Sol Melia's job fair oversubscribed
Published:Tuesday | October 27, 2015 | 11:05 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
Jamaica's newest resort operator, Sol Melia, says its job fair last weekend was oversubscribed.
More than 1,000 applicants converged to the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St James, at the second fair that the hotel group has staged in four weeks. Recruiters were looking for persons with talent, attitude, passion and unconditional effort to please its guests in its 250-room Melia Braco Village in Trelawny.
Some 800 persons were processed at the first job fair, with 680 of them getting an opportunity to interview for the resort, which opens officially at the start of the upcoming winter tourist season.
Already, 150 people have been retained in the area of front office, guest services, butler and VIP services, said the hotel's general manager, Dimitris Kosvogiannis.
"We are looking to employ 400 ambassadors (staff), and are not simply looking for experience or track record," he told The Gleaner, pointing out that Melia Braco represents not only the world's largest resort brand, but also one of the most coveted destinations in the world.
brand ambassadors
"All our staff must be ambassadors to the brand and the tourist industry."
Last weekend's interviews, which ran on Saturday and Sunday, were carried out in the areas of housekeeping, dining room, kitchen and engineering.
According to Kosvogiannis, the objective is to have the resort perform so well that within three years, it would be able to expand by another 250 rooms.
Going through the registration process, which was organised and supported by the Heart Trust/NTA, the applicants received care packages, which included an apple, water and a brochure outlining the Melia way of doing business.
Ninteen-year-old Adrian Beckford of Deeside, Trelawny, who was attending his first job fair, said he wanted to work so badly because he needed to help his single mother who was out of a job and needed money to send his little sister to school.
"I am applying to the housekeeping department, even though I have no experience in the area," he said.
Another applicant, Kimone Davidson of Brown's Town, St Ann, has been sitting at home for three years without working.
"I was given an ultimatum by my family. I was told to find a job now or be kicked out of the house."
The stories were many, coming from the people who traveled from across the island seeking employment.
"I am in need of this experience. I have been out of a job for a year," said Tobian Johnson, who was applying for work in the area of laundry and housekeeping.