What Employers Look for... Superman...

• Broad experience. Perhaps above any other criteria, employers are looking for experience—and not just experience, but broad experience, Vidal-Brown said. Nothing reflects the adaptability and dedication of an applicant like their past internships and part-time jobs in disciplines within various departments of a hotel, be it housekeeping, management, and everywhere in between.
• Flexibility. Applicants who expect to land a position in a management-trainee program will be sorely disappointed, Bauman said. Today’s graduates must be more willing to accept jobs in any discipline. “The path … to management sometimes is taking an hourly paid position,” he said. “We know the kind of student that we target will rise above and stand out.”
• The ability to communicate. Generation Y has always been good at making their voices heard, but when they join a company, they also must learn to listen, Vidal-Brown said. Effective two-way communication is essential, especially when dealing with the diverse workforces that are common in the industry.
• Adaptability. The hotel industry is fraught with challenges, especially today. Applicants must be able to demonstrate through past experience their ability to take on difficult tasks and accept the changing nature of the hospitality landscape, Bauman said.
• Career-minded. Employers don’t want job-hoppers; they’re looking for associates who want to spend their careers under one roof. “We’re really looking for someone who wants a career with Accor, not just someone who’s looking for a job,” Vidal-Brown said.
• A crisp package. When interviewing, it’s important applicants look the part, Bauman said. Appropriate business dress is a must.
• High-energy. Introverts need not apply, Bauman said. When hiring candidates, he looks for high-energy individuals who enjoy engaging others.
• Customer-oriented. The hotel business is all about hospitality, after all, so all serious applicants must have that innate, customer-minded focus, Vidal-Brown said.

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