Tag Archives: Hospitality management

Words have power – Words and jargon to avoid in today’s job descriptions..

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Getting the right people in the door for the right job is a challenge for many businesses. The recruitment  process begins with a well-crafted job description. Job descriptions are a communication tool between the employer and candidates, and it is viewed by candidates as a mini preview of your company culture.

I recently consulted with a small business in hospitality on job descriptions, and as a result, their recruitment campaign was a huge success. By applying simple changes, they were able to attract a calibre of talent they had previously not been able to tap into.

Revisiting job descriptions and paying attention to wording and phrases will impact how your business is viewed as an employer. After all this is what will attract a candidate to your business, and represents your employer branding. Descriptions packed with jargon and words that you are used to have become meaningless, and in today’s era can have a double meaning. Many of which can be deemed as red flags for the workplace culture.

As an example, ‘Family’. Once a key word and viewed as welcoming, is now one to avoid. Family means different things to all individuals, good and bad so be mindful of using this term, as it can be misconstrued that boundaries are violated and remember not all family life is happy. As a successful HR senior peer recently pointed out to me, many families can be dysfunctional, and individuals don’t want that culture in a workplace which is a very valid point!

Here are some other examples of words and phrases we see featured in job descriptions daily which are simply off putting in today’s era. If you can, try and avoid words such as:

  • fast-paced
  • enthusiastic
  • detail-oriented
  • multi-tasker
  • Passionate
  • enthusiastic
  • dynamic
  • Works well under pressure

These types of words and phrases are used so much in job descriptions that they have lost their meaning and effectiveness. If you use them in your job ad, you risk your description blending in with the rest, and you want you want to stand out from the other job descriptions the candidate has just glanced over.

When detailing what you are looking for in a candidate, specificity is key. Vague business jargon is simply content filler that is distracting from seeking out the qualities and skills you want.

Example:

Instead, use phrases that show what the job entails as well as the skillset required for the job. For example, instead of saying that you are seeking someone driven, indicate that the role requires someone with a proven ability to meet quick deadlines. This prompts anyone applying to have evidence of this skill ready to be discussed in an interview or cover letter.

The more natural your job posting reads, the more likely it is that candidates will respond.

To avoid any mishaps, always use neutral language whenever possible. Not sure if something has a bias or reads inviting?  Ask a colleague to review and get their interpretation of the wording prior to hitting “Post.”

Daly Recruitment offers an hourly consultancy service to assist businesses in this area, if you would like to discuss options for your business, please email Nichola on Nichola@DalyRecruitment.com

Be realistic with expectations.

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CANDIDATES: 

When applying for a job do you always look at their essential criteria? This will always indicate whether you have the skills and requirements the employer is requesting.

Set realistic expectations of roles you are hoping to develop into, look at jobs and opportunities that will lead you to your chosen destination.

Be practical on the requirements of the role, for example seeking a food and beverage manager position within a hotel that is 9-5, Monday – Friday is not reasonable nor is it reflective of the requirements of that role.  By doing this you are setting yourself up for disappointment as these requirements truly don’t exist.  You most certainly will have to go through this journey if you wish to reach the Hotel General Manager position.

Very few jobs are 9-5 anymore, and definitely not in hospitality. One of the main elements of working in the hospitality sector is the flexibility the hours provide flexibility in work means flexibility outside of work also.
If you don’t like to work a 9-5 job and do the same thing every day, then this is the sector for you.  Your hours will vary, and no two days are ever the same.
You will struggle to find a 9-5 in this industry, it’s not impossible but don’t restrict yourself to this as it will pay off along your career path as you learn and develop.

A huge benefit of working in the hospitality industry is that you can expect no two days to ever be completely the same. This makes a position in this sector particularly exciting, as you are likely to always be kept on your feet, often working in a fast-paced environment, but you are rewarded by the fact that it always remains interesting and dynamic.
We can’t forget the great industry perks it brings!

Career progression opportunities

One thing most candidates look for when deciding on a sector to work in is how good the potential is to progress over time. Luckily, as the hospitality industry is increasing, this means that the chance to work your way up the work ladder is both very feasible and very likely. We recommend to have a look at some of the linkedIn profiles of industry leaders, and you will see the path they made to get where they are today.

Think of the bigger picture. Many candidates who switch from shift work to 9-5 find that adjustment difficult.

EMPLOYERS:

This is also crucial for employers too, asking for ‘x’ years of experience in a role will depend greatly from each individual and size of properties a person has worked in.

Read your job description throughly and ensure you are not being unrealistic as you could be eliminating good candidates from applying and joining your team.
For example: in a hotel setting, many managers after 2/3 years as a department head will want to move up the ladder, not take a side step. Consider this greatly as we all work together to open and attract and retain talent into out much loved industry.

