Once an interview stage is over, many applicants suddenly
feel relief. However, once the initial hospitality or foodservice interview is
over, it is time to look to the future. One vital part of getting the
hospitality position an applicant wants is effective follow up. With a simple
thank you note and phone call, a job seeker can put their name right on top of
the interviewer's mind. The strategy is simple, does not take up a lot of time
and can make all the difference in landing the perfect hotel or resort industry
job.
The Thank-You Note
It's no secret that the art of thank you notes has
experienced a revival in popularity. Thank you letters express a sincere
appreciation for the interviewer's time, and can jog an interviewer's memory at
a crucial point in time. The whole name of the game is courtesy and
friendliness in the hospitality field. Receiving a thank you letter from a
prospective employee would show the employer the applicant has those qualities,
plus a thank you note or letter would clearly stand out in a prospective
employer's mind.
The note should state the company's name, contact's name,
and address of the hotel. In addition to including the correct contact
information, a thank you letter should be professional in tone, make specific
reference to the interview and topics discussed, and kept short. The applicant
will want to avoid a long- winded recap of the interview. A simple sentence
such as "I enjoyed our conversation about the new trend in fusion
cuisine." would be perfectly acceptable.
The thank you letter could also be used to clear up any
miscommunication. For example, writing, "To be perfectly clear, working
weekends will not be a problem for me. I was concerned I may have given the
wrong impression at our meeting." is more appropriate than a stammered
phone conversation. Any additional information would be to again thank the
person for their time and assure them the job seeker will be in touch.
Barbara Pachter is author of "When the Little Things
Count... And They Always Count: 601 Essential Things That Everyone in Business
Needs To Know" - Barbara says, "Most people don't exactly reject the
concept of thank you notes. They simply were never taught the importance of
them." An employer in the foodservice industry is always looking for
potential employees who consistently go the extra mile. A thank you letter is
an excellent way to stay ahead of the other applicants.
Now that the proper format for the thank you letter is in
place, it is time to look at timing. The best time for the hospitality
applicant to send a thank you letter is within a day of the interview. There
isn't anything wrong with an email either. It is up to the individual which
method works better for them and the perception they wish to give. The job
seeker wants to stay in front of the interviewer's mind and keeping their name
and qualifications fresh is what a thank you letter does best. "You want
to stay on their radar screen and out of the garbage can," is the way Bob
Rosner (author of "Working Wounded: Advice that Adds Insight to Injury)
puts it.
The Follow-Up Call
After the resort hopeful has been through the interview and
sent a glowing thank you letter, the next step is the follow up call. The
follow up call should take place about one week after the initial interview.
One key element to remember is to call during appropriate times. If the job
seeker has applied in a restaurant, it is crucial to not call the manager
during lunch or dinner rush. Doing so says the applicant has no idea of the
proper etiquette in this situation and no respect for the manager's time.
Typically, if the job seeker has applied for a position higher up in the
hospitality company normal business hours should be fine. The follow up phone
call should be professional, straightforward, and quick. People in the hotel
business often don't have a lot of time to talk. The applicant would be smart
to remember that and limit the call to again expressing their interest in the
job; clearing up any details they feel may have been overlooked in the
interview, and most importantly, thanking the person for their time.
In a world dominated by customer service, courtesy, and good
manner, a thank you letter and proper follow up phone call is bound to put the
successful applicant at the top of the list. These steps are imperative to
creating an outstanding impression. "Once people realize how crucial it
is, they do it," Barbara Pachter states. You are more likely to get it
right by going that little step further to create a lasting impression, than to
get it wrong.