Having a successful interview is all about preparation. If you can brainstorm answers ahead of time, you’ll feel calm and confident during the actual event. Plus, it’ll be way easier to remember all the key points you want to make.
To give you a little extra help, we’re revealing the eleven most common interview questions in the hospitality industry—and how to answer them.
1. How do you handle difficult customers?
Working in hospitality means your ultimate responsibility is to provide excellent service. That’s why it’s crucial for you to be able to handle angry, frustrated, and sometimes even belligerent customers.
When you describe your approach, make sure that you don’t blame anyone for the customer’s dissatisfaction; especially not the customers themselves! Also make sure to weave in examples of how you’ve resolved these issues in the past.
For example:
“I always begin by asking the customer to explain what happened. I don’t say anything until he or she has finished explaining they’re issue, because I want the person to feel respected and know I’m really listening. To make sure we’re on the same page, I’ll repeat what I believe the problem is. At that point, I’ll give the customer a sincere apology—and depending on the situation, offer a potential solution.
2. Do you work best independently or in a team?
There are very few roles in the hospitality industry that don’t require a lot of collaboration and teamwork. Therefore, you’ll want to highlight your ability to be a team player. This question offers a great opportunity to discuss a project you shared with your coworkers.
For example:
“While I’m happy to work independently, I really enjoy the camaraderie and diversity of thought that’s unique to teams. As a cruise director…”
3. Why do you work in hospitality?
Whether you’re applying for a job at a hotel or resort, in a restaurant, or on a cruise ship, hiring managers want to know you’re passionate about the experience you’re providing. After all, employees who are personally invested in the company’s mission and service will work harder and stay in their jobs longer than those who aren’t.
We recommend sharing how you became interested in this specific field.
For example:
“Hospitality has allowed me the opportunity to meet and form relationships with colleagues and guests from all different backgrounds and experiences, while also allowing me plenty of opportunities to learn and grow in my career.”
4. How do you go above and beyond?
At this point, you’re probably aware that in hospitality, it’s not enough to meet guest or company expectations. You have to exceed them. For that reason, you should come to the interview with two or three (true) stories of doing more than the minimum.
For example:
“In my current role as Manager of Guest Services for Carol Resorts, I do everything I can to surprise and delight guests. When those who have previously stayed with us book another visit, I’ll prepare their rooms with a “Welcome Back” gift basket. If our restaurant servers notice a guest particularly enjoying a specific meal, I’ll arrange for a gift card for that meal’s value to be given to them so they can order it again “on the house.” These little touches make our patrons feel valued and special.”
5. What are your strengths?
This is a typical interview question employers use to get to know you. It’s especially important in hospitality interviews because the interviewer needs to assess your ability to fit in on a team and to work with the public if you’re applying for a front-of-house role. Listing strengths like communicating, collaborating, relating to people from diverse backgrounds, and problem-solving can give you an advantage. For each strength that you mention, be prepared to give an example of how you’ve applied it at work or in life in general.
For example:
“I consider myself a natural leader. With more than 10 years of experience in guest services, I’ve motivated my team members by checking in with them weekly to make sure I have given them a proper workload and am helping them maintain good mental health. I’ve been able to successfully meet every business goal set and helped 2 previous team members get promoted. I look forward to being able to continue building my leadership skills in my next role as well.”
6. What are your weaknesses?
This question usually follows a question about your strengths. Employers want to see that you can be introspective and admit when, and how you’re working to improve, so answer honestly. Steer clear of cheesy answers like, “My weakness is that I work too hard,” which are sure to make your interviewer roll their eyes.. Just make sure you choose examples that wouldn’t have a big impact on the role you’re applying for.
For example:
“I tend to be too critical of myself. I often find myself asking how I could have done better, even if I’ve done well and met my goal. I found myself burning out too quickly, but one solution I created for myself was to pause and celebrate my achievements, no matter how small. This has helped my own self-esteem and helped me appreciate my team members and give recognition to others.”
