Hospitality and Hotel Industry Assessment Tests, Hiring Process & Interviews Online Preparation – 2024

If you are looking for a job with an extreme focus on customer service, then a position in hospitality might be right for you. This is a huge industry, with airlines alone generating over $200 billion in revenue. This is an industry that will continue to expand globally, providing job opportunities to people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experience. The hospitality industry includes any position that involves focusing on customer service in food and lodging. Work in hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, and casinos is considered part of the hospitality industry. Positions in hospitality include housekeeping, concierge service, waitressing, management, sales, marketing, and more. The hospitality industry is divided into several categories:

• Restaurant Service – Restaurant work is one of the most commonly sought-after categories in the hospitality industry. This can range from waitressing, management, food preparation, and cashiering. Although not all jobs are customer-facing, the focus, from service to food preparation and cleanliness, is on customer satisfaction. Restaurant and food-service can often blend into other aspects of hospitality. Luxury hotels often have onsite restaurants or provide room service. Casinos frequently have wait staff on the floor providing patrons with beverage service.
• Travel and Tourism – From air travel to guided tours, the tourism industry is focused on accommodating travellers while they see the world. Flight attendants, tour guides, and travel agents are some of the positions that are part of this aspect of the hospitality industry. Travel and tourism are closely linked to the hotel and restaurant industries just by the nature of travel. Many travel agents or tourism bureaus can help travellers with accommodations and provide them with recommendations for places to dine.
• Hotels and Accommodations – The hotel industry can be broken into subcategories. Economy hotels service travellers who are on a budget, or who are quickly passing through an area and only need simple accommodations. They typically offer a continental breakfast to guests. Motels are very basic and aimed at truck drivers, and people who are making overnight stops while travelling. Full-service hotels frequently have an onsite restaurant and conference rooms and are aimed at business people or people wanting a more personal experience. Luxury hotels focus on the experience, providing onsite restaurants and room service, spas, and a high-end feeling. Bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels offer a different kind of experience, focusing on atmosphere and charm while providing a range of services which may vary, these are generally privately owned.

 

The Hiring Process Steps

Application

The application process in the hospitality industry can vary widely depending on where your focus is. Job-seekers for hotel and some restaurant jobs can anticipate an online application process. This process is simple and requires you to apply online, with your resume, or CV, and a cover letter tailored to the position.  These systems allow you to save your resume so you can submit for more than one position and sign up for job alerts if no jobs matching your skill-set are available when you first search. Privately owned hotels, or a bed and breakfast, may hire through recommendations, or still rely on paper applications, even these small businesses generally have a website and can answer your questions through email. Many restaurants still accept paper applications or employee recommendations when hiring. When applying in person, remember to look sharp, since this is the first impression, they will have of you.

 

Hospitality & Hotel Pre-Employment Tests

Online assessment tests are becoming a major part of the hiring process for many industries, and hospitality is no different. After applying for a position with a hotel and restaurant, you may be contacted about taking online tests. These are psychometric and skills-based tests used to determine how suitable a job-seeker is for the position. Online assessment tests for the hospitality industry are developed by a number of testing companies including Harver, Criteria, and Aon Hewitt. Tests that are common to the hospitality industry are:

• Personality Assessment – These are psychometric tests used to determine an applicant’s main personality traits, and if they suit the profile the employer has determined for that position. Personality tests are multiple-choice and are not timed.
• SJT – Performance under pressure and a focus on customer service are integral parts of working in hospitality. The situational judgment test is used to help get a sense of how a candidate can handle difficult issues they might encounter on the job. This test is multiple choice, and you will either need to pick your response to a scenario from a list of choices or rank the choices from best to worst.
• Verbal Reasoning Test – Understanding instructions from both management and customers is important in the hospitality field. To make sure an applicant can understand verbal, or written information, a verbal reasoning test may be given. This test consists of several paragraphs, which you must read, and answer follow up questions about. The test may be true or false, or multiple-choice. Depending on the test provider you may be timed.
• Logical Reasoning Test – Management, concierge services, and customer relations, and front desk people all need to be able to demonstrate an ability to think logically and problem solve. Logical reasoning tests demonstrate the test taker’s ability to use logic to solve abstract concepts. The test consists of sequences and patterns of shapes which you must complete within the allotted time frame.
• Leadership Assessment Test – Some businesses in the hospitality industry have their management prospects take a leadership assessment test. This is usually made up of several types of test questions. Personality, situational judgment, and aptitude questions are the types of questions you will most likely encounter on these tests.

