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Chicago Hotels Primed for HiringCJC recently talked with Ken Maier, director of human resources at The Palmer House Hilton, as well as Amy Wicklund, human resources manager for The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (a Four Seasons Hotel), to learn more about various entry-level positions, as well as inquire about essential job skills. The Palmer House Hilton The Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe, is one of Chicago's most historic hotels, originally founded about 135 years ago. The hotel has more than 1,600 rooms and approximately 1,000 employees who, according to Maier, represent a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Maier says the housekeeping and steward departments at The Palmer House Hilton employ the largest number of entry-level workers, with approximately 350 employees working in housekeeping alone. Room attendants are responsible for such duties as making beds, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, and changing linens. "The hotel industry is pretty labor-intensive," says Maier. Maier says that the majority of The Palmer House Hilton employees are union members. According to the union contract, room attendants at The Palmer House Hilton will earn $11.40 per hour as of May 1, 2005; that figure will increase to $11.75 on November 1, 2005; and to $12.10 in May 2006. "A seasoned room attendant can make almost $24,000 a year," says Maier.
The aforementioned hourly wages are significantly higher than the national average, according to WageWatch, a web-based compensation and benefits survey tool for human resource professionals. (1) The Palmer House Hilton offers free individual medical and dental coverage to employees, as well as "very affordable" family coverage, according to Maier. Other perks include a free continental breakfast, as well as free lunch at the hotel cafeteria everyday; two hotel staff parties per year; reduced rates at other Hilton hotels; savings on RTA/CTA rider passes; discounts on movie tickets; and more. "We try to do a number of things to help our staff," says Maier. Maier reveals that turnover is highest among housekeeping staff, so it's an area that's frequently hiring. "[Housekeeping] is a little bit of hard work," says Maier. "Some people just decide it's not for them." Maier adds that employee turnover is also dependent upon the economic climate. "When business is slow, turnover is slow," he says. Stewards (or utility stewards, as they're commonly referred to) are responsible for cleaning up the kitchen areas, washing dishes, and performing other miscellaneous duties. Beginning May 1, 2005, utility stewards will earn $11.15 per hour, which is also exceptionally higher than the national average. (2) Regardless of the position, Maier says there are basic characteristics he looks for when screening candidates, such as past employment. "We look for people with a stable work history," says Maier. Flexibility is also very important since The Palmer House Hilton is open year-round. Maier says it's helpful if an individual has previous hotel or hospitality experience, but The Palmer House Hilton offers training, including a bilingual employee who trains housekeeping staff. Friendliness also ranks high on Maier's list; in fact, it's a quality he looks for during the interview process. "If people have good hospitality skills, they're noticed," he says. Exceptional hospitality skills can also help an individual move ahead. "Most of our housekeeping managers started out as room attendants," says Maier. "And most [steward] supervisors started out as dishwashers." The front desk is another area where good communication skills are essential; however, it involves more complex responsibilities, such as handling cash and using a computer. Maier says it can be a great starting point for individuals considering a career within the industry. "They get a feel for the hotel industry, and they get to see if it's something they want to pursue," he says. Maier says The Palmer House Hilton will consider candidates who have a criminal background, depending on the offense and how long ago it happened. "We do a drug and criminal background check on everyone," says Maier. Application Process The Palmer House Hilton actively recruits new employees by sending representatives to job fairs, as well as directly contacting community organizations about job openings. "We send out a large number of e-mails and faxes," says Maier. In addition, the hotel has a job hotline that provides current openings. "We only accept applications for the open jobs," explains Maier. The employment manager at The Palmer House Hilton (whom Maier prefers not to identify by name) is the first person job developers should contact in order to receive a list of available jobs. Once the job developer identifies some opportunities from the list, he/she should then contact the employment manager to set up a convenient day and time for a candidate to come in and fill out an application. Applications are available in both English and Spanish. If you're interested in learning about current job openings at The Palmer House Hilton, please call the hotel's job hotline at (312) 621-7378. Or, call the hotel's main number at (312) 726-7500, press "0" for an operator, and ask to speak to the employment manager. The Ritz-Carlton Chicago Amy Wicklund, human resources manager at The Ritz-Carlton