Is your salary really reflective on the experience you are seeking? This is a crucial time for all businesses as they begin the recovery journey, working together as an industry to attract and retain staff is a role for everyone in management.
Salaries must be in line with your expectations or you will not attract the calibre and talent you are hoping to achieve. Daly Recruitment are here to provide guidance on any market rate salaries to any employers.

Candidates are now seeking perks which are more than free lunches, uniform – work life balance is now key to all successful recruitment and retention, and more so as we emerge out of lockdown.

Remember the recruitment process has to be right from job advert through the interview process.  Interviews are now a two way street, both sides are accessing the other for suitability! Try and create a relaxed environment so you both can evaluate this.

 

Always be realistic on expectations on roles you are applying for and advertising! The recovery journey is beginning as are career paths and aspirations. 

 

 

 

The recovery journey – The importance of investing in specialised recruitment

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As we now look towards emerging out of lockdown, many businesses will be focusing to recruit and attract strong management and teams to help them bounce back quickly. 

It’s a fact that hospitality has lost a substantial number of its people to other industries throughout the past year. The biggest challenge the industry is facing now is to attract this talent back. At Daly Recruitment our passion & mission is to assist you (employers) in the reemployment of talent back into our industry & target the talent who have moved away from hospitality to entice the exceptional skilled talent back.

Based on my ongoing research I have completed over the past number of months, the key message that keeps coming back from  candidates is that a job description or social media post isn’t enough to draw these candidates back into our industry. They want to feel they will be valued and appreciated. Now more than ever, it’s time to reach out to ourselves at Daly Recruitment who specialise in luxury hospitality management recruitment to have conversations about upcoming requirements. Behind the scenes throughout lockdown, we have been compiling a database of highly professional and experienced hospitality candidates that are willing to come back into our industry to hit the ground running for the right opportunity.

A number one client question we get asked at Daly Recruitment is  “Why did candidate X not apply to us directly and came via Daly Recruitment?”.
The answer is simple, a specialised recruiter headhunts on your behalf, following the brief they are provided. Hospitality is a small industry and everyone is well connected, many candidates (as I’ve established) now want to have a middle person to ask questions and speak with the employer on their behalf.
Moving roles, or starting a new job is a big step and individuals will want to get back into a stable job that suits them and will grow their skillset. It’s important candidates trust the guidance and direction they are given.

Reasons why you should invest and work with a specialised recruiter like Daly Recruitment:

  1. Daly Recruitment holds extensive knowledge on the industry & its people. We work in this area permanently and can quickly identify the matching of skills, people and cultures.
  2. Daly Recruitment has direct fast access to candidates, in the market and those who have left.
  3. Daly Recruitment has a proven greater reach than a post on social media and job board.
  4. We are now in a market where management candidates prefer to have a middle person to act on their behalf.
  5. Daly Recruitment take the hassle out of your search and narrow down the search based on our conversations.

Daly Recruitment has established a reputation as a leading recruiter representing leading luxury industry employers and take great pride in all our work and delivery. Providing a five star personable service to both our clients and candidates at all times.

Money spent on good recruitment is money well spent and an investment to your business!

Did you know?:
Daly Recruitment was awarded Best Luxury Specialised hotel management recruiter for UK and Ireland for 2020 by LuxLife Magazine.

We are ready to help and undertake any management / executive recruitment searches you may have across the following areas:

Hospitality | Tourism | Events | Hospitality Trade Suppliers.

To speak to Daly Recruitment about any of your recruitment requirements across the Island of Ireland and UK, please contact us on:

E: Nichola@DalyRecruitment.com

 

Daly Recruitment Awarded Best Luxury Hotel Recruitment Specialists – UK & Ireland 2020.

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LUXlife Magazine have announced Daly Recruitment as the Best Luxury Hotel Recruitment Specialists – UK & Ireland in their LUXlife Magazine Resorts & Retreats Awards 2020. Daly Recruitment, based in Belfast specialises in Luxury recruitment across Hotels | Tourism | Event Management | hospitality trade suppliers across the Island of Ireland and UK.
Working with a portfolio of high end clients to find that perfect match.

The resorts and retreats industry is a true goliath, accounting for multi-trillion dollar expenditure every year and single-handedly fuelling global economies. Despite this, the sector is incredibly competitive, and expectations require nothing short of excellence to reap continued success. On top of all of this, 2020 has been a disruptive force, putting many long-established brands on the back foot, with the simplest of things being rendered far from certain.

