A career in hotels tends to come with frequent promotions, property transfers, ownership changes, or company changes. With these changes often come interviews. Meaning most hotel managers are well-versed in not only conducting interviews but also being interviewed themselves. But even the most seasoned hotel leader needs to anticipate and prepare for interview questions that dig deeper than the experiences on a resume.
Here of some of the top interview questions our hotel clients have focused on lately:
What specifically have you done to reduce expenses without reducing the quality of the customer experience?
While hotel operators are optimistic going forward, they want to ensure their properties continue to recover post-pandemic. Strong financial acumen is one of the most common skills our clients look for in hotel management candidates. Hotel hiring managers will want to hear how you have successfully made a positive impact on a company’s bottom line. Have concrete facts and figures ready to share during your interview.
How has Your Leadership style changed over the past several years and what is it like today?
Great leaders come in all forms. The best leaders continuously grow and adapt. If your leadership style has evolved to meet the existing workforce’s needs, or it does not mesh with your new company’s structure, there will be friction down the road.
This question is also an opportunity for you to confirm that this is a good fit for you as well as the company you are interviewing with. If you are not sure how to best describe your leadership style, consider consulting a reputable leadership assessment service.
What strategies have you implemented to improve Employee Retention in your prior positions?
According to a survey conducted by the AHLA, eighty-seven percent of hotels report staffing shortages. While turnover is nothing new to the hotel industry, the available talent pool to fill those positions is smaller than ever. Mitigating the turnover of key employees will be a strong focus in the coming years. Share what strategies you used, like creating incentives, professional development, or culture development, that you have used to successfully reduce turnover.
Describe a time when…
The hotel industry has run into a host of unique, unforeseen challenges in the last few years, meaning adaptability has become one of the most highly sought-after qualities in hotel managers. Many hiring authorities turn to situational and behavioral interview prompts instead of questions to get a feel for how well a candidate can think on their feet.
They may ask you to describe a time you’ve dealt with a difficult customer or ask how you would handle a specific disciplinary situation with a staff member. The best way to prepare for these types of questions is to have several situations in mind where you have successfully dealt with an obstacle. To properly communicate these incidents’ relevance, summarize your answers using the STAR method. Even if a situation did not lead to success, describing how you adapted and learned can be just as useful in presenting yourself as a top candidate.
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The hotel industry’s leadership needs are shifting. The hotel recruiters at Horizon Hospitality connect hospitality professionals with hotel companies across the country. They can help you find exciting opportunities and help you prepare for behavioral interview questions like these.
Check out all of the current hotel leadership opportunities available through Horizon Hospitality.
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