Be ready

The professional world has changed dramatically. Are you prepared for what is to come?

Arm yourself with our power tips on professional readiness. Read our Q&A advice on how to answer challenging career questions that can arise. Remember to stay current, informed, and attuned to what is happening in your industry. It is more important than ever to put your best foot forward in the smartest way possible.

Q & A

Test Your Technology

Whether you are having the video interview done by phone, desktop, or tablet, you want to ensure the device you are using has an excellent camera and good sound quality. Having a grainy visual or distorted audio is not a good first impression you want to make. Double check your internet connection; you do not want any interruptions in service while mid-conversation with an interviewer. Also, check to see if your apps are up to date!

Dress for Success

Proper business attire from head to toe is highly recommended. Even though your interviewer will mostly see you from the chest up, you want to avoid appearing unprofessional by say, wearing a blazer and no trousers.

Check Your Surroundings

Always make sure your space is clean before signing on that video call. If your background is messy, it is harder to convince the interviewer how detail oriented and organized you are as an employee. Your space includes your background! If there is a shelf, for example, make sure it is neat. Using a virtual background is always an option.

Eye Contact Is Key

When speaking to the interviewer, make sure to look directly at your camera. A common mistake for many virtual job applicants is that they look at the computer screen causing your eyes to be lowered which gives off the perception that you are not paying attention.

Moment of Pause

Allow yourself and the interviewer time to pause between questions and responses. You do not always need to fill the space and frequent interruption on a virtual platform will only cause more disruption.

Overall, you want to establish a strong connection with your interviewer and that may be tough when interviews are done virtually. By following these virtual interview tips in place, you will be one step closer to landing your next dream job.  

Be Specific

People are more likely to help when they know exactly what they can do to help. Some people are genuinely interested in assisting, but may not necessarily have the resources to figure out how to do so. Instead of directly messaging to them "Do you have any jobs available?", you might say "Could you possibly introduce me to your co-worker who is hiring for X role?" Once you suggest a way to assist, you're more likely to get a response.

Be Genuine

Keep in mind that everyone is struggling right now. Whether they are dealing with being furloughed, taking a pay cut, or recovering from a related illness, it is best that the tone of your message convey personal care and sincerity. Begin your message with a heartfelt question along with an acknowledgement of the time everyone is going through.

Be Unique

Relationships are essential in the hospitality industry, and everyone knows everyone ... including you. Review the message that you are sending to job contacts and eliminate any scripted or generic lines. Your contacts want to feel important and valued, especially if they putting forth effort to help you find the job you want. Include in your message something unique and beneficial for them. This will make a positive impression and will encourage a response.

Be Patient

Responses may be slower and this is not the time for you to put pressure on your job leads. If you have not heard back after a week or two, gently check in again with them. Prepare to reach out to more people and find an alternative person in case they do not respond.

Overall, this is a great opportunity for you to check in with the people in your network and follow up to see how they are during this time of uncertainty. Be mindful of the job assistance you will be receiving as they may also want extra help from you too. 

Instead of doing what a typical job seeker does which is sending out resumes to open positions, I would focus on these 3 key tips on getting back in the game:

Network with the right people

There are many educational and industry related webinars out there for you to choose. I would sign up for the ones that you find aspirational, or that feature professionals who have the type of position you'd like to get. Don't just attend the webinar, have your questions ready and engage with them. Start building up your connections.

Expand your digital presence

If you do not have a LinkedIn Profile, I would highly recommend creating one. One of the advantages of having a LinkedIn Profile is that it gives you the opportunity to show off your credibility to your industry by highlighting your achievements. Many hiring managers and recruiters use LinkedIn to find qualified candidates to fill their open positions.

Follow up

Last but not least, follow up with the connections you have made over the years. Send them a friendly greeting, chat with them on a virtual meeting, or engage with them when they share an interesting social media post. The more you follow up with your connections, the more you will get noticed by your peers.

Chances are that, sometime during your career, you will be required to attend an event for the benefit of your workplace. If you’re introverted, or think of yourself as an awkward conversationalist, such outings may fill you with anxiety, especially as one of the biggest networking challenges is how to gracefully start and end the required “small talk.” Below you’ll find few tips to make those awkward occasions less awkward and even worthwhile. 

Start off light 

Start off with short and friendly conversations with people around you. You needn’t talk about the weather, or something similarly banal (it’s Las Vegas, after all), but instead a simple “How are you” and personal introduction usually suffices. It’s a great way to break the awkward initial silence and will set a positive tone for the rest of your conversations. 

State your purpose

Tell people why you’re attending and ask them why they’ve chosen to attend. Hopefully you will be able to find some similarities in both of your answers which will lead toward a pleasant, or even productive, discussion later on. 

Focus on your surroundings

Another technique to start talking to people is to have the topic be all about the actual event. Does the event come with an agenda or a speaker? Is food and beverage provided? Any entertainment during the event that you can comment on? Those are a few neutral conversation starters that all the networking attendees can at least share their opinions on. 

Ask for a business card

Having a business card comes in handy when ending the conversation. This will let the other person know that you are still interested in hearing them, however, gives you the opportunity to leave. 

Follow up

You should always follow up with the people you meet at an event. Networking extends beyond the quick conversations. The goal is to form business relationships, not transactions. 

Most importantly, you should be honest and straightforward with your personal connections while networking. The conversations should be authentic and not forced, otherwise, you lose the value of the contacts you made. Now go out there and network!

