Job seeking in tough times

Employ your CV to work for you when seeking a new role and make the most of free advice.

By the end of 2020 UK hospitality had lost hundreds of thousands of jobs in a year which had started with hope that the industry would greatly contribute to more economic growth. The number crunchers pour out more gloomy news and, as UK Hospitality has pointed out, our sector continues to take the biggest hit. When regions move in to Tier 3 this is the equivalent of a lockdown for many of us.

For all the statistics, losing your job through redundancy is a personal experience, now coming at a time when it can be hard to keep your chin up and believe you will soon find another role. But there are housekeeping jobs out there, although not as many as previously, and knowing the best moves to make could soon have you back in employment.

All this was highlighted during a recent online session provided by The Master Innholders and hosted by Hilary Cooke of Merlin Consultancy. Among those taking part was Kathy Dyball of Caterer.com who told how this was now much more than a ‘jobs board’, having grown from March to be a redeployment hub and now included a mass of career advice for the whole job-seeking journey, from CVs to well-being. Dyball revealed that at one time Caterer.com might include up to 20,000 jobs, but although that had decreased, there were still good hospitality roles being advertised alongside, for now, jobs in the care and logistics sectors which might suit the skill patterns of those who feel obliged to move ‘sideways’, even temporarily. And she’s right. When we checked in mid-December, some 800 plus involved housekeeping, from first jobs and tasks like laundry assistants right up to senior managerial roles at prestigious hotels. The website includes an excellent – and free – downloadable guide collated by Marcus Weedon, founder of Milestone Recruitment. He also took part in the online session and told of how when much of his usual work ‘dried up’ he started to help others seeking to support those in need of new jobs. This has included producing The Jobseeker Handbook. It’s packed with advice on CVs, links to numerous job websites, how to ‘headhunt’ your next employer and tips on questions you are likely to face at interviews as well as those you should ask. Discussion during the session also covered identifying and promoting our key skills and CV help for those who perhaps had been in the same job for 10 to 15 years so had not applied for a new role for some time, and how to deal with explaining any gaps in CVs.

Find it at the Caterer.

You can also watch the full session hosted by The Master Innholders and Hilary Cooke on youtube, look for ‘What’s Next For Me? Hospitality Recruitment Guidance’. The success stories revealed by Weedon will undoubtedly give hope to those wondering if anyone is actually reading an emailed CV and covering letter.

Remember too that it’s good to talk, now called networking. Stay in touch with UKHA members and former colleagues. They may well be first to hear of a job which sounds perfect for you. And keep hopeful, even if the start of this year is exceptionally tough. As was highlighted in the online session, it’s the job that has been made redundant, not the individual who must deal with the consequences. A potential new employer will understand if you have been out of work for some time.

Recent issues of Housekeeping Today have included numerous stories of hoteliers determined to open new residencies from spring onwards. Other major projects are due to complete later in the year or early in 2022 – they are all going to need expert housekeepers!