contents Get on the right trac
There are many routes into hospitality, but by getting the right vocational qualifications or tapping into training resources, you can get on a fast track to the best jobs
Institute of Hospitality Management qualifications These provide industry-focused training in management for the UK hospitality and tourism industries. The qualifications offer flexible units of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) that build up into nationally accredited qualifications: Level 3 Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management (VRQ) or Level 4 Diploma in Advanced Hospitality and Tourism Management (VRQ).
www.instituteofhospitality.org
VRQ (Vocationally Related Qualification) VRQs are designed to teach the core skills and knowledge you need within the industry and are available to both part-time and full-time learners at college. They are offered by training providers across the UK and there are many VRQs to choose from, including those in professional cookery and professional food and beverage service. GCSEs are often required.
www.cityandguilds.com
BTEC Suitable for a wide range of learners, BTECs are work-related qualifications available in various subjects including travel and tourism and hospitality. Offered by colleges, universities and employers, they can range from entry level to postgraduate qualifications and can be taken either part-time or full-time.
NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) or SVQs in Scotland are work-related, competence-based
qualifications. Designed to b to suit a wide range of peop can be taken full-time or pa by school and college stud alongside a work placemen enables them to develop t There are no age limits a special entry requirement are usually achieved throu and on-the-job assessme candidates producing evi prove they can meet NVQ
Skills Passport The UK Skills Passport i resource, developed by records a person’s skills and experience online. Each person’s Passpo
career road map, with development paths, tr opportunities and a da qualifications availabl alongside details of b employers and job va www.hospitalitygui www.discoverhospi A European Skills Pa been launched www
Other qualificatio ● GCSE in hospital ● A/AS GCE design (food technolog
● Foundation degr taken after A-le basis while you are a good way managers to de
For more inform www.springboa
www.cityandgu www.hittraining www.hotcourse
38 guide to
qualifications.indd 1-2
Rapport is the connection between two people; the spoken and unspoken words that say ‘we are on the same page’. It is the art of making
someone feel comfortable and accepted; of connecting with others regardless of age, gender, ethnic background, their mood or the situation. Rapport is an essential basis
for successful communication – where there is no rapport there
is no (real) communication. This skill is never more
important than in an interview, where someone’s immediate impression of you is critical. Creating a connection with your interviewer is likely to have a huge impact on whether or not they wish to do business with you, so learning the skill of creating good rapport should be one of your priorities. We tend to be attracted to
people we consider similar to ourselves. When rapport is good, these similarities are emphasised and differences are minimised. We naturally experience
rapport with close friends or those with whom we share a common interest. However, we can learn to create rapport and use it to facilitate our relationship with anybody, even with those with whom we profoundly disagree.
In an interview situation, try employing these techniques to maximise the rapport between yourself and your interviewer...
First impressions count
Whether we like it or not, judgements are made about the way we look: our clothes, our hair, facial expressions and posture. These decisions are usually made in the first
If you focus on the interviewer as a person, your overall attitude is likely to become more genuine. When you first meet a prospective employer, visualise that person as an important guest in your home. You will then be naturally glad to see them and will want to make them feel welcome and at ease. Your goal should be to understand them, rather than expect them to understand you. However, don’t be too friendly too quickly or you may appear false.
few seconds of a meeting, so even before you speak, your interviewer will be absorbing non-verbal clues about the way you stand, walk, shake hands, smile and sit. And that’s why it’s important to plan everything about your appearance before your interview. The way you present yourself can help influence a person’s impression of you. For example, dark clothing suggests authority, and lighter colours suggest friendliness or a sense of humour; lots of jewellery suggests power or wealth. Your hairstyle might suggest sensible, cutting-edge, formal or friendly; your make-up can be glamorous or professional. It’s up to you to decide what sort of impression you want to make.
52 Interview
Technique.indd 46-47
Match and mirror
If you watch two people with good rapport, you will notice a sense of unison in their body language and the way they talk. This can be created deliberately when you take on someone else’s style or behaviour. If done well, matching and mirroring can be a very powerful technique in an interview. To do this, you will need to match: ●●Voice tone (how you sound) and the speed and volume of speech
●●Breathing rates ●●Speech patterns – pick up the key words or phrases your interviewer uses and build these subtly into your conversation. Notice how the interviewer handles information – do they like detail or talk about the bigger picture? Feed information back to them in a similar way.
●●Rhythm of body movement and energy levels
●●Body postures and gestures. Don’t use this one too often as it can be obvious and may be perceived as mimicking.
●●The only exception is if someone becomes angry. In that situation, you wouldn’t mirror anger; instead, express concern.
Remember to:
●●Smile when you first see your interviewer ●●Establish and maintain eye contact ●●Be the first to say hello and extend your hand ●●Deliver a sincere greeting ●●Use the person’s name ●●Do more listening than talking
WARNING
Matching and mirroring must be carried out in a subtle way. If the other person becomes aware you are doing it, they may become uncomfortable. The sound of your voice and your eye contact pattern is the quickest way to begin – copying gestures should be used rarely. Don’t mirror the person exactly. If the other person is sitting with their arms folded across their chest, you may have yours crossed on your lap. It may come as a relief to know that you don’t
have to mirror the other person for longer than a few moments. Once they become comfortable with you, you can start leading the non-verbal communication and then they’ll start matching you. Make sure you practise these techniques before
your interview, and that’s all there is to it – keen observation and practice.
