On ThE JOb
What Employers Want

PeoPLe skiLLs
“we look for the life experiences that demonstrate
that a candidate can have positive interactions with
people—this will always give students the edge,”
says caren albarian, vice president of human
resources at seaworld san antonio, where she
oversees the hiring and firing of the park’s nearly
3,000 seasonal and full-time employees.
Go with the
“for example,” albarian says, “if we’re hiring
two prep cooks at entry level, we are more
concerned about whether they can work well with
others than we are about their culinary experience.
experience helps, but the interview matters more.
and an ability to interact well with people is the
FLOW
most important skill in this business.”
PRoFessionAL PeRsonAL
APPeARAnCe
attractive, professional personal appearance is
critical—no tattoos or facial piercings are allowed.
There’s no such thing as a TYPiCAL dAY
dress conservatively, starting with the interview. in Hospitality & Tourism.
“You would be shocked at the way people come to
an interview dressed,” says bernay sheffield, owner
of zentner’s daughter steakhouse in san angelo,
which has around 100 employees.
I
t was a late Monday morning like any considering this career that you get to make
other when Bernay Sheffield, owner of San more decisions in an hour than the average
Angelo’s Zentner’s Daughter Steakhouse, banker or business executive does in a day.”
got some bad news: just as the lunch rush
WiLLinGness To LeARn
started, one of the flat grills broke. This was a Think on Your feet
“I meet a lot of students who want to zoom right to
problem, since the restaurant’s famed chicken- In Hospitality & Tourism, you have to learn
the top without learning what is in between,” says
fried steak depended on this grill, but Sheffield to go with the flow. “I have the best job in the
scott white, executive director of the san antonio
didn’t panic. entire industry,” says Yale Feldman, general
convention and visitors bureau. “In this business,
“The first thing you do is coach everybody manager of the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Dallas,
it’s important to spend time in different areas to
to anticipate problems,” he says. “You prepare which offers 1,840 rooms and—during peak
understand how your decisions impact others, and
everyone in the restaurant to expect a few season—employs 1,100. “I have control over
how they interconnect. It’s important to try to do
delays, just in case.” If he managed the situation all aspects of the hotel from guest hospitality
some different kinds of jobs in a business, even the
well, Sheffield knew, it’s possible that no one to sales to operations to community relations
ones that might not seem appealing. look at those
besides his staff would even notice a problem. to reporting profitability to the ownership.
jobs, and ask, ‘what can I learn? How can this job
“That’s not a typical day, but there really is I love it, it’s exciting—but there is never a
prepare me for the future?’ You’ll be surprised at
no typical day,” Sheffield says. “You have to set schedule.”
how it might make you a better manager in the
make a lot of snap decisions—you don’t have Feldman gets in at 7 a.m. every morning
long run.”
time to put together a board meeting or gather and walks around the hotel. “At 8 a.m., I meet
consensus. On any given day during lunch with the sales department to review the pace
WoRk eTHiC
rush, I have to make 30 of business,” he says. “Next, I meet with key
“The thing I look for is commitment and a strong
on-the-spot decisions, management personnel so that everyone knows
work ethic,” says sheffield. “I can’t stand to hear
each one of which what to expect in every aspect of the hotel
anyone say, ‘It’s not my job.’ To be successful in
will affect the today, from the front desk to the restaurant to
this business, you have to help, you have to have an
business. I tell the parking garage. Then a million different
attitude of teamwork, and you have to be willing
students things happen. By 2 in the afternoon, who
to learn. people who love it and are willing to
who are knows what I will be doing? I finish the
work hard thrive in this business. but we
day between 6 and 7 in the evening. Hotel
get others who say, ‘Too hard, too hot,
management is a minimum of 10 hours a day,
too long.’ They’ll just quit.”
five or six days a week. The compensation is
very good, but you have to work hard.”
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