7. Do you have experience in hospitality?
It’s okay if your answer to this question is no. However, it may be helpful to point out if your previous jobs had a customer service component or if they required you to communicate with or empathize with other people because those skills are very useful in hospitality.
For example:
“I gained extensive customer service experience during my time at [company name]. My daily responsibilities included greeting our customers and asking questions to help figure out the exact product that would fit their needs, similar to helping a guest figure out what type of experience at a resort would give them the best vacation.”
8. Why do you want to work here?
Show the interviewer that you did your homework. Mention you are excited about joining a team that is nationally recognized for exceptional customer service, or a company that is dedicated to changing the industry through initiatives (mention their specific ones), or that has a culture that matches what you are looking for.
For example:
“I’ve read about all of the sustainability and environmental initiatives your company and property has recently taken on and I am passionate about working on a team that is helping to change the industry and make our world better while still delivering exceptional guest experiences.”
9. Where do you see yourself in # years?
It’s okay to not really know the answer to this, or to just assume. It’s tough to know what tomorrow will look like, much less 5 years from now. The interviewer asks this to see if you’ve given your career path any thought as well as if the role aligns with your goals. Talk about some goals you’d like to accomplish that you think the company and position will help you accomplish.
For example:
“I would like to work my way up to a leadership position that allows me to manage a budget as well as help mentor team members to also grow into their career path.”
10. Tell me about yourself
Give the interviewer a concise and compelling “pitch” that shows why you are a great fit for the role and company. Talk about your current role or relevant experience you have.
For example:
“I’ve worked in hospitality for the past 5 years as a front desk agent and have gained experience with interacting directly with guests to create a great experience from helping them check-in, creating itineraries based on their interests, and asking them to return when checking out. I’m looking for a new opportunity that will allow me to expand my experience into helping train and mentor other team members as well as oversee day-to-day operations, which is why I am interested in joining your team as a general manager.”
11. Do you have any questions for me?
Make sure to have 3-5 questions ready to ask at the end of your interview. Aim to ask them 2 or 3 questions, but have a few extra prepared in case they answer your questions throughout the interview. This will help showcase your interest in the position and the company.
For example:
“What does the first 30-60-90 days for the person in the position look like?”
“What skills or personality traits do you think will make someone successful in this position?”
“What has been your favorite part of working at this company?”
Additional Questions
The preceding 12 questions focus specifically on the hospitality job interview. However, one should expect at least a handful of more common questions — ones that can be found in a hotel job interview, a management job, a tech job, or anything in between. We’ve curated 17 more “general” questions that are still applicable to a hospitality job interview.
1. Why are you looking for another job (or why did you leave your previous job)?
On the surface, this appears to be a simple question, yet it is easy to slip into. Instead of listing out the negatives of your current job, or saying you want more money, talk about how this opportunity would help you grow into your career path. You can talk about how you are interested in taking on a leadership role if you are applying for a managerial role, or how you are excited for their diversity and inclusion initiatives.
2. What do you know about this organization?
Do your homework prior to the job interview. Doing the background work will help you stand out. Find out who the main players are—have they been in the news recently? You’re not expected to know every date and individual, but you need to have a solid understanding of the company as a whole.
3. Who are our main competitors?
This shows you really understand the industry and the main players. Think about a few and say how you think they compare (similarities and differences). This is a good opportunity to highlight what you think are the company’s key strengths.
4. What would your previous co-workers say about you?
This is not the arena for full disclosure. You want to stay positive and add a few specific statements or paraphrases. Something like, “Joe always mentioned how reliable and hardworking I was.” is enough.
5. How do you handle stressful situations and work under pressure?
There are several ways of addressing this. You may be the sort of person who works well under pressure; you may even thrive under pressure. Whatever the case, make sure you don’t say you panic. You want to give specific examples of stressful situations and how well you dealt with them. You may also want to list a few tools you use to help you, such as to-do lists, etc. It is alright to say that you will ask for assistance when the job is more than what you can handle. It is equally acceptable to say that you work best under pressure if this is indeed the case and relevant to the particular role.
