HOTEL/RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT CAREER STARTER Phần 9 pdf

The following is a list of things you may learn from a mentor: coworker interaction skills what to expect in your work environment how to communicate with the chain of command in your

Foodservice Forum Granquist felt so positively about her experience with

a mentor that she started an informal in-house mentoring program for 12 of

her general managers

In addition to professional associations and groups, you might also find a

mentor at work When looking within your place of employment, seek

counsel from three kinds of mentors:

1 a “higher up” (but not your boss, or you might be accused of simply

currying favor) who can give you informal soundings on what your

superiors think of your work

2 a peer from another area of your place of employment, who can teach

you about aspects of the company or organization you do not yet

know

3 an employee, who can tell you what your “troops” think of your

supervisory style

When looking for a mentor, keep in mind the following questions:

 Who in your company/group/association has a great reputation as a

true professional?

 Does the potential mentor tackle problems in a reasonable manner

until they are resolved?

 What is it that people admire about the potential mentor? Do the

admirable qualities coincide with your values and goals?

 Is he or she strong in areas that you are weak?

If you think you have found a mentor at work, spend time watching that

person on the job You can learn a lot about him or her through observation

When asked a question, does he or she take the time to help you find the

solution, or does he or she point you toward someone else who can help

you? The one who takes the time to help you resolve your question is the

better choice for a mentor Observe your potential mentor when he or she

is working on a problem Does he or she do so in a calm manner? Does the

problem get resolved? If so, you may have found a good mentor

Learning From a Mentor

Once you have entered into a mentoring relationship, intend to learn all youcan While there are no set rules about what a mentor can teach you, thereare some specifics that are part of the “curriculum” in many mentoring rela-tionships The following is a list of things you may learn from a mentor:

 coworker interaction skills

 what to expect in your work environment

 how to communicate with the chain of command in your company

 in-depth knowledge about the technology used by your company

 the best hospitality industry magazines, websites, and other resourcematerial

 how best to advance in your career

 what conferences/classes/training programs you should attend

 advice on dealing with difficult guests or customers

Once you find someone who seems to be the ideal mentor, don’t feelcompelled to stick with him or her forever Career growth may open up pos-sibilities to you in new areas of specialization If that happens, you will prob-ably want to find additional mentors who can show you the ropes in the newenvironment However, maintain relationships with former mentors—aspreviously discussed, the hospitality industry is a close community, and themore allies you have, the easier it will be to succeed and advance in yourcareer

PROMOTING YOURSELF

There are a number of other things you can do to keep your career moving

in a positive direction Don’t wait for opportunities to land in your lap.Rather, you should create them by being proactive; promote yourself in yourcurrent position, and/or seek out a promotion to a higher-level job

Building on Your Reputation

No matter how well you work with others and how organized you are, in the

end you will be judged by the product you put out You want to develop a

reputation as someone who gets the job done, correctly, and on time To

accomplish this, make sure you know exactly what is expected of you It

doesn’t hurt to ask for clarification if you are unsure about how to proceed

Take pride in everything you do, and do it to the best of your ability

Perhaps most importantly, work toward increasing your abilities You

might decide to attend a seminar on a specialized topic in management

Or, you could join a lodging or food service association (see Appendix A for

a listing of many associations, with contact information), and get involved

at a local level Make it a point to visit informative websites such as www

restaurantreport.com, which contain articles on new management

tech-niques, industry trends, and updates in the field Read one or more of the

trade journals, listed in the following box, on a regular basis Actively

pur-sue knowledge, experience, and greater involvement in your career, and in

the industry in which you work

Hospitality Industry Trade Journals

Restaurants and Institutions Magazine

1350 East Touhy Avenue

Hotel & Motel Management

131 West First Street Duluth, MN 55802 www.hotelmotel.com

Hotels Magazine

1350 E Touhy Avenue Des Plaines, IL 60018 www.hotelsmag.com

Lodging Magazine

1707 L Street NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036 www.lodgingnews.com

CHRIE Communique (newsletter)

International Council On Hotel,

Restaurant & Institutional

Education

3205 Skipwith Road

Richmond, VA 23294-4442

Cornell Hotel and Restaurant

Administration Quarterly (HRAQ)

School of Hotel Administration

Hospitality Review

Florida International University School of Hospitality

North Miami, FL 33181 www.fiu.edu/~review

NEWH Magazine

Network of Executive Women in Hospitality, Inc.

