Tell your story is one of my favorite lessons in leadership. I have been working now in four different hotels over the last eight years, and the last three in New York. Prior to that I believed it to be important to get as much experience as I could in as many different hotels and locations as possible, and worked in hotels in Europe and Asia.
About two years ago, a job opportunity in another hotel abroad opened up. It was an opening of a luxury hotel brand and intended to be the flagship of this region. I was offered a higher title and a better salary. I fully believed that this would be the right choice for me, to move on, and open up a new hotel abroad. No one could convince me otherwise at this point…
Until I talked to my hotel manager who made it very clear to me from the beginning of the conversation, that it would be my choice and that he would not try to persuade me by offering me a better title and higher salary, but that he does not believe it to be the right decision (not how I imagined this conversation to start after working for this hotel for two years and putting all my heart into it).
He said that it’s a common myth in hospitality to believe that one needs to change hotels and locations every two years and move around as much as possible. While this can be true at the very beginning of your career in hospitality, you would never be able to tell a story. A story of how you developed a team, changed processes and people to the better, and made a difference, as it takes more than a year or two. He continued that he receives many resumes that list the best educational background, and work experiences in many hotels of excellent reputation with good recommendations, but he would not hire an individual that he knows would be searching for a new challenge after only a year, as his hotel and the people working for him deserve better. His team deserves a leader that is committed to contribute to the legacy and make a change, not just a manager who wants to add another flagship to his resume and make a stopover for a year or two. It’s about being able to tell a story of what you accomplished and how, and this takes a minimum of three years.
Right then I realized that I was not finished yet, and my story not complete, I was not able to tell a full story yet. This twenty minutes conversation changed my outlook on my career entirely and my believe of what would be necessary to achieve my goals, and I came to understand how important it is to set goals, and see them being accomplished. Understanding the value of putting your efforts into developing people, and seeing them evolving and growing as of your guidance, is the most rewarding aspect of my job. I don’t believe you can become an effective leader without seeing how your efforts and dedication can make a change over years, and how the investment in your employees pays off in the long run.
Sitting at your next job interview, and being able to tell a story, a story of what you accomplished, how you made a difference, will set you ahead of your competition and impress your potential employer. Applying for the top positions in the top hotels, you can rest assured that everyone else applying has an excellent resume as well… it’s being able to tell you story that sets you ahead.
Question: Would you be able to tell your story when asked, or do you think you should let your CV talk for itself?