6. Are you applying for other jobs?
If you are serious about changing jobs then it is likely that you are applying to other positions. It is also a way of showing that you are in demand. Be honest but don’t go into too much detail; you don’t want to spend a great deal of time on this. If asked about the names of who you have spoken to, it is absolutely legitimate to say you prefer not to disclose that information at this stage.
7. What has been our biggest professional disappointment/achievement so far?
If asked about disappointments, mention something that was beyond your control. Stay positive by showing how you accepted the situation and have no lingering negative feelings. If asked about your greatest achievement, choose an example that was important to you as well as the company. Specify what you did, how you did it, and what the results were. Ideally, pick an example that can relate to the job positions you are applying for.
8. What kind of decisions do you find most difficult to take?
There is no right or wrong answer here. The logic behind this type of question is that your past behavior is likely to predict what you will do in the future. What the interviewer is looking for is to understand what you find difficult.
9. Tell me about a suggestion that you have made that has been successfully implemented.
Here the emphasis is on the implementation. You may have had many brilliant ideas, but what the interviewer is looking for is something that has actually materialized. Be prepared to briefly describe how it went from an idea to the implementation stage.
10. Have you ever had to bend the rules in order to achieve a goal?
Beware of this type of question! Under no circumstances is it necessary to break company policy to achieve something. Resist the temptation to answer and give examples, as what the interviewer is looking for is to determine how ethical you are and if you will remain true to company policy.
11. Are you willing to travel or relocate if necessary?
There is no point in saying yes just to get the job if the real answer is actually no. Just be honest as this can save you problems arising in the future.
12. Why should we hire you?
This is an important question that you will need to answer carefully. It is your chance to stand out and draw attention to your skills, especially those that haven’t already been addressed. Saying “because I need a job” or “I’m really good” just won’t cut it. Give examples of how you personify the requirements that were listed in the job description, and how you align with their company values.
13. Regarding salary, what are your expectations?
You can flip this question on the interviewer by asking them what the salary range for the position is, and depending on the interview stage you’re at, you can say that the salary range matches your expectations but you would like to learn more about the role and team before finalizing a number.
Make sure to also do your research on what is an average salary for the role you are applying for and what the company pays other employees, and also what you bring to the table so you know what is a good but realistic salary.
14. What are your hobbies?
This is another question that’s trying to get a sense of your personality. Plan to share what you’ve learned from your hobbies. Maybe you’ve developed a sense of teamwork from playing soccer, or you’ve learned patience and attention to detail from knitting. Avoid bringing up hobbies that are far outside of the mainstream. For example, if you’ve volunteered for a controversial political campaign in which your interviewer might have strong disagreements, it’s probably better to leave that out.
15. How would you respond to an ethical dilemma?
Hospitality employees may have access to very sensitive information about guests, and in the case of housekeeping and room service roles, they can come directly in contact with guests’ personal belongings. Thus, it’s very important to employers that each person they hire will adhere to high ethical standards.
You may be asked about a case where you catch a coworker stealing from a guest, for example, or where someone asks you to overlook harassment. In your answer, you should make it clear that you have zero tolerance for misconduct and that you would immediately report any ethical violations you encounter.
16. How long do you plan to stay in this position?
High turnover is common for some hospitality jobs, especially entry-level positions. Employers want to know if you expect to build a long-term career with them or if you plan to move on soon. Answer truthfully, but understand that if you answer “a few months” you’ll probably have better luck landing a seasonal or temporary position rather than a full-time, permanent position.
You can also answer by showing you would like to work hard in the position to work into a supervisory or management position within the company once your manager would feel it appropriate.
17. Describe this position’s responsibilities in your own words.
You can impress an employer if you understand the job you’re applying for very well. Read the job description carefully before your interview so you’ll be prepared to explain what the role entails.