Careers in Hospitality, Tourism, and Real Estate

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A Great Night’s Sleep: Careers in Hospitality, Tourism & Real Estate

featuringXavier Flores

Hosted by: Career Advisors on Demand..com/webinars

http://www.evisors.com/webinars/webinar/60



Careers in Hospitality, Tourism & Real Estate

About XavierOverview of the IndustryHow to Research the IndustryWhat are Firms Looking For?What to Expect in the Recruiting ProcessWhat to Expect in the InterviewQ&A






- Current post: Director of Feasibility and Development Finance for Latin America at Hyatt Hotels Corporation

- Education: - MBA, ESADE Business School (Barcelona, Spain)- MHM, IMIS ESTHUA-Conrad N. Hilton College (Angers, France &

Houston, USA), joint degree in Hospitality Management- BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Conrad N. Hilton College

- Work experience began in 1995- Hilton College (waiter, bartender, banquets and catering)- Off-premise catering companies- PKF Consulting & PricewaterhouseCoopers (lodging-specialized

consultant)- Entrepreneur

- Avid traveler & unrepentant gourmand






About Xavier

Overview of the IndustryHow to Research the IndustryWhat are Firms Looking For?What to Expect in the Recruiting ProcessWhat to Expect in the InterviewQ&A






Hotels, restaurants, airlines:

- Labour intensive- High utilization of fixed assets, wear-and-tear- Quality-based, extremely subjective- Very competitive environment- Volatile






Hotel operation components:

Operations:• Independent vs. Chain• Franchise• Management

Company• Owner/Operator

Property Owning:• Individual

Owner• Investment

Funds• Other Groups






Hotel Development:1. Land or building available for development

1. Location, access, airlift, demand sources, access to a labor pool, licenses and permits

2. Operator1. Expertise, distribution, track record, market positioning, operating requirements

3. Financing1. Returns expectations, sources of funding, anticipated involvement

4. Design/Developer/Construction1. Experience, ability to deliver on time and within budget






About XavierOverview of the Industry

How to Research the IndustryWhat are Firms Looking For?What to Expect in the Recruiting ProcessWhat to Expect in the InterviewQ&A






• Be a traveler and know other travelers• Plan trips under various scenarios:

• As a CEO with unlimited expense accounts and tight schedules• As a mid-level manager with a per-diem budget• As a convention attendant• As an entrepreneur seeking for opportunities to open a new

market• As the head of a large family with a tight budget, small

children and one senior family member also going along• As a backpacker trying to get away for Spring Break






• Be a traveler and know other travelers• Plan trips under various scenarios.

• Understand each lodging option discovered• Channel of distribution, product offered, competing products

• Develop a personal preference






• Identify main players by role and segment:• Operators• Owners • Investors• Complementary service providers (insurers, lawyers,

consultants)

• Research trade news providers:• Hotel-Online – Hospitality News• Hotels News• Daily Lodging Report• Specialized consultancies (HVS, PKF Consulting, Deloitte,

PwC, E&Y, Alvarez & Marsal)• Dedicated publications (Hotelie Magazine by Cornell,

HospitalityLawyer.com)

Hosted by:See the rest at evisors.com/webinars/webinar/22




About XavierOverview of the IndustryHow to Research the Industry

What are Firms Looking For?What to Expect in the Recruiting ProcessWhat to Expect in the InterviewQ&A





Profile of a Hotel Developer (1 of 2):

• Understanding of Real Estate as an Industry in general and Tourism in particular• What makes a good location good? • Why do people travel? • What do different types of travelers require? • How much/little is a typical guest willing to pay?

• Knowledge of the geographic market and local customs• Experience beats degrees





Profile of a Hotel Developers (2 of 2)

• Salesmanship • Hustling attitude and true thirst for closing good deals• Good negotiating abilities

• Having an eye for customer service that can be translated into figures• How many housekeepers do you need per shift? How many servers

should be staffed during dinner? Do you benefit from 24-hour concierge services?

• Duvet or triple-sheeting? Fully-stocked minibars? In-room coffee makers? Swimming pool?





About XavierOverview of the IndustryHow to Research the IndustryWhat are Firms Looking For?

What to Expect in the Recruiting Process

What to Expect in the InterviewQ&A





• Demonstrate understanding of the travel industry– Product differences (star- and diamond-ratings; full- vs. select-service;

business, convention, destination properties)– Brand characteristics (distribution; reward systems; corporate identity;

growth strategies)

• Knowledge of the region– Main destination and feeder markets– Economic drivers/hurdles

• Network– Contacts within the industry and across industries

• Ability to work independently





About XavierOverview of the IndustryHow to Research the IndustryWhat are Firms Looking For?What to Expect in the Recruiting ProcessWhat to Expect in the Interview

Q&A




Questions & Answers

Question 1:

If you are an MBA looking to break into the market, what strategies would you recommend in entering the industry?

Hosted by:See the answer at evisors.com/webinars/webinar/22



Questions & Answers

Question 2:

What are your thoughts on where you would likely start within this industry?




Questions & Answers

Question 3:

Is there a certain level of prestige associated with large hotel chains or is personal preference more prevalent when applying?




Questions & Answers

Question 4:

Do you know of any large development projects in Barcelona that would benefit those trying to enter the industry?




Questions & Answers

Question 5:

Given your experience in Brazilian markets, can you compare its characteristics to those of North American/European markets?




Questions & Answers

Question 6:

Are there structured recruiting programs within this industry for those in MBA programs?




Thanks for Joining & Good Luck!




Careers in Hospitality, Tourism, and Real Estate

Career

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