Awards Coordinator Holly Morris took a moment to comment on the extraordinary achievements of those recognised: “The hospitality industries encompass a vast array of different businesses. Companies of all shapes and sizes and in all locations contribute to creating exquisite memories for people all over the world. With this, I offer my sincere congratulations to all of those recognised and I hope you have a fantastic new year ahead.”

Ultimately, LUXlife launched the Resorts & Retreats Awards to recognise those who have dedicated themselves to offering the finest experiences, product and services in the industry. Whether established stalwarts, or up and coming newcomers, we endeavour to seek out the paragons who lead the pack and set the benchmark. With 2020 being the year it has been, it becomes more important to celebrate those who have dedicated resources to navigating the unique challenges they have faced. At the end of the day, considering everything we’ve been through over the last ten months, success, at all levels, must be celebrated.

Nichola Daly, Director of Daly Recruitment speaks of her delight at being awarded such a prestigious award. Nichola reflected on the achievement and on the year which has passed;
“2020 has been a challenging year for the sector, throughout this time we have been  side by side with the industry  throughout it all.  I am beyond delighted, and indeed very proud to win this award, up against tough competition within the market place. Daly Recruitment are extremely proud of our portfolio of clients and candidates, and look forward to working with all throughout 2021 to rebuild and repair the industry we all love. We are very grateful for the nominations and of course the wonderful support along the Daly Recruitment journey. It has been a great ending to 2002 at Daly Recruitment HQ’s to receive this award”.

About LUXlife

Published bi-monthly, LUXlife informs readers on all aspects of high-end lifestyle, including the finest, food and drink, hotels and resorts, health and beauty, automotive, jewellery, art and technology from around the world.

December 2020.

When the light goes out!…..

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The hospitality industry is all about people and the measure of success is based on how businesses treat their customers who want to feel special, recognised and cared for. This is ultimately achieved by treating them in a warm, friendly, welcoming and generous way. How many times could you say you treat yourself this way?

  • How often do you take time to care for yourself, recognise how you are feeling and treat yourself as someone special?
  • As a manager you constantly do it for everyone else so what’s stopping you from doing it for yourself?

The reason this is so important is because if you don’t take care of yourself you will ultimately be in no fit state to give that care to others.

Mental health has always been an issue in the hospitality industry, this time last year it was reported that over 80% of hospitality workers felt that stress levels were increasing and were believed to be linked to the job. This resulted in many saying that they would not recommend the industry to others. The industry regrettably is not known for its great work life balance and whilst there are those that are doing much to change this, many are still not making the wellbeing of their staff a priority. As there is so much uncertainty around the current situation this makes the industry unappealing as a career choice, in fact many are choosing to leave due to the lack of stability.

This highlights the need for investment in the wellbeing of staff where they have access to good mental health support, by this we mean helping them to adopt healthy behaviours not just physically but emotionally, socially, spiritually and intellectually. This is particularly important at this current time as many managers are dealing with so much change and ongoing uncertainty. There are many different experiences depending on which type of business managers are in and no two appear to be the same, so I think it’s important to realise that your experience is not necessarily what others are feeling. Still for the majority they are faced with countless demands, and they may not necessarily have the resources to meet them which creates an environment where they are constantly overworked and under pressure.

Burnout

As a manager there can be this need to take on everyone else’s problems, feel responsible and always be available for others. These are expectations that are in many ways unrealistic and unachievable and when cannot be met make you feel frustrated, disappointed and as if you are not doing your job well. The truth is you cannot sustain that kind of approach.

This is resulting in unprecedented levels of burnout, that feeling when the light goes out and you have nothing more to give. Like being on stage we put on a show, when at work you are so busy focussing on the challenges you don’t have time to think about anything else. It’s when the curtain falls or in this case the doors close that it can be a very different show that’s going on. Burnout is more than feeling stressed, it’s being exhausted, mentally drained, feeling like you can’t give anymore, like an empty vessel. It affects every part of your life and tends to creep up on you and before you know it, bam!

Now if a business has strategies in place to recognise the signs of potential burnout and deal with them early on then they may be able to prevent it.  This involves getting support to help build resilience, you are not invincible and it is a good sign if you can recognise that you need support, there is no shame in it.

