I was contacted directly by the HR Director to come in for an interview for the Operations Manager position. When I arrived, the interviewers were completely unaware that an interview had been scheduled or why I had been invited in at all. Rather than conducting a genuine evaluation, they looked me over and suggested that if I wanted to get my feet wet in hospitality I should consider starting in housekeeping. This was said to a Hispanic professional with several years of progressive experience across events, catering, nightlife, and restaurant leadership, including managing teams of 35 or more and a current AGM role in New York City. The comment was tone deaf and inappropriate. The interview did not reflect the qualifications listed in the job posting and felt less like a professional evaluation and more like a judgment made the moment I walked in the door. I came prepared, presented my experience clearly, and was not given a fair opportunity to be assessed on my merits. The HR Director was professional and thorough throughout the process on her end. The disconnect was entirely in the room. I would strongly caution candidates from diverse backgrounds to be aware of what they may encounter here. A hospitality company of Highgate’s size and reputation should hold its properties to a higher standard than this.

Easy flowing questions and go over past experience. Make sure you have examples handy. Research the property and the target clientele. Also research the person that ia interviewing you to see their past experience.