PO Box 322 Shawano, WI 54166 www.newh.org

Dealing Positively With Criticism

When you do receive criticism about your job performance from a colleague

or superior, you need to do three things The first is to remain calm Youneed to hear what is being said, and that is nearly impossible when you areupset Listen and understand without trying to defend yourself or correct-ing the person who is critiquing your work

Second, ask for clarification and concrete help to rectify the situation Ifyou have been told that the employee schedules you devised were unsatis-factory, find out exactly what the problem was Does your boss prefer thatyou use another scheduling software package, or would she like you to con-sider more employee scheduling requests? Ask for specific information in anonconfrontational way

Third, follow any advice given, and ask the person who’s critiquing youfor help in the future See if you can find a time when he or she can see howyou have been doing things and make specific suggestions for changes Bykeeping calm, and responding in a non-defensive, professional manner, youcan turn a negative critique into an opportunity for positive growth andchange

Getting Promoted

Once you have been on the job for a while, you may decide that the position

you hold isn’t as challenging or rewarding as it once was If you work in a

large company, there may be promotion opportunities to seek out

Entry-level management jobs can lead to higher-Entry-level positions with more

respon-sibility, greater virespon-sibility, and better pay

If you decide you would like to seek a promotion, either immediately or

in the future, prepare well by taking four critical steps If you plan well and

think in terms of your career as a whole rather than just your first position

in the industry, you will prepare for your rise through the ranks as soon as

you land a job The people who get promoted are those who:

1 know their company

2 maintain a positive attitude toward change

3 show genuine care for guests and employees

4 get to know upper management

The first step may take some time, but it is probably the easiest You will

need to become extremely well versed in your company’s mission statement,

philosophies, history, financial statements, operating procedures, training

procedures, and job duties Much of this information will be presented

dur-ing your traindur-ing and first weeks on the job Pay close attention, and really

get to know and understand what your employer is all about You will sound

more authoritative when speaking about your company, and operate from a

knowledgeable position

Second, embrace the changes that will inevitably become a part of your

“routine.” The hospitality industry is very sensitive to trends, and therefore

change is frequent Large-scale trends include the economy, which plays a

big part in the decision-making process for hotels and restaurants For

instance, in a slow economy or recession, people will travel less, and spend

less when they do travel They may not frequent restaurants as often as they

do in better times Hotels and restaurants respond, for example, by offering

lower priced items on their menus, and promoting quick weekend

“get-aways” close to home with an all-inclusive low rate

Smaller scale trends include the (often fleeting) popularity of specific foodand beverage choices When news emerges, for example, about the healthbenefits of a diet that includes more protein and fewer carbohydrates, thefood service industry responds by incorporating menu items that reflect thetrend If a survey indicates that a particular wine is growing in popularity,smart managers will feature it in their establishments.

Another trend may find people choosing to eat at home rather than in arestaurant; many restaurants now offer meals “to go” in response Whenupper management responds to such trends by changing operational proce-dures, you need to be positive Let your superiors know you will do all youcan to support the new procedure(s), contributing to its success Change isthe operative word in the industry; those who embrace it, and use it toincrease sales, will probably be the ones who succeed

Another attitude-oriented step is showing a genuine care and concern forothers Restaurant manager Darby Crum notes that, in order to do this con-sistently, you need a “game face” when on the job

