Question
I have a hotel background and have previously worked in a five-star hotel in India. I came to London a year ago and have worked in a post office to gain some experience of the UK environment. Now I want to go back to my previous profession, where I specialised in front of house. So far I haven’t had any replies to the jobs I’ve applied for, so can you tell me how I should proceed?
Answer
Ian Horrox, human resources director, Conran Restaurants and Retail:
Don’t give up. Start by contacting the organisations to which you have already applied, to see if they will give you feedback on why your application was unsuccessful.
When you apply for jobs, emphasise the skills you have gained during your experience in the UK, such as communication and customer service skills.
When companies have open days, make sure you go along. Dress smartly and talk about your customer care experiences both in the UK and abroad. Some UK employers may think that the systems you have used in India may not be compatible with those used in their organisations, so you will have to convince them that this is not a hindrance.
Try contacting the HR department or relevant head of department of a hotel that you would like to work in on the pretext of gaining some career advice. If you present yourself in an appropriate manner and confidently describe your skills and knowledge, this may well land you a job.
If necessary, be prepared to be flexible and start in a lower position than you have held previously and work your way up, and consider working at night to get a foot in the door.
Alternatively, you could apply for a position in a retail environment where you will again be able to prove your customer service skills and then proceed into hospitality.
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