 

Hospitality Jobs Interviews

Interviews in the hospitality industry will focus on job-seekers customer service abilities. You will be questioned about your relevant experience, and your background and any education you may have. You may be asked to role-play customer service scenarios so the hiring manager can get a sense of your customer service skills. Making yourself familiar with the STAR Method of interviewing will prepare you for some of the questions you may encounter. STAR stands for situation, task, action, result, and questions presented in this style are typical of behavioral interviews. Some of the questions you might be asked during your interview are:

• What is your idea of excellent customer service?
• Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure, what was the outcome? Is there anything you would change about the way you handled it?
• Have you ever had a conflict with another employee? How did you handle it?
• Have you ever had to deal with an unhappy client? How did you make things right?
• What drew you to hospitality? What is your ultimate goal in this industry?

 

How to Prepare for Hotels Psychometric Tests?

To get a job in the hospitality industry you will have to demonstrate your passion for customer service from the outset. An eye-catching resume and cover letter are only the first steps. You will need to make an impression with your online assessment tests as well. Many online tests are measured against a stacked system, which means that the scores from all test takers are measured against each other. To make sure you stand ahead of the pack, take your time to prepare for any assessment tests you may have to take. Personality tests can seem impossible to study for, but by learning about the values and mission of the company you are applying for, you will know what they are looking for in an employee. When taking the personality test, respond to questions the way you would in your professional life, since personal and professional personalities can differ. Verbal and logical reasoning tests can be prepared for easily by reading and doing logic puzzles to exercise the abstract thinking part of your brain.

When taking the tests make sure you are in an environment that will make things easier for you. You want to be able to focus and avoid distractions, and also find a way to keep your stress level low. Check your internet connection, so you are not disrupted by technical issues. Read the directions carefully before beginning the tests so you can avoid careless mistakes, and on timed tests, resist the urge to rush, but do not waste too much time on any one question. If you are able to demonstrate your drive for customer service and make your personality stand out on the assessment tests, you will be well on your way to finding your place in the hospitality industry.

 

 

Leading Hotel Chains

We have compiled a list of some of the biggest hotel chains, to help your search if you are looking for work in this field.

The Ritz-Carlton	The Hotel Collection	Swallow Hotels	Country Inn	Days Inn
Australis Hotels	The UK Holiday Group	Thistle Hotels	Econo Lodge	Hotel 81
Santika Indonesia Hotels & Resorts	Autograph Collection	Chifley Hotels	Golden Leaf	Clarion
Dorsett Hospitality International	Furama International	Comfort Suites	Grand Hyatt	Comfort
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts	Holiday Inn Express	Crerar Hotels	Hyatt Place	Menzies
The Langham Hotels and Resorts	The Eton Collection	Ramada Jarvis	ibis budget	Mercure
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts	Four Pillars Hotels	Stakis Hotels	ibis Styles	Montana
Swiss-Belhotel International	Golden Chain Motels	Travelodge UK	Vibe Hotels	Morgans
Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts	SilverNeedle Hotels	Fraser Suites	Worldhotels	Novotel
Meriton Serviced Apartments	The Montcalm Hotel	Hilton Hotels	Travelodge	Peppers
BreakFree Hotels & Resorts	Real Hotel Company	Hyatt Regency	GLH Hotels	Pullman
Grand Hotels International	Village Hotel Club	YHA Australia	Metro Inns	Seaside
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham	8Hotels Collection	Best Western	Umi hotels	Sofitel
Medina Serviced Apartments	BIG4 Holiday Parks	Corus Hotels	Park Hyatt	Thistle
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts	Innkeeper’s Lodge	Crest Hotels	Champneys	Warwick
Preferred Hotels & Resorts	Oakwood Worldwide	Hotel du Vin	EasyHotel	Apollo
StayWell Hospitality Group	Rendezvous Hotels	Wetherspoons	Jurys Inn	Grange
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts	Travelodge Hotels	Accor Hotels	Snoozebox	Indigo
Punthill Apartment Hotels	Mandarin Oriental	aloft Hotels	Britannia	Ramada
Quest Serviced Apartments	Britannia Hotels	Crowne Plaza	Citadines	Regent
ARRA Accommodation Group	Edwardian Hotels	Four Seasons	Courtyard	Sorell
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts	Exclusive Hotels	Fraser Place	Formule 1	Westin
Malmaison (hotel chain)	Macdonald Hotels	Hyatt Hotels	Copthorne	Conrad
Principal Hotel Company	InterContinental	Radisson Blu	St. Regis	Yotel
Discovery Holiday Parks	Modena by Fraser	Premier Inn	Marriott	Abode
Four Points by Sheraton	Belmond Limited	Holiday Inn	Fairmont	Ascot
Rydges Hotels & Resorts	McMillan Hotels	Double Tree	MGallery	ibis
Adina Apartment Hotels	Capri by Fraser	Apex Hotels	Sheraton	Tryp
Dorchester Collection	Country Comfort	Bloc Hotels	Star Inn	Concorde
Oaks Hotels & Resorts	Millennium Hotels	Scandic Hotels	Peel Hotels	IHG
Meliá Hotels International	Magnuson Hotels