Chicago, Similar to The Palmer House Hilton, Wicklund says that housekeeping and stewarding are two areas where The Ritz-Carlton is doing a lot of hiring. (The hotel employs approximately 100 staff members in housekeeping, and about 35 employees in the stewarding department.) Wicklund also notes that there are a lot of pastry cook positions opening up, although culinary experience and schooling are required. "[We're] just getting ready for the busier months, which are coming up," says Wicklund. She says that May and June are especially hectic, along with September and October. During the slower winter months, employees may find that there isn't as much work, but The Ritz-Carlton does everything it can to retain workers. "[Employees] may see some reduced hours," says Wicklund. "But, we make an effort to try to help them find hours." Wicklund gives an example of a bus attendant whose hours were reduced during the slower months, but who was then able to find extra work in the stewarding department because he had previously worked in that area. Wicklund says that job developers would do best to select candidates who have a stable work history, preferably with hotel or some sort of customer service experience. It's also important that the individual have a flexible schedule or can at least work the hours that are required for the position (including overnight shifts, if necessary). The Ritz-Carlton prefers that an individual have previous experience, but it's not always necessary. "Sometimes we'll look outside of that," says Wicklund. "Especially for something like our steward positions – we may not require someone to have been a dishwasher before."
Wicklund notes that every position has a training program. "We'll train on the core responsibilities of a job … like physically how to set the table, how to serve," she says. There are certain physical requirements, as well. "When we extend an offer, we have a job description that [candidates] review," says Wicklund. The form that is given to candidates explains any necessary physical movements, including lifting, pushing, and standing. Not all employees are required to have perfect English proficiency, but it's important to know the basics, according to Wicklund. "Someone needs to have enough English to understand what the guest is trying to ask, because anyone that works here, really, could be in a situation where they're dealing with a guest of the hotel. So, they would need to have enough skills to determine what the guest needs," she says. Wicklund says she can usually assess a candidate's language proficiency during the interview, which is always conducted in English. (Job applications are only available in English, as well.) When asked whether there are opportunities for individuals who don't have a lot of work experience, Wicklund keeps an open mind. "I hate to say we would never consider someone," she says. "It depends on the position, and it depends on the individual, too." Wicklund says that turnover at The Ritz-Carlton is low compared to the industry average, which could possibly be attributed to the company's culture. "I think a lot of people that work here are generally very friendly and warm, and they just anticipate other people's needs, and that's something that they're doing with the customer all the time," says Wicklund. The Ritz-Carlton is a union property, so full-time
employees get complete benefits. The hotel also offers
generous compensation, according to Wicklund. Other fringe benefits include free breakfast in the hotel cafeteria, along with complimentary lunch or dinner, depending on the shift. Wicklund says the hotel also provides uniforms for most positions, and cleans them free of charge. There are certain qualities Wicklund looks for in candidates, regardless of the position. "[We look for] professionalism, good communication skills, someone that's adaptable and flexible," says Wicklund. "When you're dealing with guests and customers, you could have two completely different personalities, one right after the other, so you need to be able to adapt to the guests," she says. There is also room for growth in many positions. For example, The Ritz-Carlton's executive housekeeper originally started out as a room attendant. Application Process The first step in applying for a position is to fill
out a paper application. HR is available M–F, from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.; however, even if HR is closed, Or, the application can be left with someone in the security office, which is located right outside HR and is staffed on a 24-hour basis. "We try to make our applications available, so that if someone's working odd hours, they don't have to rearrange their schedule just to apply for the job," says Wicklund. Applications or resumes can also be faxed directly to HR at (312) 266-9007. Wicklund says that HR is consistent in responding to all applicants. "When [the candidate] completes the application, we usually get back to the candidate within about 7–10 business days … either by phone or mail," says Wicklund. Individuals who are considered for employment at The Ritz-Carlton may be required to interview with as many as four hotel staff members, including an HR representative, a department manager, a division manager, and, finally, the hotel manager. The Ritz-Carlton also has a 24-hour job hotline that job developers can call to learn about current openings: (312) 573-5034.
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