Ways to manage your mental health

  • You have a responsibility to yourself to manage your own mental health and if that means asking for help then that is what you need to do.
  •  It’s crucial to find balance in your life and focus on what is important to you and see how you can stay connected to people who you trust, either in or outside of the industry.
  • Avoid self- medication of drugs and alcohol because that doesn’t make the problems go away, it just numbs the pain and is a temporary fix that can cause problems further down the line.
  • It’s important to get into a good routine, exercise, eat well and get enough sleep, when at work make sure you take regular breaks, this actually makes you more productive not less.
  • Focus on what you can control even if those are only small things, it will help you be able to take back some sense of power over your life and keep anxiety levels at bay.
  • Learn to delegate to share the load and let others help you, it might take time to get used to doing this but will make a difference in the long term and will result in your staff developing their own skills.
  • Be mindful of others and show empathy but remember if you do not look after yourself you will be of no help to anyone. As a manager if you cannot deal with a staff issue sometimes it is best to signpost them to help from other sources and then keep checking on their progress. You don’t necessarily have all the answers.
  • Burnout doesn’t have to be permanent and it certainly is something that can be prevented, but if experienced and treated correctly it can have you coming back even stronger, hopefully with lessons learnt to stop it happening again.

 

Author: Shirley Walker – The Seasoned Coach

If you feel you might need some help to get back on track contact me at:

Email: shirley.walker@theseasonedcoach.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shirley-walker  
Website: www.theseasonedcoach.co.uk

NEVER criticise former (current) employers or colleagues

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It’s a common question by potential employers at an interview to ask. ‘Why did you leave ……  position?’

It might seem to you to answer and justifiable to say:

  • ‘My manager didn’t have good managerial skills. I feel my knowledge and experience was carrying them.’
  • ‘I was working more hours than management for half the salary.’
  • ‘Their expectations were too high.’
  • ‘They failed to recognise my potential, even when I pointed it out to them, but it’s their loss.’

Your boss or colleagues may have appeared that way to you, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however if you feel like this I would strongly advise you speak with your employer and make them aware of this. Allowing them to understand what you are feeling, and to see can this be rectified. Sometimes a conversation is all it takes to open the lines of communications, in order for everyone to have that understanding and put things right.
If it’s beyond that stage, and you feel any of the above statements, don’t use an interview – which is about you to express this annoyance.

Many potential employers will view this that you have brought negativity to the interview, producing a red flag to the panel. The first thing you have done, is give a bad bitter vibe off about you. Please remember hospitality is a small industry, and the panel may know your manager extremely well. At the very least they will question your loyalty – not in terms of how long you stayed in the role, but in terms of how professional you are even after whilst working / leaving an organisation.

Please see how important it is that you always maintain professionalism in an interview, this will very much reflect on you!

ALWAYS Keep your emotions about past employers and work-related experiences under control. Venting and expressing your feelings about past employers or colleagues, does not portray a good picture and potential employers will not want to bring that vibe into their organisation.

Don’t sabotage yourself during job interviews. They are hard enough to get right now and think of the all the preparation you have put into getting to this stage, so don’t to undo all your hard work with unprofessional comments about past employers or colleagues.

Always keep the tone of the interview professional, and let your true personality shine through. Engage with the panel on other topics that you have spent hours preparing on delivering.

Think of other reasons to answer the question like:

  • You are looking for better career prospects, professional growth and work opportunities.
  • You want to join a larger company that development opportunities are available to develop within.
  • You want a change in career direction
  • You are looking for new challenges at work
  • You were made redundant.
  • Your company was restructuring
  • Your company underwent a merger or an acquisition – rebrand.
  • Your job duties have been reduced, or your job outsourced
  • You have to travel on business too often
  • You are employed on a short-term contract.

You have to keep the reason for leaving consistent during both the exit interview at your old workplace and the job interview at your new one. This way, your new employer will have no misgivings about you after performing a reference check.

Dealing with being made redundant

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Being made redundant (as I know from my own past experience) is a very emotional, difficult time. The not knowing what the future holds can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. Redundancy is horrible; it is also a fact of life and it’s happening to more and more people due to the impact of COVID19 and the coming months will bring more, as furlough comes to an end and we get back to the new normal. Operating with less guests and diners due to social distancing.

 

No organisation wants to make redundancies, and this will be the very last thing to happen. This is equally as hard for your employer as it is for you. It is a scary time, I know – uncertainty and worry, fear and trepidation take hold.

But remember, if you are faced with redundancy, take the time to sit down and evaluate your place.

It’s important to note that if you have been made redundant throughout this time take the reassurance this is very much about the current economic climate and NOT about you as an individual. Your employer would like nothing more than the doors to be re-opening and for business to be resuming as normal. Regrettably, with social distancing in place this will have an major impact on the number of guests, diners etc resulting in a lower staffing requirements to deliver at this reduced level of business.

However, with the right support and planning, you can start making moves to go forward to the next stage in your career.

Whether you knew the redundancy was coming or the news was a complete shock, being made redundant can feel like your world is very much falling apart. You will probably (like me), go through a range of emotions: shock, denial, anger, worry, anxiety, uncertainty.

Losing your job can have a greater impact on your sense of well-being, it can affect your mental health, relationships and off course your confidence.

