IFTM students interviewed found vacancies offered diverse at the recent Career Day, which saw companies from across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area striving for high-calibre candidates.
Among the many employers in search for talents at IFTM is Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong, a multi-brand and multiregional hotel chain originated in Hong Kong. The chain was absorbing talents for its Hong Kong operations – Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Gateway Hotel and Prince Hotel – totalling to 1,500 rooms, with the latter anticipating its reopening after renovation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, a relatively large workforce is required to support the reopening.
Cyrina Chan, Area Director Human Resources at the hotel group, highlighted that energy is the core quality anticipated in interested jobseekers. “We don’t mind hiring fresh graduates and candidates without past working experiences, because we have a strong management trainee programme,” Cyrina highlighted. “A candidate will not be confined to a particular department. In contrast, they will see the opportunities to experience positions in departments other than their applied ones.”
Cyrina emphasised a multitude of previous trainees had spoken highly about the programme, which in fact implied the quality of employers at the Career Day. She further stated that the main advantage of IFTM and its students is that the institute, while celebrating an international campus, possesses students from around the world, adding that her company is not reluctant to acquire high-calibre candidates from across the Greater Bay Area. Besides energy, passion in career development is also a key quality, Cyrina said.
Echoing her comment is Silvester Chao, talent acquisition manager at the W Macao hotel, which is expected to open in September this year. While commenting on qualities in students, Chao said that the hotel is scrutinising candidates’ attitudes, highlighting a passion to pursue a career in the hospitality industry as a plus. Chao suggested that candidates have a better understanding of their own interests. They should also possess confidence because the hotel has a distinctive image. As part of the globally largest hotel chain, the Marriott International, W Hotels live out an unconventional luxury image that many millennials find appealing. For instance, the Rooms departments is called Whatever/Whenever under the hotel brand.
As for tips for students on better preparing themselves for recruitment, Chao reminds students to do pre-work and understand the philosophy and history of both the hotel brand and the hotel group. With ample knowledge, they could tell if the hotel is their best fit and should be able to convince interviewers that they are the right people. Full-swing training will commence in June, Chao added.
A local small-to-medium enterprise, MSS Recruitment, has also participated at the Career Day. Heven Kong, the recruiter’s marketing executive, revealed that the company is eyeing IFTM students from all disciplines, because it offers a wide array of positions on its own or its clients’ behalf. Commenting on the IFTM Career Day, Kong considered it a wonderful opportunity for employers and students to conduct in-depth conversations that would help get both parties familiarised with the concerns and requirements of their counterparts. Students were also able to ask questions directly, clarifying items with which they were not that familiar.
Meanwhile, obtaining market intelligence is a prominent matter to two students being interviewed, namely Sunny, Ieong Xu Hio from the Hotel Management Degree Programme and Venus, Lam Wan Oi from the Tourism Event Management Degree Programme. Both found the options at the Career Day diverse.
Sunny has already accepted an offer from Wynn Resorts, S.A., which offered him internship opportunities before. However, he appeared at the Career Day to gather deeper market intelligence. Sunny finds IFTM’s curricula particularly appropriate, as he said: “IFTM offers curricula that merges theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Having the chances to put our theoretical knowledge into practice at our campus restaurant will help us underpin our future career development.”
Venus made similar comments, saying that the IFTM Career Day featured exhibitors from a wide range of industries, such as hotels, sales and aviation company, embodying wider choices and more ample market intelligence.
