projectsare good to mention

If you have done a lot ofjobs, you can

summarise the moreroutine jobs, rather

than filling your CV withlots of irrelevant

information.

A nice summary ofskills obtained via work

experience,

SKILLS

Planning and Organisation: My biggest test oforganisation was completing my dissertation. It took memonths of in-depth research, compressing informationand finally displaying it to a standard I was happy with.

Whilst working as a retail supervisor level I was in chargeof organising a team of 10 employees on their daily tasksand duties, and ensuring these were performed

Languages: Able to speak some French and currentlyteaching myself spoken Japanese.

Computing skills: I completed the ECDL course and amnow proficient in all aspects of Microsoft Windows andOffice including Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. Iattended an evening course in QuarkXpress using anApple PC and am able to type at 60wpm.

Remember, different jobs

will require differentskills, so have different

CVs for different types of

job.

Language skills: give

an idea of level, writtenor spoken, etc

Computing skills areimportant to mention: be

specific about whichprograms you have used.


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ADDIT IONAL I NFORMATION

Full, clean driving licence. Member of University of Kent Athletics team for 3 years I travelled independently through Australia,and Malaysia.

I spent one year raising funds and organised the trip with

three friends. The experience taught me how to usemy initiative and be a team-player, how to be self-sufficient, how to handle a large budget and to cope withunexpected situations.

CSLA Award Scheme. This involved planning and teachingchildren sporting exercises for a set number of hours eachweek.

A keen writer for the university magazine. As editor of theStudent Union & Societies section I was responsible forliaising with the Sabbatical Officers to establish whatinformation needed to be relayed to the student body.

Try to show a broad

variety of interests andfocus more on social and

active rather thansolitary and passive

interests. Seriouscommitment to at least

one activity can beviewed favourably, as will

evidence of getting onwell with other people

e.g. in team sports.Independent or

challenging holidays orforeign travel can also

look good.

Again, sellyour transferable

skills here: evidence ofleadership, responsibility,

communicating etc

REFEREES

K.J. RowlingSchool of EnglishUniversity of KentCanterbury, CT2 7NFKentEmail: [email protected]

C.S.I. Hackett,ManagerBHSHigh StreetFolkestoneCT17 5RU

Normally you would give

one academic referee(tutor or project

supervisor) and oneemployment referee.

TASK: Write your own CV (in English). Try to follow the advicegiven. Please dont complete the Europass CV try designing

your own to stand out from the crowd!NB: This is assessed work (10%). Please see the assessment calendar fordelivery deadline.Deliver a paper copy of this assignment; emailed copies are not accepted.


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Applying for a job: Covering letters

A short covering letter should always accompany your CV in a jobapplication.

Giving advice.Complete the sentences with you shouldor you shouldnt:

1. write your letter by hand

2. use coloured paper

3. write at least 2 pages

4. repeat everything that is on your CV

5. point out you professional skills

6. emphasise how you believe you meet the

employers needs

7. the employer that you will call in to discuss your

application

Where you have put you shouldnt, write alternative sentenceswith you should.

Writing Use these phrases to complete the cover letter below:

I am confident I am available please find enclosed

I am writing with reference to

I look forward to hearing I have experience of


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Michel Blanc5 rue de la Libration

76000 RouenFrance

[email protected]

6th August

The Human Resources ManagerGlobal Tours80 Campbell StLondon WC2 9HG

Dear Sir/ Madam,

1 the position of Night Auditor as advertised in The

Guardian of 11 January.

2a copy of my CV outlining my background and

qualifications for your consideration. As an Assistant Manager of a three-star hotel

3managing staff and dealing with guests.

I also have practical experienceof increasing room occupancy and producingfinancial statistics. If given the opportunity 4 that I

could make a valuable contribution to the running of the hotel.

5 for interview at a time and place of your

convenience. I can be reached at the above postal and email addresses or on 0033

15543 7545. I appreciate your time and consideration and

6 from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

M i chel B l anc

Michel Blanc

Enclosures: CV


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In the letter below there are some errors.

Underline the error(s). Then write the correct word(s) on the right-hand

side of the page.

Dear Sir/Madam,

a) I am writing for applying for the post of junior sales manager at

b) Gobi Desert Tours Inc. which I see advertised in this week's Travel Weekly.

c) As you are seeing from my resum I have recently obtained a diploma in

d) Tourism Management from the Tourism Institute in Madrid in spain after

e) I had been completing a three-year course there.

f) Since I am always wanting to work in the USA in the travel business

g) sector but was not wishing to commence work until I was fully proficient

h) in English I spend the last six months studying in London.

i) During this time I be fortunate enough to find a part-time job in a local

j) travel agency which is specializing in travel to the States and where I was able

k) to developing my interpersonal skills.

l) I attracted to your vacancy as I believe that I can offer the drive and

m) commitment necessary for persuade middle-aged holidaymakers to trek

n) across the gobi desert.

o) I enclose my resum and look forward to hear from you.