Finally, if you want to get promoted, you need to know upper ment When you meet them, make a great impression Discover ways tohelp them remember you, and play the politics of your company It may takesome time to understand how the game is played, but make it a priority toobserve it at all times Find out how those in upper management were pro-moted, and why Keep an ear open to inside information and gossip.Frequent your company’s website and promotional material for other clues.When it comes time to ask or apply for a promotion, be sure to under-stand your company’s protocol If applying in person, don’t aggressivelydemand the job, but be prepared to explain why you are right for it Yourenthusiasm and confidence will show if you have researched the job, knowyou have the necessary skills, and are excited about taking on the extraresponsibility If you need to apply in writing, use the same care as if you

manage-Even though you show up for work on some days feeling blah, no oneshould ever know it Put on a game face that is positive and outgoing;show care for people no matter what kind of day you are having Youneed to make both guests and employees feel that they’re important

were applying for your first position in the company Update your resume

to include your current job, pointing out the skills and responsibilities you

possess that are needed for the new position

Try to keep the application process low key There is a possibility you

won’t get the promotion this time around, for any number of reasons You

don’t want to hurt your chances in the future by exhibiting unprofessional

behavior, such as complaining about not getting the job You are still

employed, and still have a job to do for your company Spend some time

qui-etly figuring out why you weren’t promoted; keep your ears open for any

news about who did get the job and why If it is appropriate, ask the person

making the hiring decision for information about his or her choice If there

is something you can do to improve your chances in the future, begin to take

steps to do so now

MOVING ON

Suppose you decide, after several years (or even months), that your new job

isn’t all you thought it would be Or suppose it is, but now you have gained

so much skill and knowledge that you have outgrown the position and/or

the company you work for The right career move in these circumstances is

to look for a new job

This is often the only avenue for promotion within the higher

manage-ment ranks of the hospitality industry There aren’t endless levels of

man-agers, so in order to advance or be promoted, you will probably need to

change positions or change companies (waiting for a superior to move on,

leaving a position open, is not the way most managers get ahead) If a

restau-rant manager has no direct position to which to be promoted (that may be

the highest food service position in the restaurant), she may decide to

become a sales manager, which brings a higher salary and better benefits in

her company A hotel manager is similarly situated; unless you are waiting

for your boss to vacate his or her position, you will probably have to look for

a position with another company to advance

This could mean moving from a 50-room inn to a 500-room hotel, or

leaving a manager’s position at a chain restaurant for a large institutional

catering facility But whatever type of job change you are contemplating, be

sure of your reasons This is not the kind of move you should make often.Keep in mind that your resume will be read by every potential new employ-

er, who will want to know why you left prior positions If you list a number

of jobs held over a short period of time, you may appear unreliable, difficult

to get along with, or simply immature But there are legitimate reasons formoving on, including the following:

 You have learned new skills or improved old ones to the point whereyour current job is no longer challenging

 You like your job but don’t find what your company or organizationdoes very interesting

 There’s a specialized position you have discovered an interest in (forinstance, employment with a cruise line, spa, or golf resort)

 You are moving to a new town

 You dislike your job or the office atmosphere for any one of a variety

of reasons (dull work, abusive boss, unethical business practices, orsimply lack of anything meaningful in common with your coworkers)

 You are pretty sure the company you work for is downsizing, or yousense it is in financial trouble Don’t rely on gossip—make absolutelysure—but sometimes the signs are unmistakable

Once you have decided that you have sound, legitimate reasons for ing on, maintain a professional attitude on the job (refer back to the “basicrules” concerning the need to avoid burning bridges) To maintain a goodreputation within the industry, it is important to act appropriately right up

mov-to the last time you walk out the employer’s door

If the reason you are changing jobs is because of a difficult boss, a fessional attitude is especially important Getting into a fight with your boss,shouting, “I quit!” and then stomping out of the building forever is neverthe best way to handle things Before alerting anyone about your impendingresignation, begin searching for a new job It is never a good idea to waituntil after you have left one position to start looking for another If there areany hard feelings on the part of your former employer, they could causeproblems during a job search

