You’ve successfully completed your hospitality studies, and now it’s time to head out and explore the many job opportunities offered by the industry. Here are some inside tips from top recruiters in the business, which will help you ace your interview and land that hospitality job you’ve always dreamed of.

 

1. Spend time on your CV

This is the most important factor in securing an interview in the first place. Make sure that your CV is clean and professional-looking, well-formatted, and free from grammar and spelling errors. It’s a good idea to have a second pair of eyes look over your CV before sending it in. Don’t rush the process, as it’s your chance to make that priceless first impression.

 

2. Do your research

You’ve landed the interview, and now it’s time to prepare. Thoroughly research the company you’re being interviewed by, including their history, philosophy, target market, market position and recent news. This is important for any job in hospitality, but especially so for large and respected companies, who won’t be impressed if you know nothing about them.

 

3. Know the job requirements

The hospitality industry has a broad variety of sub-sectors. Although there may be some similarities, the questions that a restaurant, hotel, or catering company ask will generally differ greatly. A restaurant will appreciate customer service skills in a stressful and fast-paced environment, while a hotel will want a calm, professional attitude and an ability to build relationships with guests from all walks of life. See a list of questions to expect in the different sub-sectors at the bottom of this post.

 

4. Be confident but honest

Being properly prepared for the interview will help boost your confidence. On the big day, keep a positive attitude, smile often and answer all the questions to the best of your ability. Expect a lot of open-ended questions, which give you the opportunity to highlight your skills and personality traits. Remember to answer honestly, as you’ll quickly be found out if you don’t.

 

5. Ask your own questions

At the end of the interview, you’ll usually be asked whether you have any questions of your own. Asking questions shows your curiosity about the position and your desire to understand the job requirements properly. Go in with five possible questions you may want to ask: inevitably there will be a few that weren’t covered in the interview.

 

Some commonly asked interview questions

Here’s a breakdown of the questions you may be asked in the two largest hospitality sub-sectors, restaurants and accommodation:

Restaurants

  • Can you describe how you would handle difficult and fussy customers?
  • Are you familiar with our food and beverage menus?
  • Have you ever been a customer at our restaurants, and if so, how was the experience?
  • How do you deal with a stressful and fast-paced environment?

Accommodation

  • How would you prioritise a list of tasks if you were given five tasks but only had time for three?
  • What does good guest service mean to you?
  • How do you build a good relationship with a frequent or long-term guest?
  • Can you give us a list of local restaurants and entertainment attractions that you can recommend to our guests?
  • How would you handle a guest request that is impossible to fulfil?

General Questions

  • Why do you want to work for this company?
  • What makes you the best candidate for the position?
  • How long do you see yourself working at this company?
  • Are you able to handle a flexible work schedule?
  • What are your goals for a career in the hospitality industry?

 

A job in the hospitality sector can take you to some beautiful places and introduce you to people from around the world. Pass your interview with flying colours, and you’ll soon be experiencing the thrills of this flourishing sector.

 
Also read:

 
Sources