Formal and informal register

Lucy Taylor and Charles Fortescue are applying for the job below. Their letters donot contain any errors, but they are unlikely to be considered for the vacancy.Discuss why.


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D ear Jane,

I m looking f or a f ull-t ime job and I saw your ad in a newspaper a cou ple of days

ago. It looks as if it cou ld be good f or me because your hot el is really well known.

I dont have much experience because I havent had a proper job bef ore, but I m

very conf ident and I get on pret t y well with all sort s of people.

I m basically f ree t o st art in Ju ly but in A ugust I need t o go away t o visit my

grandmot her in A ust ralia, so I d need some holiday t hen.

Hoping t o hear f rom you soon,

Regards,

Lucy

T h e E v e n i n g P o s t , 20 May 2010__________________________________________________

Hotel receptionist

Excellent vacancy for outgoing personality at this four-star hotel. The person appointed will be the first contact

for visitors, clients and suppliers. Good phone, language

and computer skills are a must. In this full-time position

you will be part of a friendly and dynamic team,

responsible for handling all front desk operations.

Reply to: Mrs Jane Willis, The Manor Park Hotel, Stone

Hill, Gloucestershire

Dear Madam,

In accordance with your esteemed request as stated in your

advertisement placed in the Evening Post, dated 20th May, I have thehonour to enclose herewith a copy of my curriculum vitae and wouldbeseech you to acquaint yourself with the contents therein.

Trusting that I shall be favoured with an interview to discuss myapplication, I beg to remain,

Yours truly,

Charles Fortescue, Esq.


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Help Lucy or Charles to re-write their cover letters, using their resums andadding any details about their background that you feel would be relevant.Use a suitable layout.

LUCY TAYLOR

76 Penny Lane

Glouc ester GS18 8JK

Tel: +44 1234 874632

Email: [email protected]

PROFILE:

A Hospita lity Sc hoo l gradua te who is keen to find a po sition in a rep utab le ho tel. Hard working

and reliab le with exce llent interpe rsona l skills. Ability to q uickly assimila te information a nd

prac tica lly ap p ly it in a v ariety of situations. Able to w ork ind ividua lly or as pa rt of a tea m.

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS:

2008 - 2010

Diploma in Hospita lity Stud ies from G louc ester Sc hoo l of Hosp ita lity a nd Tourism

Sub ject s studied include :

Front of House Operations Ge rma n for the Hosp ita lity Industry Eleme nta ry Sp an ish

Co mp uter Stud ies Business Fina nc e Accounting

2006 - 2008

A lev els: Business Stud ies (A), Ge rma n (B), Eng lish (B) , G louc ester High Sc hoo l Sc ho o l

LANGUAGES

German: Fluent spoken and good professional writing skills

Spa nish: Basic c onversation skills

WORK EXPERIENCESum me r 2010: 6 wee k inte rnship a t Holida y Inn, Bristo l

2006 2009: Sa les Assista nt (Part -time ), TaraG irl, Glo uc ester

PERSONAL DETAILS

Date of b irth: 13th M ay 1990

Driving Lice nc e: Full, c lean

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

Roc k climbing a nd hiking

Netb a ll - Vic e Ca pta in of Glouc ester High Sc hoo l Tea m

REFERENCES: ava ilable on request


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Applying for a job: the interview

Listening Hlne works as a junior manager in a major hotel in France. Here she talks

about the interview stage of getting a job and gives advice to candidates onhow to prepare for an interview.

CHARLES FORTESCUE

Resum

14, Bridge Road Date of birth: 09/07/1989Cheltenham CH 12 7TY Nationality: BritishTel: +44 1234 885432Email: [email protected]

Personal statement:A self-motivated tourism graduate with a wide range of experience incustomer relations. Able to work on own initiative or as part of a team. Proven leadership skills,including managing and motivating teams to achieve objectives and targets.

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS:

2007 - 2010Degree in Tourism Management, University of South Gloucestershire

2006 - 2008A levels: Business Studies (C), Economics (C), English (C), Gloucester High School School

WORK EXPERIENCE

June 2008 - present: Part time Concierge, Queens Hotel, Cheltenham

June 2007- June 2008: Bartender, Winstons Bar and Grill Restaurant, Cheltenham

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

President of University Fundraising Society

Member of Philosophy Debating Society at University

Boy Scout for 10 years

Keen golf player

REFERENCES: available on request


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Look at these stages in the staff selection process and try to put them inorder:

o Production of a final shortlist with impressions from the interview

o HR interviews the candidates

o Reading CVs and making a pre-selection

o Selection of the best candidateo Telephone contact with the candidates

o The department manager interviews the candidates

1. Listen to the first part of the interview. Hlne says she needs people who

are organised. What other qualities does she feel are important?