53 29/09/2014 16:43
A whale of a job
Travel, glamour and professional recognition could all be yours if you choose a career in hotels
General manager Duty manager
Finance manager IT manager
Human resources Spa/golf course manager Chef
Porter Concierge
Housekeeper Reception Front office manager Banqueting and events manager
How does your hotel company develop young people? “There are a number of ways young people can join the Dorchester Collection from school or college – for instance, as an apprentice chef, trainee room attendant and so on. And there are lots of less obvious jobs you can consider – accountant, engineer, laundry, florist. “The training we give depends on the discipline. For instance, our Lead programme maps out
your route from waiter to supervisor and upwards. It’s modular, which helps your transition. The only caveat is that you have to stay in each role for at least six months and complete 70% of your development journey before moving to the next level. You need to show commitment. “We give youth a chance here. If you are able to do the job, you’ll get the job.” Sean Wheeler, area director of human resources, The Dorchester, Coworth Park and 45 Park Lane For more information go to
www.dorchestercollection.com
12 Career in
Hotels.indd 12-13
Careers in hotels
12
Hotels can be gorgeous, busy, business-like, affordable, teeming with kids, full of world leaders, sophisticated, cutting-edge, traditional, functional – or all of the above. One thing they are not is dull. So if you are outgoing, friendly, fun, ambitious,
restless to meet interesting people, want to work in challenging roles and maybe even travel, you’ll fit in perfectly. Oh, and you’ll have to be energetic. Hotels never stop, and you’ll find yourself working long hours – simply because you love the job. The skills shortage, plus constant growth in this
sector, means there are plenty of vacancies for young people who want to go places. For instance, according to business advisory firm BDO’s report, Hotel Britain 2014, some 200 new hotels were scheduled to open in 2013/14 – and they will all need staff. The action is mostly centred in and around
London, but expansion is boosting other towns and cities, including Manchester, where Travelodge recently opened an £11m flagship hotel, and Dunblane, where tennis ace Andy Murray launched luxury hotel Cromlix. So how do you get in on the action? You could
get to know an employer through work experience while you are at college. You could take an entry-level job and work your way up, or sign up for an apprenticeship. You might take a college or university vocational course or join a hotel company training scheme or graduate programme. But before you plunge head-first into your
career, you should also think about the type of hotel work you want to do. You might want to progress from front office staff to general manager, be more employee-focused in human resources, be behind the scenes in housekeeping or crave a public-facing role as a receptionist or concierge. You also need to consider what sort of hotel you would like to work in: five-star, mid-range, boutique, country house or budget. To find out which path would suit you, why not do some research on
www.hospitalityguild.co.uk first?
13
tips to the top
Work hard and show willing. Be prepared to take on tasks that are outside your remit if they will get you noticed or advance your knowledge and skills.
1 4 6 52
Make a point of getting on with everyone, even if there are some people you work better with than others. You never know when you might bump into them again in your career – they might even interview you one day in the future.
Know when to say no or to delegate. You can’t always do everything and some battles can never be won.
29/09/2014 16:32 The Teflon® Diamond Standard Awards, recognising a passion for excellence.
Launched in 2012, the awards received high recognition in the industry and this year is planned to be even bigger and better.
The Teflon® Diamond Standard
Awards is an initiative to recognise excellence to help students achieve their goal of working as a top chef in this dynamic industry.
We are offering an opportunity for the winner to receive sponsorship for the three-year Specialised Chef Scholarship to train to become a fully qualified chef. You could be training in one of the finest hotels or restaurants in the country, such as The Ritz, Claridge's, The Dorchester in London, Chewton Glen Hotel in Hampshire or Wiltshire's Lucknam Park, to name just a few. Open to students anywhere in the UK, the course is arranged by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and DuPont and managed by The Bournemouth & Poole College.
The Teflon® Diamond Standard Awards is open
to anyone in the UK. Entrants must be over 16 and under 19. To enter, go online to www.teflon
dsa2015.co.uk and view the entry criteria. The next stage will be the semi-finals, where the finalists will be selected by a team of esteemed judges chaired by Lelsey Waters and then invited to come to London to the Waitrose Kitchens for a national cook-off.
The finalist will then start their journey to become journey to apply to become a Specialised Chef, working for and mentored by a chef member of the Royal Academy.
So, if you want to become one of the countries' finest chefs, training in the best hotels and restaurants in the UK then this could be the opportunity for you.
What are you wai
Go online and register be you that wins the s
Registration close: 20th Feb Entries Upload: 2nd Mar Regional results: 30th Ma National finals: 1st May 2
Media Partner Rec
Lesley Waters Celebrity Chef & Head Judge
© 2014 DuPont. Teflon® is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. All rights reserved
6
Cromlix, Andy Murray’s hotel in Dunblane
2 5
Look for opportunities to develop, whether through company training programmes or by volunteering to help on a special project.
Stay positive and project that positivity to others.
Always think ahead. If you encounter a challenge, try to propose a solution rather than using it as an excuse to give up.
During an interview, the
most crucial objective – apart from looking smart and giving the right answers –
is to strike up a rapport with the interviewer. Find out how to engage and win...
Nailing the interview
Develop the skill Take a genuine interest
3
“Dark clothing suggests authority, and lighter colours suggest friendliness or a sense of humour; lots of jewellery suggests power or wealth”
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