It’s important to remember you will get through this, I didn’t think I could have but I built a business from my experience.

Based on my experience here are some steps to help you, if you find yourself in this situation:

  1. Understand your rights

Understanding your rights and knowing where you stand can have a calming effect and help you feel in control of a horrible situation. It’s important to know how much redundancy pay you will get, how long your notice period is – this should be in your contract or ask your Human Resources Manager. Check if you’re able to leave sooner should you find a new position. Once you have the basic details, you can start thinking more clearly and start to plan the road ahead.

  1. Managing your Finances 

Managing your finances after redundancy can be very stressful but there are some steps you can take to make life easier. Sit and work out your budget, with any lump sum redundancy payment you may receive. It’s never something we like to think about, but there’s no guarantee as to how quickly you’ll be able to find a new position, especially in this current economic climate. Taking time to manage your finances can be key to reducing feelings of stress and worry. Check what help is out there to assist you or look at part time options to ensure you have some income coming in.

  1. Speak to family and friends 

Speaking with your loved ones is a crucial part of the redundancy process, you need to talk it out, don’t try and deal with the stress yourself. It’s important to be as open and honest with your partner / loved ones as early on as you can. It’s important to jointly work together to manage any financial or emotional worries; please DON’T face this alone – it can greatly impact your mental health.

Opening up to close friends and family can help. You have nothing to be ashamed of; redundancy can happen to anyone, at any time – it isn’t a reflection of your work ethic, the quality of your work, or you as a person. Remember external factors have resulted in the current climate.  By sitting down and chatting with a family or a close friend, they can provide you with support and guidance throughout this tough time. If you don’t feel ready or able to talk things through yet, that’s ok too; it’s more important to focus on what makes you feel comfortable and works best for you.

Sometimes, a close friend or family can provide make you see the skills set you have and can help you build your confidence for beginning the job search.

  1. Request Reference / recommendation before you leave

Whilst you are still at the company that’s making you redundant, ask for a written reference or LinkedIn recommendation from your manager to help you on your job search.

5.  Your story / journey

Most importantly you will need the right head space to move onto the next phase of our life. You will  know that there is an end coming with leaving your job and that you have a new beginning coming up soon.
In these times it’s important to know that you’re not to blame, don’t take it personally,  external factors have contributed to the situation., Try and have a positive view of what happened and what you learned from it – it’s throughout times like this you will develop and grow in areas new to you.

You will need to show you’re capable of moving on, so please try and not harbour any bitterness. Remember new employers will be looking for positive attitudes in potential employees, to drive their team forward. They don’t want to employ someone who will bringing a tense and attitude into their workforce – especially when they are reliant on good staff help them build their recovery. Hospitality is very small industry.

6. Review your career and goals

While we hesitate to say redundancy is a ‘good thing’, it can present the opportunity to help you take stock of your skills, talent, and experiences. Use this time to reflect if there is anything you want to change in your career?

Your goals may have changed, or have they remained the same, what is you want from your next new role? Shift work, work life balance use all this to benchmark against future employers. Use this time to reflect and set new goals this can be in both work and life in general.

7. Know what you are seeking:

This is about going through your options and considering about the realities of what work has to be for you geographically, economically and with balancing family life etc. Try and have a clear view of what you want and the more specific you can be, the more chance you’ll have of being successful. Set these parameters for what you would like, you will also know from this what you don’t want – be realistic!

  1. Actively start to look for a new job

Update your Linked in Profile and CV. See our blog tip for updating both.

Writing a CV: https://dalyrecruitment.com/2019/02/05/writing-a-cv/ 

Updating your LinkedIn profile: https://dalyrecruitment.com/2020/05/01/linkedin-tips-advice/

It’s important you have all your skills and achievements up to date. The market will be busy with competition for the foreseeable future so make sure you are standing out. Have someone read over your CV, giving you a second opinion. It’s good to get an industry manager or friend to look over as they can sometimes see your skills from a stronger point of view, especially at this time when your compiled when your confidence is low.

  1. Seek Assistance finding a new role

If in hospitality, register with us or any agency that specialises in your sector – a specialised recruiter will also have a greater insight into the market and sector. We cover all Ireland and can provide you with advice and guidance on your CV as a candidate of Daly Recruitment. We also offer a CV consultancy service if you are applying directly to a company. We will provide assistance with CV and interview preparation.

Ensure your LinkedIn page is up to date and change your status you are seeking new opportunities, its ok to state the current situation has lead to this. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic.

Although you may have concerns about money, a quick fix may not be the best way forward in the long term, so don’t jump at a role that’s not for you as that will impact your CV and your career journey. Take advice and do your research, you want your next role to lift your confidence and get you back on your track with your career goals.