2. Listen to the second part of the interview. Check the order of the selection

process (above). Who is responsible for making the final decision?

3. What important point does Hlne make about work experience?

4. Listen to the third part of the interview. What advice does Hlne give?

5. Have you ever had an interview? Describe it to your partner. Say what you

you think you did well and what you could have done better.

Role playStudent AYou are interviewing candidates for the receptionist vacancy at the Manor ParkHotel. Below is some further information about the hotel.

Manor Park Hotel

One of the finest 17th century country houses in the south of England, standingin its own lovely gardens next to the historic church in the heart of the beautifulCotswold village of Stone Hill, which many regard as the most beautiful village inEngland.Established 1979. 30 en-suite rooms. Conference room for 30 people. Award-winning restaurant and late-night bar facilities. 9-hole golf course adjacent tohotel.

Receptionist vacancy:

Starting salary 21k. Possibility

of overtime. Initially workingevening shifts. Part of team of 4

reception staff.


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Interviewing procedure

Read the candidates CV before the interview.

Welcome the candidate

Start with some small talk to put the candidate at ease

Ask questions to verify information on the CV Ask questions to find out information that you feel is missing from the CV

Try to find out about the candidates strengths/weaknesses/motivations

Allow opportunities for the candidate to ask you questions

Thank the candidate and say when he/she will be contacted

Student B

You are Lucy or Charles. You have been invited to attend an interview at theManor Park Hotel.

Before the interview, try to anticipate what kind of questions you will be asked and

how you will answer them. Also, prepare some questions you would like to ask about

the hotel and about the job (starting salary, working hours, promotion prospects,

benefits, etc).

Reading Read the newspaper article and answer the questionsthat follow it.

Youre hired..

CV, smart suit, interview? Thats no way to land your first job in the

age of The X Factor and The Apprentice.

Lucy Tobin looks at how companies are recruiting reality TV-style.1There were only hours before the deadline, but Ry Morgan, 22, was still desperately trying to

fulfil the first task: a four-minute video presentation about one of his passions. Hed chosen

basketball, and was setting up his Mac to make PowerPoint slides so precisely timed to his

presentation he could choreograph a routine that made it look like his waving hands were

flicking up images. Next, Morgan, who was studying management at St Andrews, borrowed

one of the universitys biggest lecture theatres, positioned his Mac in front of the big screen

and recorded his video presentation. I did everything possible to make sure I stood out, hesays.


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2

He sent it off to be judged and learned his work had paid off: he was through to the next

round a grilling by a panel of interviewers. Discovering he was to be the first on the list,Morgan was so worried about being forgotten by the end of the day, he made stickers with his

name on and stuck them on walls at the nearby tube station in a bid to subliminally influence

the interviewers minds.3

It sounds like the experience of any reality TV wannabe, but Morgans epic experience had

nothing to do with seeking Z-list fame: it was an application for a 10-week internship at an

advertising agency and its part of a growing trend.4

Applying for a job used to involve spotting a newspaper ad, sending off a form with a spell-

checked CV, dry-cleaning a suit and turning up for an interview. A big corporation might

insist on a few rounds of interrogation, but youd know what to expect. No longer. The new

way to recruit is to think like Simon Cowell or Lord Sugar: turn a job interview into a reality

TV-style set of tasks, ask for poems, songs, presentations or videos, and even encourage

voting for the winner.

5Take The Eventice, a competition for final-year event management students with the

prize (thats a quote from the organiser) being a job at exhibition centre ExCel London. Thewhittling-down process might sound familiar. Those selected will be split into groups and

given a brief to create an event. They will then come to London to present their ideas and take

part in a number of challenging event management tasks which will be marked by industry

experts over an entire weekend, runs the spiel. Thats after applicants have already sent in a

video of themselves answering questions such as Why should I be part of the Eventice?,

which are uploaded on the web for anyone to watch.

6The Apprentice inspired The Eventice, says Jeremy King, editor of Event magazine, which is

running the competition alongside recruitment consultancies and ExCel. We wanted to tap

into youths use of the internet in a bid to attract the highest number of candidates, to ensureup-and-coming talent is brought into the industry, he says. He adds that the process

provides a realistic introduction into what actually happens in the event world and how it

works. Its a tough industry to work in and even tougher to be a success.7

However, Tanya de Grunwald, founder of careers site Graduatefog.co.uk, thinks such tasks

compel applicants to leave their dignity at the door. Employers are stupid to make applicants

audition like reality TV show contestants, she says. It isnt the way to get the best out ofpeople, and the last man standing isnt necessarily the best person for the job. Fantastic

candidates will often drop out because theyll be already working full-time while they job

hunt and simply dont have the time to complete a 20-page application form, especially if

theyre applying to lots of other jobs as well.

