How to Interview for a Guest Service Agent at a Hotel
- 1). Dress in business attire for the interview, including a two-piece business suit for both men and women. Men should wear a conservative dress shirt and tie and women should wear a coordinating blouse. Keep color choices and jewelry conservative and basic.
- 2). Respond to the questions that cover the technical skills required for the position. These skills may include typing, computer expertise, handling cash, office duties, room allocation and telephone skills. Provide examples of your skills and knowledge in response to specific interview questions.
- 3). Field questions pertaining to your experience. Give details about prior guest service agent experience, if possible, to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the position.
- 4). Expect questions that pertain to “soft skills.” Soft skills are the behavioral and personality skills that you must possess to serve customers properly and work with others effectively. You may hear questions such as: “Tell me about a problem you faced with a hotel guest and how you solved it,” or, “How do you handle difficult guests,” or, “What do you consider your most challenging personality trait for working in the hotel industry?”
- 5). Prepare answers to the soft skill questions to demonstrate an impressive personality, the ability to handle guest issues and the capacity to work well with others. The most impressive answers to these questions involve describing an applicable situation you've experienced, explaining what you had to do, detailing your actions in the situation and finishing with a positive result. For example, if an interviewer asks about a difficult guest, you might describe a challenging guest situation, what you knew you had to do to solve the problem, the steps you took and the positive outcome, resulting in a happy guest.
- 6). Ask questions of the interviewer when invited. For example, you might ask about the position's daily responsibilities, formal training programs, performance evaluations and possibilities for professional advancement.
- 7). Maintain confident eye contact throughout the interview, speak clearly and give complete answers. Smile warmly to demonstrate your ability to connect with people -- this can help the interviewer imagine how friendly and personable you'll be as you work behind the hotel desk. Shake hands at the beginning and end of the interview and thank the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you.
- 8). Follow up with a personal thank you note to the interviewer the next day. Call the company the following week to inquire about a hiring decision, if necessary.
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