GLOBAL UPDATE : HUMAN RESOURCES
IT ’ S NOT
FAIR !
One HOTELS blogger ’ s rant about skimping on seasoned pros strikes a chord .
By Nathan Greenhalgh , associate editor
Being passed up for a job for a lessexperienced candidate always seems unfair .
A recent “ Ricci Rants ” blog post on HOTELSMag . com by Susan Ricci , principal , S . Ricci & Co . Hospitality Consultants , New York City , showcased how the apparent preference of some hotel companies to hire lessexperienced managers has some old hands at their wit ’ s end .
“ When I ask for the criteria for the ‘ ideal ’ candidate , I am consistently disappointed to learn that years of experience doesn ’ t appear to be high on the list . It ’ s as if too much experience is a negative ,” Ricci noted in her recent blog entry “ Experience ? Need not apply .”
Ricci bases her observation on her consulting experience with hotels and developers in New York City , where RevPAR in March was up 10.4 % yearon-year to US $ 176.88 , according to STR — well above most U . S . destinations and suggesting hotel companies there could afford to give labor a larger slice of the revenue pie . However , Ricci says the issue is not confined to Manhattan . “ It is pervasive in the industry in North America , and I hope it changes ,” Ricci adds .
Ricci ’ s posit got more than 20 responses , the largest number of which blamed the trend on hotel companies avoiding paying higher salaries .
“ Here ’ s what I think — ‘ shortsightedness ’ comes to mind ,” wrote Barry Mann , an executive recruiter at Marshall-Alan Associates , New York City . “ The company is going to pay US $ 75,000 , but the seasoned guy was looking for US $ 85,000 . The company has saved US $ 10,000 . Wrong ! The seasoned guy , with all his past contacts , could have picked up the phone , called several of his former clients ( individual , group , association , whatever ) and more than paid for himself in a few months .”
Others opined that hotel companies are looking for managers that won ’ t rock the boat with dissenting views on policies and practices .
“ I don ’ t think it is salary as much as I believe that they are afraid to hire someone who might know more than they do ,” wrote Phiroza Kothavala , director of learning and development , The Pierre , New York .
Some defended the trend , though , arguing that experience is not the most important qualifier for a job candidate . Ainslie Caldwell , front office manager at Westin Resort and Spa , Whistler , in
British Columbia , Canada , contended certain management experience is not relevant , and seasoned professionals can be complacent about developing new skills . “ We often see that managers in the same positions for extended periods can become stagnant in their creativity and personal development ,” Caldwell wrote . “ They become complacent .”
Robert Blood , founder and CEO of Lark Hotels , Newburyport , Massachusetts , asserted that fresh employees not beset with habits from previous jobs could perform better . “ At Lark Hotels we prefer to train enthusiastic fresh people who fit our culture and are willing to learn to do things the Lark way rather than people who already have a prescribed idea of how things should be done ,” Blood wrote .
Other consultants say a series of accomplishments is more important than experience . However , Ricci argues these points of view discount how much inexperienced staff can cost a hotel .
“ The response I got to the blog solidified what my thoughts were ,” Ricci adds . “ People are not making the equation that lack of experience can cost you much more than the extra compensation .”
16 HOTELS June 2012 www . hotelsmag . com