8

Morgan, whose basketball presentation did eventually nab him the advertising internship,

thinks there are some benefits to companies taking a creative approach to recruitment. Itworked for me. I like talking, and the video played to my strengths, and gives you the

opportunity to show who you are, he says. That wouldnt have happened through online

tests, which would just leave me as a score in a list. But I definitely dont think the trend for

Apprentice-style tasks is good for everyone. The role I was going for didnt need you to be

able to make flashy presentations or have the character to make it on camera, but that was

required for the interview. People who might be good at a particular job, but dont likestanding up in front of an audience, or arent technologically confident, could get lost in the

fray.


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9

That issue is becoming more important as hordes of firms jump aboard the trend for reality

TV-inspired recruitment. Take Red Letter Days, the gift experience company. It used to hirerecruitment consultants or place newspaper ads to fill jobs. This autumn, however, it put out a

virtual casting call to find the dream candidate for a three-month paid internship.

Applicants were asked to upload a video via the firms YouTube channel, or send a letter orsomething else creative outlining why they wanted the post. The successful candidate, Alana

Hutton-Shaw, who graduated from Cambridge this summer, opted to write a rhyming poem

about a character called Fred. Ive got used to being imaginative for job applications, she

says. For another one, in advertising, I invented a cartoon worm. You have to be willing topush the boundaries to get yourself noticed.

10

Plenty of firms are getting involved in wacky recruitment. Standard Chartered bank launched

a competition called The Worlds Coolest Intern for its six-month internship in Singapore.

Entrants were audited according to how many people linked to their blogs, their Twitter

influence and Facebook friends. The top ten out of 1,194 applications from more than 40

countries were then granted video interviews.

11A similar approach was taken by LOral, which recruited graduates this year via a virtual

business game called Reveal. Applicants were given avatars as employees in a virtualLOral world and faced online tasks. The best were invited to its real offices for more

business games.

12

One of the most demanding recruiters around, the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, has

started to filter graduate applicants by asking them to set up a Facebook group and encourage

people to sign up. The top group amassed more than 237,000 members, but high-scoring

candidates still faced another three months of assessments, including online tests, Skypeinterviews and creating video re-makes of their favourite ads: someone recreated the Visa

World Cup ad, shot by shot, in Lego. Those who made it through these rounds came in for

further face-to-face challenges. The managing director says that the process proves whethercandidates have the work ethic to survive in our industry.

13

But Carl Gilleard of the Association of Graduate Recruiters warns that recruiters may begoing too far. In the graduate marketplace there is scope for using technology in attraction

and selection processes Generation Y are comfortable with it, he says. But employers

should always ask themselves, is what were doing appropriate, relevant and fair? Theres

nothing wrong with the traditional interview. Businesses should also remember that thecandidate experience should be positive even if they are unsuccessful. Someone who has a

bad experience can share it with their peers and this can damage the employer brand.

14

Guy Wakely, 34, a project manager, turned down an interview for a role at an IT services

company because the company actually called the application process the X Factor. They

wanted me to attend a full day at their offices, with interviews, online testing, presentations

and more interviews. Im not a performing puppy.

(From The Saturday Guardian, 11.12.2010)


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1. Summarise the main idea of the article by completing the following sentence:

Traditional procedures for recruiting staff are being replaced by .

2. Make a list of the tasks that candidates have been required to carry out:

3. Identity three people quoted in the article who are in favour ofthe new style of

recruiting and three people who are against. Now divide into small groups. Imagineyou are taking part in a radio debate about this issue. One person will be the

presenter/interviewer. The others should take the role of one of the people

identified in the article. The interviewer should introduce the topic and make sure

that each person in the group has the chance to put forward their views/experience.

Rewarding good performance (see page 8)

1. 50% discount on a stay in any hotel in the company2. A 10% bonus over normal pay3. A free afternoon in the hotel spa for two people4. A free massage and beauty treatment session in the spa for you5. 10% all year on rooms, food, beverages in the hotel6. Free access to the hotel gym and fitness centre7. One months trial promotion to the next most senior job8. One months unpaid leave

9. One weeks extra holiday (paid) during the hotels low season10. One years payment on a life insurance policy11. Vouchers for clothes boutiques12. Verbal praise from the hotel director in front of your team13. Certificate14. Small gift given at staff annual dinner

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Working in Hospitality GH[1]

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