Pictured: Terence Southward
The manager of a luxury resort in Shropshire this week offered
his advice to jobseekers on how to make themselves stand out.
Terence Southward, the general manager at Hill Valley Spa, Hotel
and Golf, said it was important to show initiative in the current
climate.
"Our business is about personality, commitment and get-up-and-go
so just putting in that little bit of extra effort can make all the
difference," he said.
Terence, a father of one, started his career at 21 waiting
tables at Butlins but is now manager of the luxury hotel and golf
resort on Tarporley Road, Whitchurch, which is part of the
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts group.
The Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel Golf and Spa is well-known as
one of the top 10 golf venues in the UK but is also a prestigious
wedding venue with luxury spa and health club as well as conference
facilities for up to 300.
It had been a quick rise to the top for the 39-year-old who
simply knocked on restaurant doors until someone gave him the job
he wanted after leaving the holiday park. He said it was this kind
of dedication that could make the difference in the eyes of
potential employers in 2012.
"It's easy to put a letter in the post enquiring about
employment but if someone with the right attitude walked into my
hotel, I would give them a chance," he said.
Before becoming general manager of Hill Valley, Terence worked
his way up through the ranks, starting with waiting tables shortly
after graduating from university.
Over the years he has worked in three and four star hotels
throughout the north west - including in his hometown of Liverpool
while it was the European Capital of Culture - and managed several
royal events and the catering for the wedding of footballer Steven
Gerrard.
He believes the best managers are those who have experienced
work at all levels of their industry.
"You understand the pressures your employees are under if you
have done it yourself," he said.
"The most important thing to me as general manager is attention
to detail, the moment I walk into a hotel I will notice if the
background music isn't on, if a light bulb is broken or if the
temperature isn't quite right.
"They may sound like small things but they make a difference to
customers and that is what concerns me.
"Every day you should come into work and ask what are we doing
and how can we do it better?"