  1. Above everything else, PLEASE take care of yourself.

Whilst tempting to spend hours searching for new jobs, putting that extra strain on yourself won’t help. By putting 110% into looking for a new role, you can very well neglect your well-being, become disheartened – I’m overqualified for that job why did I not get an interview etc…

It’s important to take time to look after yourself, selfcare is important and more so throughout this time. Take time to burn off some of the stress with physical exercise, make sure you eat and drink healthily, have fun with family and friends as well try and keep on top of moving forward.

This is your opportunity to revaluate and perhaps even reinvent your career.

 FINAL NOTE: 

Redundancy can be a very difficult time for the employee and employer. Even those who say they wanted it to happen (or disliked their role), many find themselves going through a whole range of emotions. It’s completely normal to feel anger, grief, sadness and a lack of confidence when it happens. Where possible, give yourself time to adjust before looking for other opportunities, don’t jump at the first opportunity and also seek advice from others on roles you are considering applying for to ensure you get back on track.

Try and understand external global factors have contributed towards to this and it’s not personal.

 

As I write this I speak from the heart, having been there very suddenly myself a number of years ago. Take the positive and move forward with it. That’s exactly how Daly Recruitment was formed and I’m proud of the comeback!

This is your opportunity to revaluate and perhaps even reinvent your career.

 

 

LinkedIn Tips & Advice

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Your LinkedIn profile serves as a digital and visual representation of your career journey and your unique personal brand – think of it as on your online CV. Your LinkedIn profile can be your ticket to a variety of new opportunities like jobs, partnerships, volunteering, or new business.

Your LinkedIn Profile is in many cases the most important aspect of your professional presence online. You can use LinkedIn to connect with people in your network, and recruiters often use it to find you when they are sourcing candidates.

While LinkedIn can be an effective networking tool, it’s no easy task to distinguish yourself from the billions of users who are also trying to stand out.

But just a few small improvements can have a big impact. Better yet: Just twenty minutes today is enough time to take your profile to the next level.

Now, that we are on lockdown it is a good time (while you have the time), to spruce up your profile. Here are a few suggestions by Daly Recruitment to make your profile stand out:

1. PROFILE PICTURE
It sounds common sense but start with your profile photo. Profiles with a photo get seen 21 times more often than those without. Your profile photo should be professional yet approachable, giving people a true sense of your personality.
Banner – your cover picture should be eye catching and contribute towards to your career path /story to date.
Canva is good for creating banners.

2. CONTACT INFO :
Make sure your email, phone number (if you feel comfortable), location is all up to date.
Remember: LinkedIn InMail is only available to Premium users, and you want to make sure anyone can contact you about great opportunities.

3. CREATE A CUSTOMIZED URL.
A custom URL makes it so much easier to send people to your profile—and means you no longer have to worry they won’t find you. You could share your name with 100 other people.

Here’s how to create a customised URL how in four steps:

1. Click on profile
2. Click edit profile
3. Click edit right under your photo.
4. Under contact information set your URL.
For the most professional URL try: http://linkedin.com/in/firstnamelastname. If that isn’t available, add your middle initial or industry – always keep professional.

4. THE ABOUT SECTION:
The About section of your LinkedIn profile is the ideal way to highlight what makes you unique and stand out to your industry – include all skills, awards accomplishments on your career to date which are related to your industry and career.

The more robust your profile, the more you likely you are to get notice. Always select an industry, because recruiters / employers often use that field to search.

5. HEADLINE:
Don’t forget the headline, since it is right at the top of the page when someone views your profile – ensure it reflects your current role and skills.
Your headline is one of the first thing people when they view your profile.

TAKE NOTE:  Every time you change your current position or company, LinkedIn defaults your headline to your updated title. As you might guess, that’s not the best way to attract recruiters. Instead, you want a strong and unique headline to make you stand out.

6. THE EXPERIENCE SECTION OF YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE IS YOUR ONLINE CV.
When updating your profile, it is important to include employment (current and past), education, and industry. While you might not include every job in your past on a traditional CV, it is appropriate to include your entire work history on LinkedIn.

To quickly create a profile, review your CV and copy/paste the relevant information into your profile. It’s essential that your CV matches your profile because prospective employers will check. However, when you get more time, make sure to add as much as possible to your LinkedIn profile. Employers expect your CV to be somewhat condensed and specific to the job you seek. But your LinkedIn Profile should contain more detail and be an extended version of your CV.

Also, don’t overlook summarising each job you’ve had in your experience section. Remember:
This gives your audience more insight into your skills and background.

