Evaluate strategic experience depth, executive background quality, hospitality experience excellence, and career progression leadership whilst focusing on experience leadership rather than experience quantity. Assess sophisticated experience application that drives strategic capability and executive potential.
Common misunderstanding: Testing years of experience instead of leadership quality
Many hiring managers count how many years someone has worked rather than testing if they can lead teams through complex situations. For Hotel General Manager roles, you need someone who can guide strategy and manage executives, not just someone who has done lots of tasks.
Let's say you are interviewing for a Hotel General Manager position. Instead of asking "How many years have you worked in hotels?" ask "Tell me about a time you led a major strategic change that affected multiple departments." This shows if they can actually lead at the executive level your hotel needs.
Common misunderstanding: Assuming long experience equals good leadership
Some managers think that someone with 20 years of experience will automatically be a good leader. But working for many years doesn't mean you can manage executives or make strategic decisions that affect the whole hotel.
Let's say you are comparing two Hotel General Manager candidates. One has 25 years of experience but only managed small teams. Another has 12 years but successfully led major hotel renovations affecting 200+ staff. The second candidate shows the executive leadership skills you actually need.
Essential competencies include strategic experience depth, executive background quality, hospitality experience excellence, and career progression leadership whilst valuing experience leadership over experience quantity. Focus on competencies that predict strategic capability and executive success.
Common misunderstanding: Focusing on resume length rather than strategic impact
Hiring managers often look at how long someone's resume is instead of checking if they can handle the strategic challenges Hotel General Managers face. A long work history doesn't mean someone can manage budgets, lead executives, or make decisions that affect hotel performance.
Let's say you are reviewing Hotel General Manager applications. Instead of counting job titles, look for examples where candidates influenced hotel-wide strategy, managed P&L responsibility, or led major operational changes. These show the strategic thinking your role requires.
Common misunderstanding: Not testing real executive decision-making skills
Some managers focus on what candidates have done rather than testing if they can make the complex executive decisions Hotel General Managers face daily. You need someone who can coordinate strategy across departments and lead other managers.
Let's say you are interviewing a Hotel General Manager candidate. Ask "Walk me through how you would handle a situation where your restaurant manager and events manager disagree about using the main dining room for a large corporate event during peak dinner service." This tests their ability to balance competing priorities and make strategic decisions.
Present experience scenarios requiring strategic application, executive background leverage, hospitality experience excellence, and career progression leadership whilst testing experience leadership and background application skills. Assess experience sophistication and strategic capability.
Common misunderstanding: Using basic questions instead of complex leadership scenarios
Hiring managers often ask simple questions about past jobs instead of testing how candidates would handle the complex leadership challenges Hotel General Managers face. Basic questions don't show if someone can lead executives or manage strategic problems.
Let's say you are testing a Hotel General Manager candidate. Instead of asking "Tell me about your management experience," present a scenario: "Your hotel is 85% booked when a major conference cancels, your revenue manager wants to drop rates, but your sales director says it will damage future corporate bookings. How do you handle this?" This tests real strategic leadership.
Common misunderstanding: Avoiding difficult questions that test real leadership
Some managers stick to easy questions because they're worried about being too challenging. But Hotel General Manager roles involve complex strategic decisions every day, so you need to test if candidates can handle this complexity.
Let's say you are interviewing for a Hotel General Manager position. Don't avoid asking about difficult situations like "How would you manage a situation where your head chef wants to change the restaurant concept, but this conflicts with your brand standards and guest expectations?" These scenarios show if candidates have the strategic thinking and leadership skills your hotel needs.