Terry Haney runs the Lodge at the Presidio (San Franciscoās #1-rated hotel on TripAdvisor) and the Inn at the Presidio (a 5-time Conde Nast Readerās Choice award winner) as Managing Director at Presidio Lodging. I had the chance to speak with him recently and will be sharing excerpts of our conversation in the days ahead.
There are currently no open roles at your properties. How did you get to that place when everyone else seems to struggle with staffing?
We get a lot of word-of-mouth employees. Iāve always been successful at hiring people that my staff recommended. Itās been a key to our success.
My employees hear about an opening or they know if thereās a position that needs to be filled because all of a sudden theyāve got a cover more shifts. If somebody left, then we need to find a replacement. Our team often tells me āI know a guy. Iāve got a cousin, my sisterās brotherās kid.ā Thatās how weāve got the majority of our back-of-the-house staff.
If I love this hotel and I like you as my boss, and I recommend someone for you to bring on, Iām going to make sure they perform and donāt make me look bad by being lazy or not doing their job.
Why do you work in hospitality?
I had no intention of it! You know when youāre 18 and they say, āWhat do you want to do for the rest of your life? Go to college and get a degree.ā I had no idea what to get a degree in.
I wanted to go into horticulture and open a nursery at first. I thought the only people I would see are the ones who want to buy my plants. But I didnāt get through that.
So I got a job as a waiter and found that Iām a people pleaser. I like to serve. I like to make people happy.
I think thatās just innate in some peopleās personalities. Like actors on stage that want the applause. They enjoy knowing they made somebody happy. Thatās hospitality.
If you donāt enjoy people, if you donāt enjoy creating an experience for people and seeing their joy, you probably donāt belong in the hospitality industry. Youāll never be happy in it.
I donāt really want you working at my hotel if you donāt enjoy being with my guests. Thatās the characteristic that I look for when Iām hiring. Are you a people person?
I can train you on anything: How to run the washing machine or how to make a bed or how to find reservations and check people in or answer the phone. All of those skills are trainable. I canāt train you to care. But if you are a person whoās naturally caring, Iāll hire you.
How do you identify which people will provide exceptional hospitality in the hiring process?
Itās easier than you think. Iāve been around long enough that I can read people.
There are probing questions that provide a feel for how people would handle a situation. āGive me an example of a time when you_____.ā Itās not just, āwhat would you do in this situation?ā because of course youāre going to tell me the ideal situation. Rather, ātell me about a time in your life when youāve been in this situation and youāve had to do this. What did you do?ā
Thatās very different because if I know what Iām supposed to do, but Iāve never actually done it, thatās different than telling you what I learned in school I should tell people.
Iām looking for people that donāt just call their manager if a guest is unhappy. I need people who want to solve problems for our guests. āHow can I make you feel better? Whatever is going on with you right now, what can I do to improve that?ā
Stay tuned for part 2 of our conversation tomorrowā¦.
I want one:).