7. THE SKILLS AND ENDORSEMENT SECTION
The Skills and endorsement section are an important aspect to your profile. Endorsements are a great way to get recognized for your skills and help build your professional reputation. It’s a way that recruiters / potential employers can find you and how your connections can see, at a glance, your core competencies.

In fact, your profile is more likely to get viewed if it includes skills. Just like you did with the Experience section, you use your CV to get started with a list of skills to include.  Focus on the skills that highlight your strongest assets and are most relevant to your career goals.

Top tip: is to read your past job descriptions (if you still have them), or the job descriptions of jobs you seek. Include any key words you find that are relevant to your skills and experience.

As your role changes and your expertise grows, make sure to refresh and reorder your skills!

8. TAKE TIME TO ASK OR RECOMMENDATIONS
Take time to request LinkedIn Recommendations from people you have worked with whom carry a lot of weight. To a potential employer, a LinkedIn recommendation is like a reference in advance.

Request them from your former bosses (so long as you still have a good relationship with them), mentors, and/or college professors.

On a “what not to do on LinkedIn” note, don’t ask people you don’t know for references.

9. INCLUDE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Use the Accomplishments section of LinkedIn to highlight projects you’ve worked on, awards, industry courses completed and any other accomplishments you have contributed to i.e. part of team that gained upgrade on star status, Michelin listing etc.

10. HOW TO STAND OUT
Look at other industry peers’ profiles, make yourself stand out from others. Look at wording and all of the above. Be different. What is on your profile to make you stand out from someone with same position in a different property.

11. CONNECTIONS
The right connections are more important than the actual number of connections you have. Ideally, you want connections that are relevant to your line of work, that can potentially lead you to a job opportunity, or can provide valuable advice. Engage with your connections to make you stand out and be noticed.

LinkedIn goes way beyond your personal network. It allows you to keep up with people in your industry as well as successful people who inspire you. By following key leaders and influencers, your newsfeed will fill up with advice that’s relevant to you.

12. TURN OFF LINKEDIN ACTIVITY BROADCASTS WHEN YOU’RE JOB HUNTING
You don’t need to advertise the fact that you are job hunting, especially when you’re employed. When you are job searching and don’t want your employer to know that you’re updating your LinkedIn profile, it’s a good idea to turn off your activity broadcasts. Here’s how to set your account, so your updates don’t show in your feed:

  • Click Settings (Under your profile headshot on the top right of page)
  • Scroll down to the section, “How others see your LinkedIn activity.”

Examine all the other viewing features on this page to see if you feel that any other privacy features apply – change accordingly.

13. PROFILE VISIBILITY
Finally, make your profile public, so people (employers and recruiters) can find you via searches.

14. VIEWING PROFILES ON LINKED IN
Just so you are aware people, people get notifications on LinkedIn when you visit their profile. Not everyone is aware of this!

 

REMEMBER:

Your LinkedIn profile is the gateway to your professional career success, so let the world know what makes you special. By making these updates to your LinkedIn profile now, you’ll be showcasing the very best of you and your strengths.

It’s a small investment you can make now to prepare your career for the next opportunity, decade and beyond…

The importance of self belief in job searching.

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What holds you back is not what you think you are, it’s what you think you are not!

When you apply for a job, you are asking a prospective employer to believe in you.  That leap of faith will be much more likely if you believe in yourself. Self-belief is critical to your job search.  It creates a confidence that comes through in every encounter, allowing you to effectively sell yourself and get hired.

Many job seekers are at a time in their life when they feel deeply insecure. Perhaps you’ve been laid off creating a feeling of not being wanted or valued. Perhaps a long job search has led to multiple rejections, eroding confidence. In a culture where people are sometimes identified by what they do, being out of work may create an identity crisis. In a culture where income can define people, not having income can create feelings of negative self-worth. Whatever the reason, confidence and self-belief can sometimes be hard to come by during job search. Here are some ways to build yours up:

Review past achievements. As part of your job search, you should have a comprehensive list of career achievements and the skills they exemplify. While you created the list to use in sharing your value with employers, it’s also helpful for you to look over that list regularly and remind yourself of how capable and successful you have been. If you did it before, you can do it again!

Ask for help. Share your struggle with a friend and ask him or her to help you by identifying your strengths. Sometimes hearing it from someone else is powerful.  You may also have a networking conversation with a past colleague and ask “What do you view as my biggest strengths?”  The answer may shine a light on a strength you hadn’t considered, or it may reinforce something you knew. Either way it will boost the positive feelings you have about your ability.

Build new successes. If you’ve been out of work for awhile, you may wonder if you’re still capable of getting in there and doing great things. By getting active right now, you’ll see you are still very capable, and this reminder will build your self-belief.

