The young people who come to see us generally have a bachelor’s or master’s degree and are looking for assistant manager positions. At the moment, these positions are becoming rare.
The observation is clear. “In ten days, more than twenty young people have asked us for help, because they felt a bit lost”, confides Philippine Freiman. “Some of them don’t know what to do anymore… They are desperate”, adds Estrella Maillet. The Talent Developer duo listens to these students in search of an internship, a work-study program, or even a first job. But in the midst of a health crisis, with hotels with low occupancy rates and restaurants in the throes of “click & collect”, it’s not so easy to offer tailor-made solutions. And when we do find them, not all companies play along,” Philippine Freiman points out. When 10% of an establishment’s teams are present, what about the mentor to train an intern or n apprentice? “The other pitfall raised by Estrella Maillet: “The young people who come to see us generally have a bachelor’s or master’s degree and they are looking for assistant manager positions. At the moment, however, these positions are becoming rare, whereas internships are available in the operational field. “On the one hand, students are told to hang on and stay in the hospitality sector, even if it means allowing them access to internships at the end of their course as if to make up for the lack of assistance,” observes Philippine Freiman. On the other hand, some young people, freshly hired in hotel groups, take advantage of waves of redundancies to change their lives. “Doubt and uncertainty are therefore the order of the day, in a sector where very few manage to project themselves beyond the weekly government announcements.
Some students don’t even know what the front of their school looks like!
“Some students have not physically been to class for a year…”
“Many of the young people we receive are not prepared to enter professional life. We are still explaining how to write a CV and how to present themselves at an interview”, Estrella Maillet regrets. As for support among students or within hotel schools and colleges, this varies from one establishment to another. In the best cases, networks work and the teaching staff maintains a dynamic with the young people by inviting professionals to exchange, share and transmit their knowledge and know-how. “But all too often, these outside contributors come without offering internships or work experience, while the students are waiting for this,” Philippine Freiman laments. In addition, some young people complain about the lack of links with previous classes and graduates. Worse: “Some students have not been to classes for a year,” says Estrella Maillet. As a result, they don’t even know what the front of their school looks like! “
The art of entertaining at the Grands Boulevards Hotel, a Parisian address created by the Experimental Group © DR
The bar at the Grands Boulevards hotel created by the Experimental Group serves in-room cocktails
The Hoxton Paris is waiting for customers to revive the area by inviting them to order Rivié by “click and collect”
Pushing open the doors of establishments that remain open
At Talent Developer, everything is done to motivate young people in this period of great uncertainty. Links are currently being forged with schools linked to the world of hospitality in Greece, the Ivory Coast, China, Latin America, and the Middle East. Solutions to help with accommodation, obtaining a visa – for foreign students – or an internship agreement are also offered by Talent Developer, thanks to new partnerships (see Two new partnerships for Talent Developer). Finally, young people are encouraged to push open the doors of establishments that are still open. “In Paris, The Hoxton and the Experimental Group hotels are among them. I cite them as an example,” says Philippine Freiman, “because despite the crisis, they have managed to keep an open mind. By adapting their offers and services, they have remained in tune with the social and economic reality, but also with the needs of their employees and those of their clients. They show flexibility and agility thanks to a management style that is the antithesis of the numerous hierarchical layers that slow down certain large hotel groups. “
Article written by Anne Eveillard for Talent Developer