At one point or another, every one of us has dealt with being out of the job for a significant period of time. Whether it is for personal or professional reasons, employers may question such employment gaps and your response will have an impact on their hiring decision. Below are a few situations that can cause a gap in employment and tips on how to answer questions about one when approached by your future employer. 

Laid Off

Searching for a new job after getting laid off is a difficult and exhausting process. It can take a few months before someone reaches out to you. Instead of explaining to your future employer about why you left your previous job, talk about your successes and what you have accomplished in your last employment. Focus on your contributions and less about the circumstances that resulted in your termination. 

Family Obligations

Sometimes we face life changing moments like taking care of a sick parent or raising a family that necessitate stepping back from our jobs. Returning to the workforce can be difficult and many employers fear that your priorities are with your family and not the job. The best way to convince the employer to hire you is to prove to them that you have every intention of returning and that your main focus is to remain committed to the organization. 

Back to school

Many of us cannot work while going to school. Job and school hours may conflict and sometimes one or the other activity must be sacrificed. If you left your previous job because of school, explain to prospective employers that you have acquired a new knowledge and skills since working last. In addition, these skills could not be attained while at your previous employment. Explain to your new employers that you were active while pursuing your education. The main thing they want to see is that you are active so talk about your time at school and any volunteer activities or any associations that you were a participant of. 

Overall, when explaining your employment gap, be honest as to why that gap was necessary to your career endeavors. As long as you can show that you are in demand and the best candidate for that position, they will hire you regardless of your employment gap. 

There comes a point in any job where you must work with others in the workplace. Whether you have been assigned to work on a group project or whether you must share an office space with a coworker, it is hard to avoid being alone in today’s workforce. Some employees may see it as an annoyance, however, there are several incentives when working with others that not only benefit the organization but also increase your own career aspirations in the long run. Below are several reasons on why you should be working with others than by yourself. 

Two heads are better than one.

When you and your work colleague are partnered on a work assignment, the differences amongst the two of you can serve as an advantage. If you are lacking on a skill, you can rely on your work colleague to assist. One of the main reasons why companies encourage teamwork is because it is a collaboration of ideas and thoughts. One person cannot do it all. 

Developing Relationships

Being around others most of your day can foster some great working relationships. When work becomes overwhelming, you can support one another to get the job accomplished. 

You win and I win!

When working together, team members share a common goal and work hard to achieve it together. You may have disagreements but at the end of the day all of you want to finish the job tasks given. In other words, the efforts of working together can create a winning outcome. 

Better quality

The quality of the overall work improves when working together. The key word is “together.” Just because you are paired with one another but do not communicate the same ideas can tremendously tarnish the overall quality. 

Get things done quicker.

Adding more people to a work project can expedite the overall work. Some of us may think that adding another person to a work project either slows down or disrupts the general work flow. However, one should think that adding another person provides more ideas and insight making the quality of work much better. 

Finally, don’t expect to like everybody that you are working with. They may not like you either as well. Working well with others can provide you with many opportunities so take these factors into account the next time you are not alone. 

In your career lifetime, you will come inevitably make the decision to leave a job. Whether you have secured a new opportunity or you have chosen to follow a different career path, the process of leaving your current employment can be an intimidating task. You don't want to anger your boss by leaving inappropriately and want to make sure that when you do exit, you do so in the best way possible. 

Below are a few tips on how to leave your current position while maintaining the goodwill you've created. 

Get your finances in order.

Before you make that decision to quit, check to see if you have a financial plan that will carry you through to the next position. Your steady flow of income will be non-existent once you leave. If you are taking a break in between jobs, budget wisely so that you are not struggling during your transition. Make sure that you have three months of salary banked so that you have enough money to rely on during that period. 

Give them some time.

When you make an announcement to leave your job either in person or by handing in your resignation letter, your final date should be no less than two weeks in the future. This will give your boss some time to find your appropriate replacement and alert your team members that may be affected with your upcoming leave. If you decide to quit without notice, be prepared for repercussions that may affect your future employment prospects. Keep in mind that you may need your former employer's reference when applying for that new job.

Assist with the move.

Do whatever you can to assist your co-workers and manager right before you permanently resign. You want to leave as a valued employee who created a positive lasting impression amongst your colleagues. It is important to consider that many employers will call your former workplace and inquire about your overall work ethic. Do not be that employee who slacks off weeks before they leave because that too can prevent you from getting to where you want to go next.

Stay in touch.

Quitting your current job does not mean removing yourself from all the relationships you have built amongst your co-workers. You want to keep and build upon your network, as that may lead to potential opportunities in the future. Do your best to stay in touch with your former employer because there may be a time in future where you will need them.

Now that you have a few important steps to consider once you quit your job, think about why you first took this job. Reflecting on your decision to leave will assist you on your next career move. Remember leaving your job with grace can go a long way to maintain your professional reputation. 

Back to school

If you were a certificate student, consider returning to take the full multi-course Diploma or Executive Diploma. These are vocational curriculums that offer graduates personalized, one-on-one career placement assistance. Learn more at TISOH.edu

Another option would be to consider CLIMB training classes. These are hour long online classes in specific topics in guest service, operations, and management. Earn CEUs and add to your knowledge base. Diploma and Executive Diploma alums receive a complimentary CLIMB series of (5) classes. Certificate(s) alums receive a complimentary CLIMB class. Instructions on this special offer can be found on the home page. Visit hospitalityclimb.com to learn more about CLIMB.