After months of looking after the “product” we finally have done our mass recruitment this past week-end. We had more than 800 applicants for 350 – 400 open positions. For any new property, this is the first of the many milestones to come. Mass recruitment day will quickly lead to mass hiring, followed by mass orientation with multiple trainings and hotel simulation. Then finally the day we all are looking for, opening.
Mass recruitment is an intense day. It starts early with final preparation and rehearsal, and finishes late as you pack up, review files, remove booths and signs. On that day you have to meet with many potential young talents, as well as answer multiple questions from various media representatives in attendance. It also brings you back to your earlier career when you were getting started in the hospitality business and had to yourself make it through job interviews like these.
Our team met and interviewed with many Millennials known as the “Y generation”. They are instantly connected (as opposed to remotely connected), quickly texting (read communicating), and sending selfies (read pictures). The Millennials grew up tech savvy and prefer text messaging and social media rather than face-to-face contact. They also prefer online webinars to onsite lectures.
Their fast track approach may look to us as lacking commitment, drive, discipline and a bit narcissistic. However, Generation Y young and aspiring professionals have a different vision of workplace expectations and prioritize social and family over work. As a result, they expect answers now, almost on the spot.
In addition, China offers young graduates and talents many job opportunities as a result of its rapid growth in 2nd tier, 3rd tier and now 4th tier cities which fuels their impatience and makes them move swiftly if they are not interested in what you have to offer or give.
We, the older and more experienced hoteliers, need to adapt to this reality and formulate our approach based on today’s market conditions.
How to do mass recruitment
Not all mass recruitment will be the same, however some ingredients are necessary to ensure that you have a successful day.
1. Prior to the mass recruitment, advertise on social media, your company website, HR websites, government jobsites and selected media.
2. Identify a suitable location that will properly receive your expected number of applicants. The best environment would be your hotel facility, however, in most cases it will not be ready or safe enough for this type of event.
Your second choice is a place nearby your hotel. And if those options are not available, the logical third choice is to select a vocational school or university auditorium.
The main factors to consider are space, receiving area, washroom facilities and some meal facilities nearby, as this is an all day affair.
3. Once location is identified, design your event around that. Signage, road flags, use of LED screens so applicants can easily reach your destination are all important.
4. Design a welcoming video using your Company HR standards. Include your future development in the area and owners introductions. For the video presentation, I recommend two versions, one for the welcoming just after your opening speech and one longer (more than 30 minutes) to play while applicants are filling forms and waiting to be interviewed. Its main purpose is to showcase your company’s programs and opportunities.
5. Design the visuals and showcase the signature elements of your property according to the company brand standards.
6. Use colours for each section of your property which will help speed up the selection and facilitate each applicant interview process. For example, the specific colour for Housekeeping can be placed on stickers on the application form and also on the applicants interested in that department. The Housekeeping Interview booth should use the same colour.
Showing professionalism and organization during this process is, for the applicants, reflective of how the property will conduct itself.
7, Provide feedback to all applicants within 5 working days after completion of your mass recruitment. We divided the selection into three categories – Pass, 2nd Interview and Fail. HR is responsible for issuing regret letters within two working days to all fail and must do reference checks for the Associates marked as Passed. 2nd Interviews are given to respective departments to contact within the following week.
Here is a run-down of our mass recruitment efforts:
Online applicants: 600+
No-show: 100+
Onsite applicants: 205
Results
Pass: 99
2nd Interview: 245
Fail: 361
Over the past few months, our focus was on the product, commonly known as “hardware”. In recent weeks leading to this past week-end, our focus was on “people”, known as “software”. Together with my key managers, we need to find the talents who have the right attitude and a will to drive. With all the tools available today, we can better each talent with onsite training and sound managerial support.
In order to help our key managers proceed with the mass recruitment functions, we conducted a 1 day training course on “Basic Interviewing Skills” a few days prior to our mass recruitment. Even if you have done such courses and conducted many interviews, I strongly believe in refreshing yourself, hence all our key managers were on board and participated in the session. By using the tools at your disposal to ensure a successful event, you can help solidify the team and focus on the same goal.
Hiring is the “heart and soul” of your property. Don’t take it lightly.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
About the author
Yoland Perras is the General Manager at the Sheraton Wuhan Hankou Hotel. His series of articles brings ehotelier readers a first-hand account of what it’s like opening a hotel in China.
Offer from the eHotelier team:
To support our members who are preparing to open a new property, we are offering a 25% discount off 10 job listings or more valid until 30 September 2014. To redeem, simply enter the Coupon Code “Preopening2014” for quantities of 10 or more listings and your discount will be automatically applied.
