Headhunters and the case for ‘Local experience’ in a GM.

Stephen W. Ayers, CEO STAY Ahead Hospitality

This is something that has been on my mind as I talk to many colleagues and think about my career and interactions with headhunters.

The one common thread in all my conversations about the Headhunters reactions is their answer “You don’t have local experience”. It happened to me ten years ago and has happened countless times to other, experienced managers who have come to Canada (and other countries) in search of a better life. These are people with international experience who could bring a breath of fresh, creative air to our industry, but…..they don’t have ‘local experience!’

So I thought to try and think the way the headhunters do and came up with the following line of reasoning:

First, I thought about hotels in Canada (and other cities around the world):

“Do they have rooms? Do they have restaurant(s) and bars? Do they have receptions? Do they have F&B departments, housekeeping, Maintenance, security and the others found in ‘local’ hotels across the world?”

“Do the engage their guests? Do they have an HR department to take care of the staff?”

The answer is yes, yes, yes to all those questions and so many more. So what is it with this ‘local experience’ bee that they have in their bonnets?

The answer I came up with is to be found in Sales and Marketing. The new comers do not know the ‘local’ marketing and connected sales strategies. This does not mean that the newcomers do not know marketing and sales, and that is vastly different. Every hotel has a different marketing and sales strategy set out by owners, management and the M&S Director.

I suggest to you that an experienced general manager can learn the M&S department and its targets and operational methods in about three months or less. The newcomer could even bring some new ideas and angles learned not from ‘local experience’ but from abroad. This is called ‘innovation’ and ‘creative’ and could perhaps ‘revitalize’ the department in many ways.

I can say that only a few headhunters actually make the effort to meet and try to get to know the newcomers, get to know their strengths and experience. They would much rather get a ‘local’ fit quick and collect their commission…….it’s all about money there too.

How come the big brands move their general managers across the globe at will? It is not only a question of promotion but rather also a ‘revitalization’ of the hotels when a new guy arrives for ‘out of town’!

So next time you come across a ‘newcomer’ general manager, take a minute to read and take in his/her experience and see if it would reward your organization with a ‘new broom’. Perhaps even go so far as to invite him/her for a chat and get to know the candidate……you might be blown away!