by Katerina Santikou
Finding the right staff for your business is one of the most difficult tasks, let alone in tourism. Where should I put up my ad, when, what to write, how to do the right interview, how to make sure I've chosen right, and what if he/she left in the middle of the season? That's why today we're going to share some tips to help you win the competition in talent acquisition.
The tourism industry has the highest staff turnover, averaging 30%. So every year a very high percentage of staff changes and with it the sub-groups, cultures, habits and everything they have learned. Our world is constantly changing and evolving.
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But why can't I find a proper ___( fill in that blank with the position you are looking for). As a second generation hotelier I experienced first-hand the struggle of finding the right talent for my business. We hire with incredible bias not giving the right opportunities to employees who can truly improve the customer’s experience. Do you know what we typically look on a resume? …Recognizable employers and education. But are these truly the signifiers of success?
Here are some tips to help you adapt.
Tip 1: Build your employer profile
Just as you do marketing to get customers to your property, you also need to build a good employer profile to attract talent. What are your values, what is your inner culture, examples of people who have stayed with you for years and have evolved. Let your staff do the talking for you. And do not think that you can create an employer profile in a couple of hours. It needs work, and you need to be aware whether what you say you have, actually exists in practice. Whether the principles and procedures you promote are followed internally. Your profile is something you build every day, with every decision you make. And don't forget: your employees are the best supporters of your brand.
Tip 2: Write down what position you are really looking for
Before you go about opening a restaurant manager position and use a ready-made template to write the ad, stop and think about what differentiates you, what kind of profile are you really looking for. The clearer and more personalized the ad to your own brand and needs, the more accurate CVs that you will receive.
Tip 3: Open your channels
Why do we use many channels in our sales but not in sourcing our staff? Posting an ad on one channel is not enough, the position needs to find the employee and not the other way around. Why? The competition is fierce and you know that better than I do. Therefore, in order to fill our hotel and find the right staff we need to do social media posts, google ads, use other channels, our own site, career days and much more.
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Tip 4: Interviews should be structured
Research has shown that when we hire out of instinct, is as effective and accurate as closing our eyes and randomly choosing from one of the applications we have. Record the skills you desire and use them to judge your candidates.
Tip 5: The candidate's experience is just as important
Did you get back to the candidate regarding the outcome of the interview? Did you thank him for his time? The candidate who was not right for you today, might be right for you tomorrow and it’s highly likely that someone in their network might ask how the interview went. You want to leave a good impression and an open communication channel.
Tip 6: The experience does not end with recruitment
You found the candidate. You agreed and (s)he arrived at the hotel. Who will greet them, how will they be welcomed, who introduces them to the company, will also affect their performance. So it is unfortunate after all of this work to start again from the beginning, which after all, entails high costs.
Extra tip: People want to work for an ultimate goal, for something bigger.
People want to be inspired to make a difference and come to work knowing that today they can offer an unforgettable experience to a client.
And you might be wondering how will I do all of this? Technology allows us to automate 60% of the process and by using data we can reduce by 80% the time it takes to reach the right candidate. I am Katerina Santikou, Founder of Workathlon and together with my team we have built all these tools for you, so you can find the staff that is right for you.
I will not say more, but the 66,000 candidates and over 400 hotels that use our software every day, can speak for us, a software that has been awarded in Greece and abroad for the application of technology in the tourism industry. With a simple registration on Workathlon’s platform all of the above become seamless.
A person’s career is a journey. No one wants to do the same thing for 60 years. Therefore, keeping people just to keep them, hurts both. Instead, what if we created companies from which employees could say they worked for and be proud for it? Every employee who leaves you becomes an ambassador not only for your product, but for who you are and how you operate. And when we spread that enthusiasm and love for the company around the world, then we make all of our companies better.
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Talent is the multiplier. The more energy and attention you invest in it, the greater the yield Marcus Buckingham, Author and Business Consultant
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