Alan Stutts | Professor | Author

Crafting Your Message - Alan Stutts

Many of your best contacts are people you meet unexpectedly. When you call or visit someone to whom another contact referred you, you may only have ten minutes to talk with them. Prepare to make the most of these meetings.

Networking requires you to be friendly in a genuine way. Listening is the key. Start a conversation by asking questions about the contact and building good rapport. Before too long, they will turn the conversation around to you. Now you can talk about what help you would like from them, and perhaps even the particular goal you want to reach. Explain what it means to you. Pose open-ended questions. “Who do you know who…?” is better than “Do you know anyone who…?” which can be answered with yes or no.

Your goal is to inform the person of your plans and ask if they might be able to help you. Don’t ad lib. Plan these conversations in advance, write down what you plan to say, and practice, practice, practice.
Keep a list of opening lines handy in your head and use one that fits the situation:

” “I was given your name by…”
” “I am considering a career in…”
” “I understand that your organization is a leader in…”
” “I heard that you have been working in the area of…”

Once you have opened, deliver the key part of your message. This must be succinct and explain exactly what you want.

Ask Alan Stutts if you need more answers

Career Networking - Alan Stutts

Career networking requires organization and a willingness to make yourself known to total strangers. These are two qualities required for success in the hospitality industry, so what better way to cultivate them than by using them to find a job?

You started career networking long before you knew you were doing it. Your address book is testament to that. Now, however, you are going to be deliberate about locating people who might be able to help you.
First, make an inventory of who you know now and how they might be able to help you. Your first official networking interactions are with these people, people who already know you and care about you. They are a friendly audience.

Secondly, expand your contacts by finding and talking with people you don’t already know. You find these people by joining trade groups, going to career fairs, contacting names your friends have given you, or contacting people whose names you doing research.

Every place you go where one or more people are present is a networking opportunity the bus stop, the supermarket check out line, your friend’s birthday party. As you meet new people, find a way to let them know that you planning a career in hospitality, and ask if they might know anyone who might be willing to help you.

One conversation leads to another, but along the way, you need to follow-up with every person who gave you a referral or helped in any other way. This kind of follow-up is not only polite, but it helps cement their interaction with you in the memories of the people you talk with.

Let Alan Stutts know if you have any questions.

Choosing the Right References

If you are new to the hospitality industry or seeking an entry-level position, your references should speak to your strengths and demonstrate that you have the abilities for work in hospitality. After a few years working in the industry, your references are the people who managed you or worked with you. These people can attest not only to your aptitude and work ethic, but your achievements, your specific skills, and your commitment to the field.

Is the person you are asking to give you a reference familiar with your experience relative to the job for which you are applying? Co-workers can be references; you do not have to list only your former supervisors. Company protocols sometimes forbid employees from giving references about former employees. If this is the case for any of your references, seek out someone who has left the company, but was there when you were there.

When you include someone as a reference on a resume or a job application, know what they will say about you asked. The best way to find out what they will say is to ask them. Call or visit each person you intend to use as a reference. Ask them for permission to use their name. If they yes, ask them to summarize what they will say. If they say no? Ask why not; you may learn some very useful information.

Hospitality Job Search

Jessica jobseeker is specific. She conveys enthusiasm. She clearly has researched Great Big Hotel and knows what their current needs are. Without repeating her resume, she has included enough information about her work history, achievements, and education to show that she more than meets the requirements of the job.

Follow these guidelines when writing each cover letter.

” Direct your letter to a specific person. Include the person’s full name, title, company name, and company address. If you cannot get a name, use a job title, if known. Avoid saying “To whom it may concern.”

” Include your full name, address, and contact information. Many experts recommend you create a personal letterhead to use for cover letters.

” Use a formal greeting (Mr., Ms., Dr.) in the salutation if you know the addressees gender. Never assume gender. Do not open a letter “Dear Sir” if you are not certain the addressee is male.

” If you do not have a name, your salutation line should use a job title, such as “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Employer”

” Do not address the person by their first name unless you already know them personally have permission to use their first name.

” Write 2 or 3 paragraphs at most. The paragraphs should have no. more than five or six lines. Use short sentences. The reader has hundreds of cover letters to read and will appreciate brevity.

” Type the letter and the envelope or create it on your computer and print it on a laser printer. If you do not have a laser printer, take a disk to Kinkos or the library and print it on their laser printer.

” Center your margins.

” Use standard English and avoid slang.

” Double-check your spelling and grammar.

” Use standard white paper. Make this the best quality stationary paper you can afford. Do not print your cover letter on copy paper or any paper that is less than 60 lb weight. Look for “bright white” paper if you are buying printer paper.

” Sign your name with ink, preferably with a fountain pen. A good roller ball pen is the next best choice.

Choosing the Best Keywords for Hospitality Job Searching

Your primary tool for searching job boards is keywords. Keywords are words or phrases you enter into the board’s search engine. Some boards help you narrow your search by specifying an industry, a location, salary range, and other common criteria so that your keyword search eliminates listings that are not of interest to you.
Use the same keywords that you used to make your resume scannable. Include general industry words and job titles in your search, too. Some keywords to try include:

Hospitality
Hotel
Lodging
Catering
Restaurant
Food service
Banquet
Convention
Front desk
Seasonal
Resort
Cruise line
Manager
Management
Assistant manager
Chef
Housekeeper
Concierge

Most job board search engines let you type in multiple keywords with only a space between each word. If you type a phrase that you want to be searched for s a phrase, enclose it in parentheses. Be sure to read the board’s hints for keyword searching to learn any special rules for entering keywords.

Try combinations of your keywords words or phrases until the listing results are predominately jobs you want to apply for. Use this winning combination on all of the boards you visit.