Play the part. Like smiling when you are nervous, displaying a confident exterior often causes a positive change in mindset. Share your achievements with pride and use them to demonstrate your future value. As you do this with others, it will become more real to you, building your self-belief in the process.

Take time regularly to build up your self-belief. Beware of projecting insecurity or negative self-image because this will hurt your job search. Instead, believe in yourself and potential employers will believe in you.

If you would like to discuss any possibilities, please get in touch with Daly Recruitment we will advise on steps and route to take to get back on track.

Remember: What holds you back is not what you think you are, it’s what you think you are not!

How to respond to a Counter offer.

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Retaining good quality staff is a problem for many employers, and statistics prove 50% of employers are likely to respond to an employee’s resignation announcement with a counter offer.

There are employees who will hope that they will be approached with a counter offer, for others it will be the last thing they want to be presented with. Either way you have to be open minded about what exactly you are seeking and why you are in the situation you are in! A negotiation process can prove tricky, but always keep your goals and level of professionalism high up in the agenda throughout.

For an employee the decision to accept a counter offer can have a lasting impact on your career.

There are a number of factors for the employee to consider:

  1. Will accepting the counter offer address your initial reasons for job searching in the first place?
  2. Is the counter offer in your best interest? Remember it’s cheaper to offer a pay rise or promotion than it is to hire and train new staff members.
  3. Will relationships with management be impacted in the future now they know you have been seeking an exit? Employer may view this as less trustworthy.
  4. Make the decision you think is best in line with your goals, and not something you might regret in 3 month’s time.
  5. If you have gone through this process with a recruiter, that recruiter may not represent you again as trust will be lost

It’s a well-known fact counter offers do not work out in the long term! Some interesting statistics employees and employers should know on counter offers:

  • 60% of UK based employees who accept a counter offer end up leaving within six months.
  • 80% of candidates who accept a counter offer will end up leaving within 18 months!
  • 9 out of 10 candidates who accept a counter offer leave their current employer within the 12 month mark!
  • 50% of employees that resign will be counter offered by current employer!
  • 50% of employees who accept a counter offer returned to the job market within a 60 days!

As yourself this question:

Where you declined this pay rise before you proceed to explore job market?

If so, do you want to stay in a company that doesn’t reward its employees until they hand in their notice? This is a huge factor in losing staff, employers shouldn’t want until this point to retain the staff member as the employee has already been exploring the market place and is  unsettled In current position.

While financial rewards are attractive:

Research has shown that employees are most likely to look for a new job opportunity that can offer them career progression. Accepting a counter offer purely for financial benefits doesn’t mean that you won’t still feel dissatisfied in your role in months to come.

It’s only a temporary fix!

How to deal with a counter offer:

Financially motivated?

If the reason you are here is financially driven, you should know your market worth. We would advise contacting recruiters in your field to benchmark your salary range against the marketplace. A specialised recruiter (as Daly Recruitment are in hospitality) will have access to this information and be able to guide you. It’s always a good way to introduce yourself to a recruiter who specialises in your sector, as you never know what potential opportunities may arise in the future.

Remain professional at all times:

Don’t use this an opportunity to vent your anger at management to cover ground on previous requests or treatment. This will cause the deal to break down and there will be no winners!

Always go into negotiations professionally, with a positive and good attitude.  Remain on good terms at all times. Be careful you never know when paths may cross again!

Know your team structure:

If you are a key member of staff and only one who knows how to complete your daily tasks, you are in a strong position. If you are part of a strong team and others have their eye on your role. It’s not advised to negotiate a much higher salary as your employer may accept your resignation and offer promotion internally! Your decision will be removed from you.

Again, we go back to the point should you really have had to hand in your resignation to get the pay rise/promotion you had previously declined?

Stop and think of your reasons and career goals!

Think objectively, ask yourself which opportunity will add most value to your goals, is that career or a work life balance? Reflect on what is important and speak to other employees who are in the other company and ensure the decision matches your personal goals also.

Reflect on all areas of your life and consider the deal breaker options and ask yourself will this counter offer bring about that change I’m seeking?!!…

Decision Outcome:

Accept – Be aware your resignation will not be forgotten and may jeopardise any future promotion due to loyalty. You may develop a feeling of guilt towards management and your team.

Decline: Thank your employer for the opportunity and confirm your intention to leave for pastures new. Leave the door open and always try and leave on good terms.

Hospitality is a small industry!

Remember as an employee you’ve been unhappy enough at work to not only look for another opportunity, but to interview and take the time to explore the market!

If you work in hospitality and want to discuss your market worth or need some advice on any aspect of your career journey, please don’t hesitate to contact Nichola on Nichola@DalyRecruitment.com to arrange an over the phone chat or a coffee!