Cayuga Collection in Costa Rica doesn’t typically hire people with a lot of experience. 

“When we take over a hotel or start a new project, we don’t necessarily look for people who have a lot of experience,” founder and President Hans Pfister told me. “We’d rather work with people that have a passion for wanting to serve.”

What does that look like practically?

The “pen drop test”

Candidates who pass Cayuga’s interview process do a 2-3 day trial period working on the property. During this time, managers look for little things that indicate a willingness to serve.

“If a pen drops, for example, is the candidate jumping on that pen to pick it up or just looking at it and trying to figure out if they should pick it up or not?”

It’s those little things that show how someone is wired. Cayuga is also looking for people who will be social.

“In hospitality, it’s good to be social. We want people who are great at small talk and are naturally curious about other people. Our trial period helps us understand that.”

After just a couple of days, it’s often clear if this person is someone that will be a good fit or not.

What have you found helpful in finding the right team members who will provide great hospitality? Reply to this email to share, and I might feature you in an upcoming story…