pro-Once you have actually landed a new job, be prepared to give your rent employer the traditional two weeks notice Arrange a private meeting

cur-with your boss or cur-with the appropriate person cur-within the company, and offer

your resignation in person, following it up in writing with a friendly and

professional letter Some people give notice and then use their accumulated

vacation or sick days to avoid showing up for work This is not appropriate

behavior Even if your new employer wants you to start work immediately,

they will almost always understand that as a matter of loyalty and

profes-sional courtesy, it is necessary for you to stay with your current employer for

those two weeks after giving your notice

During those last two weeks on the job, offer to do whatever you can to

maintain a positive relationship with your coworkers and boss, such as

offer-ing to train your replacement Make your exit from the employer as smooth

as possible Purposely causing problems, stealing from the employer, or

sab-otaging business deals are all actions that are unethical and totally

inappro-priate Some employers will request your immediate departure when you

quit, especially if you are leaving on a negative note Prior to quitting, try to

determine how past coworkers were treated, so you will know what to

expect

As you actually leave the company for the last time, take with you only

your personal belongings and nothing that is considered the company’s

property Make a point to return, directly to your boss, your keys, and any

company-owned equipment that was in your possession If possible, for your

protection, obtain a written memo stating that everything was returned

promptly and in working order

FINAL THOUGHTS

As we have noted throughout this book, the hiring outlook for hotel and

restaurant managers is good, and doesn’t appear likely to slow down in the

future Demand for those holding degrees in the hospitality industry is

greatest; both lodging establishments and restaurants prefer to hire

man-agers who have graduated from four-year programs In order to stay

com-petitive after you have been hired, don’t let learning stop after graduation

Get involved in industry associations, attend conferences and seminars, and

keep your knowledge current

Not only are there always a large number of job openings, but hotel andrestaurant management positions require great responsibility, increasing use

of technology, and a wide range of career directions and specializations.Pursue each step toward your new career with diligence, perseverance, and

a commitment to excellence, and you will be well on your way to achievingsuccess

T H E I N S I D E T R A C K

What: Hospitality Manager

Where: High Tide Cruises

Miami, FL

INSIDER’S STORY

I was never the type of person who wanted to work in an office all day I got my A.A.S.

degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management because I knew that it was a career

that could take me places—literally! I am a Hospitality Manager on a cruise line that

operates between Miami and a number of Caribbean islands Generally, most of our

cruises last between 7–10 days, but we also operate “weekend getaways” and cruises

that last as long as six weeks.

Working on a cruise line is somewhat different than working in a hotel or resort, in

that our guests are with us pretty much 24 hours a day They will disembark from the

ship for day trips, but for much of their stay, the ship serves as both their lodging and

their primary source of entertainment My job as hospitality manager is to ensure that

they are comfortable and content I supervise a staff of hospitality specialists; guests

have access to our services all the time In fact, I started as a hospitality specialist

myself, and I was promoted to manager after a little more than a year We can help

guests with any number of things, from sending a fax to getting new linens for their

cabin to simply finding something to do for the afternoon.

As hospitality manager, I communicate with other departments, like dining,

house-keeping, and entertainment, and let them know about any challenges or problems our

guests have let us know about The hospitality staff is the group that has the most

frequent interactions with our guests, so we get firsthand feedback about what they

enjoy, as well as any suggestions they might have I also collaborate with the

enter-tainment staff to plan fun daytime activities, like casual sports and crafts workshops.

One of the most important qualities I look for in my staff is patience It can be easy

for our guests to get bored or irritable, since there are long periods when they’re unable

to leave the ship As a staff, it doesn’t do any good for us to respond with a similar

attitude; instead, the hospitality staff needs to have compassion and remain upbeat.

We try to remember that even if our own jobs may seem a little routine sometimes,

every day is a unique experience for our guests We want people to have the best

vacation possible, and sometimes it’s the little details that make that happen.