When did you enter the travel industry? Why did you join or seek a position in this wild and wonderful, glamorous industry? If your entry into the trade was anything like mine, you had a passion of some kind, to see the world to explore it and then help others go see what you had actually experienced first hand. My passion to travel started when I was about 13 years old. Japan was my focus. I had that burning desire to 'hit the road' and just go. Bring back any memories?
There was moment in time during one of my workshops when I sat with a group of travel trade veterans to review our first day on the job, what we did and what we earned. Now that was interesting chatter! Looking at the now senior manager and watching their face and body and persona change back to that 'kid on the road' was an incredible insight as to the original dream and the outcome that is still unfolding. Given half a chance, everyone in the room would have thrown away their laptop and gone travelling... but, times have changed. To use the current language, it's a new world, a different landscape. Which is true and it's within this new world of travel that you are hiring.
Hiring smart means to know the exact profile of the position you are hiring for, the reason that job exists and key performance objectives and indicators that can be measured to show success is happening on the job. Hiring smart is also about hiring in people with skill sets that go beyond today. It's a good bet that 90% of people hired today have obsolete skills tomorrow. So what's your plan for tomorrow? What skill sets have you identified as crucial for the coming year or two?
The main reason people are hired into a business is to solve the profit problem. Chip away all the fancy words and get to the no-fluff discussion and you'll arrive at this truth: people are hired to generate a return on their salary. They are hired to produce sales, to service the customer 100%, ask for referrals, seek out new profit opportunities, maintain and grow their own education and skills and to repeat, increase the profit of the company that hired them. When that key point is understood - you can put back all the fancy things that go with the job like super 'look at me' titles and travel expenses and techno tools. Never lose track however that the job is not to 'look good' but to turn a profit.
When you are in hiring mode this basic issue of profit has to be addressed. Get past the 'how long in the trade' questions and get to the issue of sales. You need and want the candidate to prove to you that they can sell. That they can meet and greet and handle themselves at the level for which they are being hired. Find out if they are worldly, up on the latest business and trade news, do they know what's going on around them, can they stand in front of an audience of peers or clients and deliver a fantastic presentation or keynote speech? Do they 'get" the company culture and philosophy?
Have we asked them to prove what they say they can do? Ask the front line candidate to generate three bookings. Get them involved in a simulation with another member of staff acting as a customer. Keep it natural and nice but test the knowledge, and the candidates ability to use the CRS, hunt online for something. Now ask them to respond to a prepared email. More searching online. Put them through their paces.
Same for a Business Development Manager, same for any Manager. All skills must be proven.
Training the NEXT generation means you, if you are the manager or trainer, had better be on your toes when it comes to techno everything. Now just because a candidate is twenty-something does not mean they are a whiz-kid for all things online. Probably most younger people applying for a position are well versed with the basics of Facebook and the like. Others might be further ahead. And a few may be the whiz kid that with training in marketing could lead your social media / marketing strategy.
For more information on how I see the profile of a Ng Travel Agent - click to my DIRECTIONS BLOG...
More to come on hiring smart and training the Ng TA. One question for you: if YOU where interviewed today for your current job would you get it? Are your skills sufficient for next 3 years?
All the best.
Steve
There was moment in time during one of my workshops when I sat with a group of travel trade veterans to review our first day on the job, what we did and what we earned. Now that was interesting chatter! Looking at the now senior manager and watching their face and body and persona change back to that 'kid on the road' was an incredible insight as to the original dream and the outcome that is still unfolding. Given half a chance, everyone in the room would have thrown away their laptop and gone travelling... but, times have changed. To use the current language, it's a new world, a different landscape. Which is true and it's within this new world of travel that you are hiring.
Hiring smart means to know the exact profile of the position you are hiring for, the reason that job exists and key performance objectives and indicators that can be measured to show success is happening on the job. Hiring smart is also about hiring in people with skill sets that go beyond today. It's a good bet that 90% of people hired today have obsolete skills tomorrow. So what's your plan for tomorrow? What skill sets have you identified as crucial for the coming year or two?
The main reason people are hired into a business is to solve the profit problem. Chip away all the fancy words and get to the no-fluff discussion and you'll arrive at this truth: people are hired to generate a return on their salary. They are hired to produce sales, to service the customer 100%, ask for referrals, seek out new profit opportunities, maintain and grow their own education and skills and to repeat, increase the profit of the company that hired them. When that key point is understood - you can put back all the fancy things that go with the job like super 'look at me' titles and travel expenses and techno tools. Never lose track however that the job is not to 'look good' but to turn a profit.
When you are in hiring mode this basic issue of profit has to be addressed. Get past the 'how long in the trade' questions and get to the issue of sales. You need and want the candidate to prove to you that they can sell. That they can meet and greet and handle themselves at the level for which they are being hired. Find out if they are worldly, up on the latest business and trade news, do they know what's going on around them, can they stand in front of an audience of peers or clients and deliver a fantastic presentation or keynote speech? Do they 'get" the company culture and philosophy?
Have we asked them to prove what they say they can do? Ask the front line candidate to generate three bookings. Get them involved in a simulation with another member of staff acting as a customer. Keep it natural and nice but test the knowledge, and the candidates ability to use the CRS, hunt online for something. Now ask them to respond to a prepared email. More searching online. Put them through their paces.
Same for a Business Development Manager, same for any Manager. All skills must be proven.
Training the NEXT generation means you, if you are the manager or trainer, had better be on your toes when it comes to techno everything. Now just because a candidate is twenty-something does not mean they are a whiz-kid for all things online. Probably most younger people applying for a position are well versed with the basics of Facebook and the like. Others might be further ahead. And a few may be the whiz kid that with training in marketing could lead your social media / marketing strategy.
For more information on how I see the profile of a Ng Travel Agent - click to my DIRECTIONS BLOG...
More to come on hiring smart and training the Ng TA. One question for you: if YOU where interviewed today for your current job would you get it? Are your skills sufficient for next 3 years?
All the best.
Steve
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