Moving up

[PenforPrez]

The big boss at the hotel (the GM) always likes to talk to the housekeepers when we're out in the rooms every day. The man's BS reading is fairly high, but he halfway cares, which is more than could be said for most in that position.

So, after a lot of internal debate, I asked the big boss the other day if it was too early to discuss what kind of advancement possibilities I might have. He said that no, it was not too early to discuss it.

Bear in mind that the GM asked me in the interview if I would be willing to consider moving up in the company, and I said I would. He seems to like me and would be willing to support whatever upward move I made.

I've never won any sort of promotion in my life, and I've never had a discussion like this. I'm looking to talk to the boss about that this week; he said to just drop by his office when I had time to discuss it. How do I approach something like this?

Paul

[asm198]

I've found that GMs are pretty good about making time to talk to their employees about stuff like this. Have a position in mind when you go in to chat. Do you want more money, more responsibility, moved to a different department? Do you see yourself staying in hotels as a career? What's your gameplan? Do you have a degree? Are you willing to get one?

If you don't get the answers you like, ask him what you can do to improve. I've always found that they will be fairly honest about giving you feedback when you want to be promoted within the company.

[PenforPrez]

A lot of people (including here at QLC) have suggested the possibilities of hotel management to me. I have trouble seeing myself running a hotel; you have to be a cooler customer than I to run something that size.

I thought about seeing if he could score me an interview with somebody in HR at corporate HQ in St. Louis (very convenient, that) and seeing what I could do in a knowledge or analytical capacity.

Paul

[asm198]

A lot of people (including here at QLC) have suggested the possibilities of hotel management to me. I have trouble seeing myself running a hotel; you have to be a cooler customer than I to run something that size.

I thought about seeing if he could score me an interview with somebody in HR at corporate HQ in St. Louis (very convenient, that) and seeing what I could do in a knowledge or analytical capacity.

Paul

It's been my experience that you really have to work your way up to working for corporate. Basically, you have to prove to everyone that you know what you're doing, as far as knowing the in's and out's of running a hotel, even if the job you get isn't anywhere near a hotel.

As far as running a hotel, you just need practice with being a 'cool customer'. It's not really all that hard, you just need to work well under pressure, be able to please when you need to, be a hard ass when you need to, and really enjoy it. I've never personally ran a hotel, in any official capacity, but at times it sure seemed like I was.

[WorkInProgress]

Could you see yourself growing into it?

There's a lot I can't do now, but I can learn. And I'm willing to bet that you can too.

[PenforPrez]

I had a long talk with the GM yesterday about it. Said I'm trying to find my career bearings and I could see myself working at this company long-term. Which is true; the company I work for isn't half bad. They're fairly honest, and I like their business model. Also, it's all family-owned; no greedy shareholders to answer to. :)

The GM and I were discussing opportunities in operations; the hotel jobs. We were discussing management, and I said that I felt I could not be an adequate manager until I learned to be more calm and not panic so much.

So the GM offered a novel solution. If there's money in payroll for this, and the two necessary people agree, he may let me serve at the hotel bar a couple of days a week. :) Great way to work with people, learn assertiveness and deal with situations.

So I said I was agreeable, but the GM said "no promises." Nonetheless, it was better than I'd hoped. :razz:

Paul

[WorkInProgress]

Cool. I'm not sure that you needed to tell your manager why you think you wouldn't be a good manager (a simple, "I'm not ready yet" would be enough, no?), but sounds like he's receptive to the idea of you shakin' things up, and that's great.

[PenforPrez]

Cool. I'm not sure that you needed to tell your manager why you think you wouldn't be a good manager (a simple, "I'm not ready yet" would be enough, no?), but sounds like he's receptive to the idea of you shakin' things up, and that's great.

I wondered about that, but I know what I need to do. The GM made that suggestion based on what I told him. So I think it worked out alright. :)

Paul