Reference no: EM132937731

A Five Star Hotel's competitive strategy is to use superior guest service to differentiate the Hotel's properties to thereby increase the length of stay and return rate of guests, and thus boost revenues and profitability. HR manager must now formulate functional policies and activities that support this competitive strategy by eliciting the required employee behaviors and competencies. One thing that concerned HR manager was the fact that the Hotel's managers varied widely in their interviewing and hiring skills. Some were quite effective; most were not. Furthermore, the company did not have a formal employment interview training program, nor, for that matter, did it have standardized interview packages that hotel managers around the world could use. As an experienced HR professional, the HR manager knew that the company's new testing program would go only so far. He knew that, at best, employment tests explained perhaps 30% of employee performance. It was essential that he and his team design a package of interviews that his hotel managers could use to assess on an interactive and personal basis candidates for various positions. It was only in that way that the hotel could hire the sorts of employees whose competencies and behaviors would translate into the kinds of outcomes such as improved guest services that the hotel required to achieve its strategic goals. HR manager receives budgetary approval to design a new employee interview system. He and his team start by reviewing the job descriptions and job specifications for the positions of front desk officer, assistant manager, security guard, valet parking driver, waiter, door person, and housekeeper. Focusing on developing structured interviews for each position, the team sets about devising interview questions. For example, for the front-desk clerk and assistant manager, they formulate several behavioral questions, including, tell me about a time when you had to deal with an irate person, and what you did. And, Tell me about a time when you had to deal with several conflicting demands at once, such as having to study for several final exams while at the same time having to work. How did you handle the situation? They also developed a number of situational questions, including, suppose you have a very pushy incoming guest who insists on being checked in at once, while at the same time you're trying to process the checkout for another guest who must be at the airport in 10 minutes. How would you handle the situation?

Discussion Questions

1. What skills do you think a valet parking driver, assistant manager, waiter, security guard and a front desk officer might need for the Hotel? Mention at least three (3) basic skills for each, separately.

2. What is the difference between Behavioral and Situational Interviews? Also explain the difference between Structured and Unstructured Interviews. According to your opinion, which types of interviews are best suitable for hiring Hotel's staff?

3. List down five situational, five behavioral and five job knowledge questions for the post of a Valet parking driver.